The inclusion of notifications in Google Chrome and other web browsers seemed like a good idea initially because of the fact that this is the sort of thing that could potentially end up allowing people to stay up to date without having to keep the sites open in the background. However, many critics raised their eyebrows at this considering how it might trap users in a positive feedback loop. It turns out that web notifications have now become a real nuisance with all things having been considered and taken into account.
Many websites have started to abuse the notifications feature, with some sending incessant prompts to get you to turn them on. Some sites even use underhanded methods such as telling users to allow notifications to prove that they are not a robot, even though that is not how CAPTCHAs work. With all of that having been said and now out of the way, it is important to note that Google is now trying to block notifications from abusive and disruptive websites.
This is not the first attempt that Google has made to improve matters either. It recently launched a new feature that quieted notifications from abusive websites who try to trick users into allowing notifications that they are then bombarded with. It also notified users that a website might be tricking them, and with the recent change in its code it seems like Google is taking a much more hardline approach.
The initial attempt involved putting matters into users hands by quieting notifications and informing them, but in spite of the fact that this is the case this approach might not have gone far enough. If a website is labeled disruptive by Google, it will no longer be able to send any notifications at all.
This is a welcome change because the internet landscape has become increasingly hostile due to scams like this. Some sites send so many notifications that they can crash computers, so it’s heartening to see a massive company like Google stepping in and trying to make things better for the average user experience.
Read next: Apple’s Safari Becomes Second Browser To Cross The One Billion User Mark But Its Popularity Is Well Behind Google’s Chrome
Many websites have started to abuse the notifications feature, with some sending incessant prompts to get you to turn them on. Some sites even use underhanded methods such as telling users to allow notifications to prove that they are not a robot, even though that is not how CAPTCHAs work. With all of that having been said and now out of the way, it is important to note that Google is now trying to block notifications from abusive and disruptive websites.
This is not the first attempt that Google has made to improve matters either. It recently launched a new feature that quieted notifications from abusive websites who try to trick users into allowing notifications that they are then bombarded with. It also notified users that a website might be tricking them, and with the recent change in its code it seems like Google is taking a much more hardline approach.
The initial attempt involved putting matters into users hands by quieting notifications and informing them, but in spite of the fact that this is the case this approach might not have gone far enough. If a website is labeled disruptive by Google, it will no longer be able to send any notifications at all.
This is a welcome change because the internet landscape has become increasingly hostile due to scams like this. Some sites send so many notifications that they can crash computers, so it’s heartening to see a massive company like Google stepping in and trying to make things better for the average user experience.
Read next: Apple’s Safari Becomes Second Browser To Cross The One Billion User Mark But Its Popularity Is Well Behind Google’s Chrome
