Microsoft Moves To Block Pop-Ups From Websites
Software giant Microsoft has fired the latest salvo against intrusive online advertising with a new version of its Internet Explorer browser which will block all pop-up and pop-under formats on websites.
The feature will be implemented within the company’s latest update of its Windows XP operating system. Users will be automatically shielded from the adverts, which many view as a major cause of irritation (see Internet Users Completely Ignore Pop-Up Advertising).
Microsoft will allow users the option of accepting pop-up adverts, or save certain sites whose pop-ups they wish to view to a ‘safe list’. However, the default setting will block all pop-ups regardless of their content and purpose.
Last month Microsoft’s portal, MSN, became the first major online media owner to stop selling pop-up advertising on its network of websites, citing consumer demands as the motivation and branding the move a “win for consumers and advertisers” (see MSN Bans Pop-Up Advertising Across Entire Network).
While the move may come as a relief to some web enthusiasts, blocking pop-ups across the board has been condemned by some advertising heavyweights as a step too far. Jean-Paul Edwards, head of media futures at Manning Gottlieb OMD, thinks Microsoft may impair the average user’s internet experience with its latest decision.
He said: “The vast majority of websites use pop-ups as a way of linking things and they are very useful things when used correctly. For example, if you click on a photo and it’s shown in a pop-up, or if they are used as log in panels, so to have a blanket ban on new windows popping up would seem like madness.”
He added: “Internet Explorer is the main browser used by the average user and while they might sometimes find pop-ups annoying, they might also find them useful. If they were to miss out on say a travel operator offering them a good deal they are likely to be even more annoyed.”
Research recently published by Dynamic Logic revealed that the majority of internet users believe the frequency of pop-ups and other intrusive advertising should be limited to just two per hour (see Internet Users Want Number Of Pop-Ups Limited).
However, a report published yesterday by MSN in conjunction with Procter & Gamble, Nestle and Kraft claims that online advertising can boost off-line sales by as much as 12.5%. The study found that marketers will achieve the best results through investment in the right mixture of online and offline advertising. It suggests that online adspend should account for at least 5% of a total marketing budget (see Online Advertising Can Boost Sales By Up To 12.5%).
Microsoft: 0870 60 10 100 www.microsoft.com/uk
Recent New Media Stories from NewsLine Online Advertising Can Boost Sales By Up To 12.5% Search Marketing Needs Best Practice Guidelines Digital Media Will Cause Major Marketing Shift
Subscribers can access ten years of media news and analysis in the Archive