Google is introducing a new feature for its Chrome browser on Android and desktop that automatically turns off notifications for websites that users are ignoring. The function aims to make notifications less distracting and reduce alert overload.
This auto-revocation capability expands Chrome’s existing Safety Check feature, which already provides similar functionality for revoking camera and location permissions. It also builds on an Android feature that lets Chrome users unsubscribe from unwanted website notifications with a single tap.
Permissions will only be disabled for sites that send a large number of notifications that receive little to no user engagement. The feature does not revoke notifications for any web apps installed on a user’s device. According to data from Google, less than one percent of all web notifications sent through Chrome currently receive any interaction from users.
In its announcement, Google shared results from testing the feature. “We’ve already been testing this feature. Our test results show a significant reduction in notification overload with only a minimal change in total notification clicks,” the company stated. “Our experiments also indicate that websites that send a lower volume of notifications are actually seeing an increase in clicks.”
Chrome users can opt out of the auto-revocation feature completely. They can also preserve notifications from specific sites by visiting the website to re-enable them or by granting permissions via the Safety Check feature. Google has been asked to confirm when the feature will be officially rolling out.
