Google are preparing to launch their ad-blocker feature for Chrome, the world’s most popular internet browser. The search engine giant has already launched a beta version of Chrome that automatically blocks autoplay videos. And on February 15 2018 the Google Chrome built-in ad blocker feature will go live.
Adverts that do not meet the standards of the Coalition for Better Ads, such as pop-up adverts that expand on their own, will get blocked. The group that decides which adverts are suitable includes big name members like Google, Facebook, News Corp, and The Washington Post.
Torrent websites rely on the revenue they bring in from advertising, and the Chrome ad blocker has left some fearing if they’ll be able to carry on. The owner of one torrent site, who did not want to be named, previously told TorrentFreak that the ad blocker could signal the end of torrents.
They said: “The torrent site economy is in a bad state. Profits are very low. Profits are bad compared to previous years. “Chrome’s ad-blocker will kill torrent sites. If they don’t at least cover their costs, no one is going to use money out of his pocket to keep them alive. “I won’t be able to do so at least.”The news comes as The Pirate Bay has been dealt a fresh blow against online piracy today. The landmark legal move means domains that are used to host content that breaks piracy laws will be easier to seize in future. The fears over the Google Chrome ad blocker and the latest Pirate Bay blow comes amid a climate where authorities are ramping up efforts to tackle online piracy.
The penalties for online piracy have also become more severe this year thanks to the Digital Economy Act becoming law. The new law raised the maximum possible sentence for online copyright infringement offences from two to 10 years. The maximum sentence will only apply to people who commit serious copyright crimes, such as distributing content.As authorities have started to ramp up efforts to tackle online piracy, popular torrent websites like Kickass Torrents, ExtraTorrent and Torrentz.eu have all shut up shop.
