Dec 07, 2020 11:34:00

Does Google remove Ask.com parent company Chrome extension because of 'policy violation'?

Google has removed some of the browser extensions delivered by InterActive Corp (IAC), a search portal site

Ask.com , a conglomerate of the Internet and media, as 'violating Chrome Web Store policy'. It has been reported.

Google Spars With Barry Diller's IAC on Marketing Practices --WSJ
https://www.wsj.com/articles/google-spars-with-barry-dillers-iac-on-misleading-marketing-practices-11607267157

Google removes some IAC browser extensions for'policy violations' | Reuters
https://www.reuters.com/article/google-iac-interactive-idINKBN28G0TJ

Google may ban IAC's Chrome extensions over'deceptive' practices | Engadget
https://www.engadget.com/google-may-ban-iac-chrome-extensions-194738382.html

IAC is a huge conglomerate that offers various internet services such as Ask.com, a search portal site, and Vimeo , a video sharing service.

by Barry Schwartz

According to The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), an extension that IAC distributes for Chrome directs users to specific ads without the features described on the distribution page of the Chrome Web Store. , There is a suspicion that he tried to install another application or extension.

Google's audit also found that some of the election ads handled by IAC not only did not direct users to voter information, but also installed the Ask.com toolbar and changed the user's default home page. There was also. Google called on IAC to stop serving these ads, but IAC said it continued to serve ads.

The WSJ reported that Google has already removed five of the IAC-delivered extensions. It seems that the extension ' Search Extension by Ask ' that actually delivered in Chrome and sets the default search provider to Ask.com has been deleted from the Google Web Store at the time of article creation.

Google spokeswoman Scott Westh said, 'We're reviewing what IAC is delivering other than the five removed extensions, and we haven't decided what to do. It didn't reveal which policy the IAC extension specifically violated.

Meanwhile, IAC spokeswoman Valerie Combs claims that 'Google is anti-competitive. Google has abused its position to push our browser business to the'corner of the Internet'.' I will.

The IAC Ask.com toolbar included in the Java package was certified as malware by Microsoft in 2015.

Microsoft certifies 'Ask Toolbar' bundled with Java as malware --GIGAZINE