Internet users are accustomed to seeing ads on Internet pages. One of the most prominent advertisement schemes used these days is Google Adsense which is available for websites, searches on websites and for mobile devices. Adword ads dominate the Google search result pages, and other Google properties are also displaying their fair share of ads.
Salimane Adjao Moustapha recently posted a photo of another place where Google (seemingly) has started to display ads: The Chrome browser. The screenshot shows a new tab page of the Chrome browser. The Apps section is open and at the top of it is an ad for Google’s own Chromebook. It states: Get a Chromebook for the holidays: the computer powered by Chrome.
The first part of the ad is underlined. It is not clear where it leads to as it is not revealed by Salimane, and I was not able to reproduce it.
The post on Google Plus sums up all the different opinions about the ad in Chrome. Some say it is Google’s right to display ads because the browser is free. Others that they should not do so without giving the user control over the ads. A third group is suggesting to switch to Firefox or Chromium. And a last group is angry but not angry enough to switch just yet. It would not make much sense either at the time considering that the majority may not have seen ads in Chrome yet.
I’d like to know your opinion about ads in web browsers. Do you think it is ok for Google to display ads in the browser, especially if it is for other company products? Or would you say that ads in a browser are a no-go, regardless of what they promote?
My personal opinion on the matter is that Chrome has turned adware if Google makes the decision to display these kind of ads to all Chrome users. It does not really matter if the ads promote Google products or third party products, it is still an ad.
Related Articles:
Chrome Update Notifier, Receive Notifications Of Google Browser UpdatesGoogle Browser – New Google Chrome Portable Browser
Google Browser: Google Chrome And Chromium Download
Google Enters The Browser Market With Google Chrome
Wikipedia Companion Adds Wikipedia Browser To Google Chrome
Enjoyed the article?: Then sign-up for our free newsletter or RSS feed to kick off your day with the latest technology news and tips, or share the article with your friends and contacts on Facebook, Twitter or Google+ using the icons below.
That’s one reason for not using Chrome.
The other reasons are privacy issues!
I’ll stick with Firefox! :)
Yes, This is for me the beginning from the end.
Do you think they can be blocked with ad-block plus (or something like that)?
I haven’t noticed this yet. I’m not an enthusiastic Google Chrome user – if only because I just don’t trust Google all that much. I use Firefox most of the time, but have been dabbling with Chrome given the enthusiasm of some friends.
Have to say, though – if this does turn out to be true, then the Google browser will simply be history.
Firefox isn’t perfect by any means – but it still remains my first choice when compared with either MIE or Chrome.
These look like the same kind of ads that show in Gmail. I use an adblocker, but these still show. Personally I don’t mind them. The are one line, small ads. I would be up in arms if they were huge flashing ads. Those I can’t stand. Those are why I use an adblocker. If all ads on webpages were like these I wouldn’t need to block any of them. Animated, flashing, with noise ads are not needed, and only take away from the webpage, and therefore must be blocked.
No way I am going to use browser that does not have full AdBlockPlus functionality.
I was using Ad-Muncher, and the ads where there, along with those Google text ads in Gmail, but I switched to AdBlock (Not AdBlock Plus), and all signs of any ads are gone. AdBlock works very well. Here is the link. If I’m not allowed to add links I’m sorry. Just let me know. https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/gighmmpiobklfepjocnamgkkbiglidom
If I see one of these ads in my Chrome browser I will instantly switch back to Firefox unless you can switch off the ads completely.
No in-Chrome ads from Google have yet infested here. But then I don’t open Chrome that much – usually a few minutes a day (exceptions: certain TV show episodes don’t activate in Firefox as configured).
Could be that the extension ‘AdBlock Plus’ in Chrome is successful at killing Google ads that are pushed.
If it gets out of hand, surely someone will make a script or style or something – obviously not a Google-hosted Chrome extension! – that will block the little bugs (like the Stylish style called ‘Gmail – Block Sponsored Links’ I’ve got going in Firefox).
Meanwhile IMO as advertising goes, Google’s is not all that awful. It doesn’t blink, flash, slide, pop up, swirl/twirl/unfurl or otherwise obnoxiously scream for attention. To me the more basic concern is Google’s expertise at tracking and such, in part for the purpose of ad-tailoring. Pretty hard to stop the tracking, and while I do take some privacy measures, to a significant extent I gave up on that some time ago.
