Google to dump Flash in ads from June

Google is to ban the use of Flash in ads it carries from this June.

The search engine giant said in the blog post that display ads on its network will be 100 per cent HTML5 from 30 June this year.

It said that over the last few years, "we've rolled out tools to encourage advertisers to use HTML5, so you can reach the widest possible audience across screens".

"To enhance the browsing experience for more people on more devices, the Google Display Network and DoubleClick Digital Marketing are now going 100 per cent HTML5," the firm said in a statement.

It said that from 30 June this year, display ads built in Flash can no longer be uploaded into AdWords and DoubleClick Digital Marketing. From 2 January 2017, display ads in the Flash format can no longer run on the Google Display Network or through DoubleClick.

It urged advertisers to update display ads to HTML5 before these dates. But Google did say that video ads using Flash will still continue to work and be served.

Last year, Google took the step of automatically converting Flash ads to HTML5 when displayed on mobile devices that did not support the technology.

The banning of Flash in Google's ad network is the latest in a line of setbacks for the deeply insecure technology. Last December, Adobe took the step of renaming its Flash Professional product Adobe Animate CC in a bid to distance the software from its Flash origins.

Firefox made the move to block Adobe Flash Player automatically in its browser following the discovery of various cybersecurity issues inherent in the software. Since January last year, YouTube has made HTML5 the default way to play videos on its website rather than use Flash.