Google Chrome January Update to Introduce Auto-Play Blocker

Google Chrome to block auto-play videos

When you are having a random browse of the internet, there are some websites which can be very frustrating. Advertising has become part and parcel of life on the internet, particularly for websites. They do have to make a living after all. There are, however, some websites which are taking this way too far.

You will click on a website and find yourself either deafened or bombarded with 3-4 videos which you can’t pause, or if you do, it just prompts a new video to start playing somewhere else.

Well, Google seems to understand our pain as they have announced plans within their January update to automatically block any videos which would usually play when visiting a website.

Google recently reported themselves as caring if you’re depressed or not. Maybe this is another step in their mission.

Isn’t this just Google making their own ad-blocker?

Yes and no. Of course, preventing videos playing is an ad-blocker. It is, quite literally, blocking the advert. However, I think Google Chrome agrees with the vast majority of us. We understand adverts are everywhere on the internet, however, some websites make video adverts highly intrusive to your experience.

In a report via CNET, it is made clear that the update is only set to block videos automatically playing. Advertising revenues should not be affected by this new system.

Many would consider this a step in the right direction for Google. Particularly since they had recently fallen in for criticism for hosting 50 malware programs on their play store.

Although details are yet to be confirmed, the auto-play blocker is set to run on an opting system in which you will be given the option to opt out of auto-play videos. Personally, I’ll be doing this straight away.

If you can’t wait until January, don’t worry. Chrome is releasing an update next month which will allow users, at the very least, to automatically mute any audio played on a website. Music to my ears.