Google Chrome plans to start blocking Flash, with a few exceptions

Stan Schroeder
Updated
Screen_shot_2016-05-16_at_10.56.10_am
Screen_shot_2016-05-16_at_10.56.10_am

It's no secret that Flash is slowly going the way of the dodo, but Google's Chrome will likely accelerate that processes by blocking Flash content on most Internet sites. 

Chrome's development team revealed last week a plan to automatically switch Flash content with a HTML5 alternative, if possible. If a site doesn't provide an HTML5 version, the content will be available to users only after they approve it.

SEE ALSO: Google's Chrome to start auto-pausing Flash ads today

According to the plan, which is still in proposal stage, with implementation planned in the fourth quarter of 2016, Flash Player would still come bundled with Chrome, but its presence would not be advertised. When a web site attempts to start Flash Player, users would be prompted to run it just once, always or never for that particular site (see Google's example below). 

Image: Google Chrome

To make sure the users don't get too many "run Flash" prompts, the Chrome team proposes that top 10 sites that use Flash be automatically put on a whitelist, which would expire after one year. 

Based on Chrome's internal metrics, those sites are YouTube, Facebook, Yahoo, VK.com, Live.com, Yandex.ru, OK.ru, Twitch.tv, Amazon and Mail.ru. 

The plan would basically turn Flash into a run-if-you-really-must type of service, likely prompting sites who still haven't switched to HTML5 to do so. 

Chrome has been slowly phasing out Flash content for a while now. In September last year, the browser started automatically pausing animated Flash ads. Browser games remain the last major stronghold of Flash, however, so it's likely that some degree of support for the Flash plugin will linger on in one version or another.