To reduce alert overload, Google is updating the Chrome web browser to automatically revoke notification permissions for websites that have not been recently visited.
While Google Chrome’s safety check tool Access to other permissions has already been removedLike Location and Camera, this new feature will extend this functionality to notifications on both desktop and Android versions of the browser.
The company said the new feature is designed to target sites that send frequent notifications that get little or no interaction from the user. According to Chrome product manager Archit Agarwal, although users receive a large amount of alerts, less than 1% of these notifications actually generate any engagement.
Agarwal also said that internal testing showed that this new feature led to a sharp drop in notification overload, with sites that sent fewer notifications actually saw increased engagement.
Chrome will notify when notification access to a website is removed, and users can restore permissions by going through the security checkup or by revisiting the site and opting back in.
“But notifications can be really valuable and helpful. Therefore, this feature will only revoke permissions for sites when user engagement is very low and a high volume of notifications are being sent,” Aggarwal said,
“If you prefer to receive notifications from a particular website, you can easily disallow it at any time by going through the security check or alternatively by visiting the site and re-enabling notifications.”
Those who do not want the web browser to automatically turn off alerts from sites they have not recently visited can also disable the automatic cancel feature completely.
This update is part of Google’s broader effort to improve browser privacy and security features, as well as give Chrome users more control over distractions.
“We believe this change will lead to a cleaner, more focused browsing experience and we’ll continue to invest in ways to help you manage your online interactions and reduce distractions, so you can make the most of your time online,” Agarwal said.
From September 2024, Chrome on Android and desktop will also enable users Grant one-time website permissionsWhich are automatically revoked after you leave the site.
Earlier this year, Google also introduced a Chromium change that “de-elevates” the Google Chrome web browser process so it no longer runs as administrator, thereby increasing Windows security.
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