At Yandex our mission is to help consumers and businesses better navigate the online and offline world. And when it comes to digital advertising this means working to make the Internet a place where users have enjoyable high-quality experiences and businesses can reach their audiences in effective ways.
As part of this work, today Yandex introduced native ad blocking in the Russian version of Yandex Browser to enhance users’ browsing experience by filtering intrusive advertising. The latest browser update includes a built-in ad blocker that prevents annoying or disruptive ads from loading when a page is displayed to the user. The built-in ad blocker is activated by default both in the desktop and mobile versions of Yandex Browser but can be deactivated in the settings.
Yandex Browser now blocks full-screen banner ads, pop-ups with a countdown timer, autoplay video ads and other formats of unwanted advertising, or those that do not comply with new advertising guidelines announced by the Russian branch of the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) last month. Relevant ads in non-intrusive, organic formats will still be displayed to the user.
Organizations like IAB Russia have worked to better understand which forms of advertising are hindering users’ online experience by conducting consumer driven research. As an active member of IAB Russia, we value and support their work towards understanding what users want and developing higher quality advertising that leads to a beneficial experience for both users and publishers.
“At Yandex we believe in building an enjoyable online experience in which people are delivered helpful information. Aggressive advertising interferes with a high-quality user experience and has led to increased ad blocker downloads, which can block potentially useful offers and information to users,” says Dmitry Timko, head of Yandex Browser. “Native ad blocking eliminates the need for additional ad blockers and promotes better quality advertising.”
Yandex Browser has long been committed to delivering high-quality user experiences and protecting web audiences. In 2014, Yandex Browser integrated built-in Antishock technology that blocks malicious and fraudulent advertising. In 2016, Yandex Browser started offering users comprehensive fraud protection against the majority of online threats through Protect, a built-in cyber security system. Protect automatically checks all downloaded files for viruses, warns users about dangerous websites, protects users’ passwords when using public networks, and ensures safe payments.
In order to help publishers and advertisers continue to create effective ads and follow the new guidelines, we introduced a ‘Diagnostics’ tool available on the Yandex.Webmaster service, where publishers and advertisers can check if their advertising is compliant with Yandex standards.
As the provider of the second most popular browser in Russia and a member of IAB Russia, today is an important day for advancements in digital advertising for Yandex and the entire RuNet.