Google Chrome to Block Adobe Flash

Google Chrome to Block Adobe Flash:

Flash was an integral part of the internet in past years but it has also been a drag on performance and the source of a great many security vulnerabilities. HTML5 is a better way to get the same sort of interactive content running on the web, and it works on mobile devices. Adobe Flash’s decease starts next month when Google Chrome begins blocking all Flash content.

This will come as part of the Chrome 53 update, which should be available in early September. Chrome 53 will block all the small, non-visible Flash elements on web pages.

What to do now?

While Flash content will be blocked in general Google is making a temporary exception for some popular sites that still rely heavily upon Flash. Those include Facebook, Twitch, and Yahoo, among others. You’ll be prompted to enable Flash on these sites when loading them you will have the option to enable Flash objects on a page if they are necessary for the experience. If non-visible Flash objects are blocked, an icon in the address bar will alert you but Google plans to phase out the Flash whitelist over time. When Chrome 55 comes out in December HTML5 will become the default experience.

Google says that all Chrome users will see a benefit from this move. All the Flash objects loading in the background can make page loading sluggish. If you’re on a laptop, Flash also gobbles up power and reduces your battery life. Flash’s innate inefficiency is why it never took off on mobile devices.

Everyone Is Blocking Flash not just Google

It’s not just Google on a war with Flash plug-in Firefox 48 also announced all Flash being blocked by default in 2017. Microsoft is also cutting off Flash. In the Windows 10 anniversary update, Edge uses click-to-play for non-essential Flash elements.

Another year or two and we’ll be all done with this slow Flash.