Google has introduced a Chrome browser extension that allows users to permanently opt out from ad tracking cookies.
The new feature – dubbed “Keep My Opt-Outs” – is expected to offer surfers a new level of browsing control, without negatively compromising web revenue.
“[The extension enables] you to permanently opt out of ad tracking from all companies that offer opt-outs through the industry self-regulation programs,” explained product managers Sean Harvey and Rajas Moonka.
“[However], keep in mind that once you install the Keep My Opt-Outs extension, your experience of online ads may change: You may see the same ads repeatedly on particular websites, or see ads that are less relevant to you.”
According to Harvey and Moonka, there are now more than 50 companies that are members of various opt-out frameworks such as the Network Advertising Initiative (NAI), including the top 15 largest ad networks in the U.S.
Some, like Google, enable surfers not only to opt out, but to tailor the personalization of ads by specifying what types of ads they are most interested in seeing.
The two product managers also noted that Google was working to make its opt-out feature available for other, non-Chrome browsers.
“[As such], we’ve also decided to make the code for this extension available on an open-source basis, so that other developers can let us know if there’s a bug, or even extend the code’s capabilities if they want to.”
Keep My Opt Outs can be downloaded here.
