Technology2 min read
Chrome's Proposed Labels for Slow Websites
Published by Samsiani
In 2019, Google proposed that websites loading slowly because of poor-quality code might receive a negative performance label in Chrome.
Google said it was developing several approaches to indicate page speed, helping visitors understand why a page took a long time to load and highlighting performance issues.
The options included written warnings and different symbols based on website speed.
No definite launch date had been announced.
In its blog post, Google described a project to help people understand when a website might load slowly and whether that delay was typical for the page.
Indicators could also highlight compliance with performance standards, making it easier for visitors to judge technical quality.
The announcement said that the team was working on a dedicated measurement approach.
It was also intended to help developers identify technical problems and poor code, with recommendations for fixing them.
Pages often load slowly because they wait for embedded resources such as advertising networks, social media widgets or user behaviour tracking code to respond.
An indicator might say that a page ‘usually loads slowly’, or use a modified loading bar to show that performance fell below the expected standard.
Chrome's engineers said that the identification process would be refined over time to encourage improvements.
They described a cautious approach intended both to make browsing more comfortable and to help developers improve their work.
According to market research company Statista, Chrome was used by 64% of internet users at the time.
The proposal drew criticism on Hacker News, a website popular with professional developers.
Some questioned whether the reason for slow performance could be identified accurately.
Others argued that advertising and external resources caused more delays than poor code.
Commenters also described the proposed warnings as ‘badges of shame’.
Another concern was that performance depends partly on how a browser processes a website.
A website might therefore run quickly in Firefox but slowly in Chrome and still receive a negative label.
