Websites that send an excessive number of browser notifications in Google Chrome will soon lose the ability to send notifications.
Google announces a new feature for Chrome that automatically disables notifications from websites users haven’t visited for a while. The update should drastically reduce the number of unwanted pop-ups.
Permission Revoked
The new feature builds on Safety Check, which has long automatically revoked camera and location access for unused websites. Chrome now does the same for notifications. Websites that send excessive notifications but receive little user interaction will automatically lose permission to send notifications.
Google admits in a blog post that browser notifications get little engagement: according to internal data, less than 1% of all notifications are actually clicked. The vast majority are ignored or perceived as intrusive.
Fewer Excessive Notifications
Not all notifications will disappear, as installed web apps that users actively use will retain their permissions. The measure is mainly aimed at sites that keep bombarding users with updates or offers. Google expects this will encourage publishers to handle notifications more carefully so they don’t lose their permissions.
When Chrome revokes notifications, users are notified and can either undo the setting or disable the automatic feature entirely. According to Google, internal tests show the measure has barely any impact on clicks, indicating that most notifications were already being ignored. The update will roll out soon on both Android and desktop.