Looking to dial up another income stream, Skype plans to start running ads on its home tab, and promises they’ll be unobtrusive solicitations from the likes of Groupon, Visa and Universal Pictures.

The announcement came on Skype’s blog, in a post that promptly allays fears of conversation-interrupting pop-ups:

The ads won’t interrupt your Skype experience. You won’t suddenly see annoying pop-up ads or flashy banner ads in middle of conversations.”

The post continues, somewhat ominously, that Skype may “use non-personally identifiable demographic data (e.g. location, gender and age) to target ads, which helps ensure that you see relevant ads.”

To opt out of sharing your demographic data, visit the privacy tab under tools in Tools â–¸ Options.

Skype To Start Running Ads This Week [Skype’s blog via Mashable]

Want more consumer news? Visit our parent organization, Consumer Reports, for the latest on scams, recalls, and other consumer issues.