The link in the new tab page goes to:
http://www.google.co.uk/chromebook/index.html#utm_campaign=en-uk&utm_source=en-ntp-holidays-en-uk-bkws&utm_medium=ntp-holidays
I don’t believe that Chromium displays this sort of behaviour
Thanks for posting the link.
SURPRISE! NOT
How long did it take the first ad blocker to show up in Chrome? If my memory is correct – forever. There is a reason for this – Google’s browser has been developed to deliver ads.
Now that they have sufficient market share they will be unwrapping the hidden gems of joy (well for advertisers anyhow).
I remember when I first used Opera (v 5). It had ads, but I still loved the browser and used it as my default browser. But Opera was (and still is) a small company, and they’ve dropped ads several years ago. Google is a behemoth, it doesn’t need to put ads in its browser. At the least, Google should announce it beforehand and not sneakily put ads without user consent.
I still use Opera as my main browser, but I also have SRWare Iron which is based on Chromium. I’ve dropped Chrome because of privacy and trust issues.
“My personal opinion on the matter is that Chrome has turned adware if Google makes the decision to display these kind of ads to all Chrome users. It does not really matter if the ads promote Google products or third party products, it is still an ad.”
Well, either you call it adware, and accept that AVG, AVAST, and AVIRA are also adware (they also display in-product ads for their own paid products), or you think of it as a bit of harmless self-promotion.
@Pietzki – Excellent point.
I have enjoyed the benefits (and excellence) of Avast’s freeware versions for years and years. It’s never occurred to me to consider their on-board promos for upgrades and whatnot intrusive, unexpected, or questionable.
Unless Google starts *flooding* tab after tab inside Chrome with non-propriety junk ads, the situation’s not much different.
Sure they are adware. Products that contain ads for other services or products are adware. This is my definition, others may vary of course.
I can’t reproduce it, either. Until such time as it’s reproducible, it’s not a fact; it’s an anomaly.
Yesterday, my Chrome also shown the same ad. Chrome is getting bloated day-by-day.
Seems pretty harmless to me.
Sure it is an “ad”, but it’s not just related to “Google”, it is clearly talking about a new way to “enjoy” Chrome.
Say we are talking about a product inviting you to try its brand new version but not forcing you to upgrade, would that be problematic ? Depends on how it’s done.
Here, I’m just informed, as a Chrome user, that I can get all that experience on a dedicated “Chromebook”.
I don’t like it ? Well I just move on with my browsing. No harm done.
Harmless today….but will it always just be a “google” ad? Don’t think so; there is no money in that!
So where would you draw the line?
Don’t know about Rick, but I draw the line by Not using Chrome!
Saves me a lot of grief!!
It seems like I am not the only one that complain a lot but there are lots of people are complaining about Google as well. That is why people around the world often do not like USA because it is the only superpower in the world. What can we do? If we want to make a living as a blogger or use internet then we got no choice but try to love Google. I really hope there are some other CPC affiliate network that are as good as AdSense so a blogger can have more choices but they are all gone now!
I think most savvy users will use Chromium or Srware Iron. Basically they’re showing ads to those who really might not care anyhow, so let ‘em.
I suppose that it doesn’t bother any or all of you (Google) Chrome users that the Browser records all your surfing whereabouts and sends the information back to Google, who use that for their Marketing ploys or whatever!!
That’s an invasion of privacy, the same thing Facebook was accused of doing and got their wrists slapped for!
So, if Google is flooding their Browser with Ads, all the more reason to dump it!!
Firefox is better than ever! Fast, secure and virtually bug free and that’s good enough for me!
Never said it was perfect as No software is perfect!
advertising in internet browsers is affecting browsing process so any browser doing this will killed by users who wants to browse internet smoothly.
No Ads in Firefox!! :)
@Midnight
Post some proof that Chrome “records all your surfing whereabouts and sends the information back to Google” or stop spreading FUD.
I think Midnight is referring to this: “If you choose to share usage statistics with Google and you accept a suggested query or URL, Google Chrome will send that information to Google as well. You can
disable this feature”. Which can be found in their privacy policy: www.google.com/chrome/intl/en/privacy.html
However, I suspect that similar things can be found in firefox’s terms and conditions as well..
User metrics in Chrome isn’t even enabled by default. It is an opt-in option.
@DanTe
They get a lot of data from cookies, Analytics, and oh.. I don’t know.. the search engine itself? Neither of which is a function of the browser itself and every browser is open to.
I mean really… no one is saying Google are saints. They are first and foremost an advertising company. But to say that Chrome purposely records every single thing you do on the internet? That’s spreading FUD and is plain paranoia with no proof.
