Ad blocking tool attached to Chrome may actually bring Google even more business

One out of four Canadians (or, more precisely, mobile and desktop user) have ad blockers installed, according to a report from Statista. Only Germany and India have more. 

Which is why it is interesting that Google intends  soon to announce a built-in ad-blocking tool for its popular Chrome web browser, according to a report from the Wall Street Journal, relayed by the Business Insider. 

"At first, that seems a bit odd. Digital advertising is Google’s bread and butter, and reports say that Google Chrome is still by far the world’s most-used browser. So why would Google want to handicap itself?  

Well, in the long run, it may not be. The report says Google’s tool wouldn’t kill every ad, but would instead filter out “unacceptable” ads as defined by the Coalition for Better Ads, an industry group of which Google (and Facebook, the other digital ad giant) are members. The Coalition currently names auto-playing videos with sound, large ads that stick to your web page even as you scroll, prestitial ads with countdowns (i.e., those ads that make you wait a few seconds before letting you see the page), and pop-ups as examples.   

"So, in a sense, this may be Google’s attempt at getting other publishers and advertisers to do better, which would lessen the need for an ad blocker, which would mean more money in Google’s pocket."