Google Chrome update will protect you against scammers trying to steal your data

Google Chrome is the Mountain View firm’s internet browser that is hugely-popular.

In fact, Google Chrome is considered to be the most popular internet browser around on both desktops and smartphones.

Chrome is regularly updated by Google, meaning new features are consistently being added.

Google recently announced a new addition to Chrome that will attempt to rid the client of “harmful and misleading ads”.

As part of the change Google has announced Chrome will automatically “remove all ads” on websites that have been reported for “persistent abusive experiences”.

To demonstrate the problem it is trying to remedy, Google showed a graphic of a user heading to a website that deployed a score of ads in different tabs, suggesting the forthcoming update will address such an issue.

The Mountain View firm explained if a site has been flagged for containing abusive experiences, it will have a 30-day period to fix such problems before Chrome removes all ads.

The new security feature is set to debut in Chrome version 71 that will arrive in December.

Last year Google introduced measures that blocked certain pop-ups and new window requests on sites with Chrome 68.

However, the American tech giant admitted its approach “did not go far enough”.

Google explained: “Last year, after hearing from Chrome users, we launched a set of user protections against ‘abusive experiences’ – experiences designed to intentionally mislead and trick users into taking action on the web.

“These protections blocked pop-ups and new window requests from sites with certain abusive experiences like redirecting pages.

“However, we’ve learned since then that this approach did not go far enough.

“In fact, more than half of these abusive experiences are not blocked by our current set of protections, and nearly all involve harmful or misleading ads.”

Google declared the adverts in question “trick” users and attempt to “steal” personal data.

The American company went on: “These ads trick users into clicking on them by pretending to be system warnings or ‘close’ buttons that do not actually close the ad. Further, some of these abusive ad experiences are used by scammers and phishing schemes to steal personal information.”

Google emphasised its new security decision is part of an effort to ensure “users can interact with their intended content on the web”, rather than being bugged by abusive experiences.


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