“However, I suspect that similar things can be found in Firefox’s terms and conditions as well.”
Perhaps, but there are NO Ads in Firefox! :)
It’s a known fact what Google does, since they are a Marketing company, besides being a Web Portal and anybody who reads on line News would know that!
It’s been posted numerous times and I don’t post FUD!!
If it’s such a known fact that Chrome “records all your surfing whereabouts and sends the information back to Google” and if it’s all over the web news as you say, then surely you should be able to post numerous links with proof.
@Reimer…
Do your own Research and see for yourself!
I did! :)
In other words, you have no proof.
From Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Chrome#Usage_tracking
And I wonder how Google gets the info to target the ads? Could it be that they have been storing your Chrome behavior in your Chrome caches? Hmmm…?
That’s why I never switched to Chrome. Sticking with Firefox – the user have more control.
Exactly!!
Enuff said!! :)
Google’s browser is the most invasive browser I’ve ever come across. It leaves so much junk after uninstalling it that it ain’t funny, never mind Google Earth and other stuff. It has its tentacles all over which are (over 450 remnants) virtually impossible to remove. Adding ads to their browser is IMHO spamming.
Chrome is more confident in himself but it takes too much CPU than avant .
so i switch to avant browser .faster and use less memory.
I use Chrome with AdBlock Plus. AdBlock is turned OFF on all Google sites and on new tab :-)
As for the Ads, I see no harm. Google gives its services for free so adding Ads for its own Hardware or software is logical.
Actually this is old. Remember last year i saw this at first – Google needed testers for their chromebook
Speaking about Google :
Google Now Censors The Pirate Bay, isoHunt, 4Shared and More
Google has expanded its search blacklist to include many of the top file-sharing sites on the Internet, including The Pirate Bay. The changes were quietly processed and appear to be broader than previous additions. Google’s blacklist prevents the names of sites appearing in their Instant and Autocomplete search services, while the pages themselves remain indexed.
Since January 2011, Google has been filtering “piracy-related” terms from its ‘Autocomplete‘ and ‘Instant‘ services.
Google users searching for terms like “torrent”, “BitTorrent” and “RapidShare” will notice that no suggestions and search results appear before they type the full word. As a consequence, there’s sharp decrease in Google searches for these terms….
http://torrentfreak.com/google-now-censors-the-pirate-bay-isohunt-4shared-and-more-111123/
glad i keep on firefox.
i install and tried Chrome 2 different times, and dont like it. i keep it on the pc only to look some new feature, but, thats all…
Google must be ashamed of itself if this is true – that’s all I can say.
A Big company like Google has NO shame!!
It’s all about Revenues for them!!
I never wondered that Google can be so shameless.
First Chrome sends all browsing history to Google servers.
Now, they even want to generate revenue out of Chrome?
Why should Google ashamed of its self? We get everything free from Google and it should not be any problem for me even Google want to place the (300 x 300 banner) advertisement right on the middle of the browser.
I think that those who have chosen not to mistake a browser with a search engine will neither be surprised nor disappointed that advertisements make their way back when the browser’s daddy is in the advertisement business.
It has always puzzled me why people moan about advertising, especially when it is focussed. I don’t want to see ads for non-relevant products, but if they are tailored for my interests and lifestyle, that’s much more use. I don’t do anything on the net that I need to hide, so ads are OK with me as long as they are of interest. Incidentally I am just starting to try Chrome on my netbook, as it is small, and I am very impressed.
Another reason besides the fact that one’s sensibility towards advertisement is, if not ideological (as for myself), a sum of all, so many, too many, crowded, remains that it is notorious that many advertisement canals are vectors of infection, name it intruders.
Advertisement in itself is human as communicating is, one has and one wishes to let it be known, that’s for the idea. The facts are slightly different when we all know what tremendous exaggeration there is in this business. Last but not least, advertisement on the Web links to tracking when tracking leads back to advertisement.
A study had been led by Times or Newsweek 10, 15 years ago which demonstrated that same results could be achieved with half less advertisements … make less and better and ads will be more efficient !
Other than that, I am aware that many private sites/blogs could not make it without ads, therefor tools like AsBlock+ are most valuable as they allow per site users’ policy.
It’s only the Chromebook, Chrome as a laptop. So where’s the problem? The ads are from google self and they advertise a similar product, because there are news for it.
And best, there is a “X”, which you can press…
If Google starts tracking our browsing habits (I want to believe, ahem, they don’t do it right now) I also will mark chrome as adware.