• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Jamie Dimon and his wife, Judith, donate $12 million to 12 HBCUs—betting they're the 'springboard to success' for the next generation

2

Dolly Parton’s philanthropy inspiration was her father who couldn't read or write: 'I saw how crippling that could be'

3

Venezuela abandoning the bolivar and adopting the U.S. dollar would be the biggest currency switch since the advent of the euro, Hanke says

1

Jamie Dimon and his wife, Judith, donate $12 million to 12 HBCUs—betting they're the 'springboard to success' for the next generation

2

Dolly Parton’s philanthropy inspiration was her father who couldn't read or write: 'I saw how crippling that could be'

3

Venezuela abandoning the bolivar and adopting the U.S. dollar would be the biggest currency switch since the advent of the euro, Hanke says
TechGoogle

Google Is Blocking a Lot More Annoying Ads After All

By
Jen Wieczner
Jen Wieczner
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Jen Wieczner
Jen Wieczner
Down Arrow Button Icon
January 22, 2016, 2:15 PM ET
AWXII - Day 1
NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 28: Editor, Managing Director, Fast Company Bob Safian and SVP Advertising & Commerce at Google Sridhar Ramaswamy speak onstage at the Winning the Mobile Moments of Truth: A Chat with Google & Fast Company panel during Advertising Week 2015 AWXII at the Times Center Stage on September 28, 2015 in New York City. (Photo by Laura Cavanaugh/Getty Images for AWXII)Laura Cavanaugh 2015 Getty Images
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Google, after frustrating consumers with its opposition to ad-blocking software, wants you to know that it’s banning the most annoying ads from popping up on your screen anyway.

In a post on Google’s official blog Thursday, the online advertising giant said it blocked 780 million “bad ads” in 2015, up nearly 50% from the 524 million it blocked the year before. Google (GOOGL) banned the “worst offenders,” including ads for weight loss scams (a chief cause of user complaints, the company noted), pharmaceuticals with misleading claims, fake designer watches, and bogus software.

Google, which depends on online advertising for 90% of its revenues, has generally fought against ad-blocking products, going as far as preventing its Android phone customers from downloading the third-party software. But the company’s resistance has failed to curb the trend: Use of ad blockers on Google’s own Chrome browser increased 51% in 2015 over the prior year, according to a study recently cited by Fortune.

Now Google may be trying to convince consumers that it can do the dirty work for them. (The company’s policy is reminiscent of that of leading ad blocker Adblock Plus, which lets only “acceptable ads” through its filter.)

In a nod to one of the most irritating aspects of Internet ads, Google said its technology knows when you click on ads accidentally, such as when they’re placed too close to buttons in mobile apps or pop up in a slideshow about something else. “We’ve all been there. You’re swiping through a slideshow of the best moments from the Presidential debate when an ad redirects you even though you didn’t mean to click on it,” Google noted in the post, saying the company is now blocking both kinds of ads.

Besides the headache of malware or identity theft caused by unintentionally clicking on phishing ads, Google said its ad-blocking practices have also saved its users something else: time. “If you spent one second looking at each of these ads, it’d take you nearly 25 years to see them all!” the company said in its post.

About the Author
By Jen Wieczner
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Tech


Most Popular

Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • TikTok icon
  • YouTube icon

    Latest in Tech


    Most Popular

    © 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
    FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.