Does ad blocking herald the end of the free internet?

[newtekie1]

I don't think it is the end to the free internet. Instead I think it will force a shift in internet advertising to the "non-annoying" ads, and some forms of ad block already allow these ads through. I think all but the most aggressive forms of ad blockers will eventually allow the non-annoying ads.

 

[alucasa]

Use it, disable it on the sites that "deserve" it.

Pretty much this.

Some sites use horrible ads. I hate, absolutely hate, ads that play a video on its own as well as produce wound. The worst one is trying to trick users to click. if such ads are spotted, then I won't visit such sites anymore even with ad blocker.

 

[Deelron]

And now iOS ad blocker Peace has now been removed from the App Store for being "too successful". Whut?!

www.theregister.co.uk/2015/09/18/peace_ios_takedown

After hearing Marco talk in a few different places it's not surprising he pulled it.

 

[Tatty_Two]

I voted for "What the feck has this to do with Science & Technology?"

 

[RCoon]

The percentage of ad blocking users is probably still in the single percentiles, while the ordinary domestic users that don't give a toss probably firmly sits in the late eighty percent. Those that use ad blocking tools tend to set whitelists for sites they like, which probably accounts for half of all their internet browsing, so not many websites are really missing out on ad money.

That said, if you think "the free internet" is run on ad revenue alone, you don't know an awful lot about the internet.

People are remarkably good at getting what they want for free. If a website had a paywall (like so many newpaper websites do), people find their daily information read elsewhere.

 

[twilyth]

I voted for "What the feck has this to do with Science & Technology?"

True. Don't we have a networking section? Actually this is more of a Gen Non topic.

But as long as I'm here - fuck ads. I not only use adblocker but their element hiding helper for ones that are site hosted - or pretty much anything else I don't want cluttering up my page.

We gradually learned to control our tv experience by using recording devices. As long as there were a lot of people who watched live tv, advertisers were in great shape. But as most people began to record shows, the advertisers had to resort to product placement.

Same here. If you need ad revenue to support your site, host the ads yourself and make me go out of my way to block them. If you're not willing to do that, too bad - adapt or die. TV advertisers learned this the hard way and so will web sites.

 

[NC37]

AdBlock is the savior of internet because it will force internet businesses to design themselves skinnable websites that will have ads incorporated in the "skin". Marketing will be negotiated directly with the producer who wants to cover a number of specifically targeted web sites, rather than getting a slew of unsafe ads from many different sources - AdBlock does not block images from the same domain as the web site, that's where carefully selected ads need to be.

Yeah I've come across a couple sites doing this now. No way for adblock to catch it since it's literally the background of the site itself.

What really irritates me is the sites that post a message saying: "Please turn off adblock, this site only stays online thanks to revenue from the ads." Pfft, till you actually block ABP connections, bite me!

 

[Saidrex]

Just a little thought I always had - It's funny how some people who use adblock are also the ones who say piracy is bad and pirates are thieves because they deny payment to content owner for service or product they use and yet these people do exactly the same thing! Ads = money, using adblock = stealing content, adblock users = thieves. Simple concept. Difference is - it's not illegal because there are no big media giants who will buy politicians and laws to make it illegal (yet).

P.S. I don't use adblock, not because some moral highground but because ads don't bother me.

 

[twilyth]

Good point. I wonder how many people sit through tv commercials. Think of those poor struggling businesses scraping together their last 100 grand for a 30 second primetime spot. Oh the humanity . . .

 

[Silvertigo]

I figure if you are a member and use a site such as TPU for driver downloads, gleaning info and news, and general enjoyment and amusement, it goes without saying you should turn off your ad-blocker - and occassionally click on an add (I don`t mind looking at Asus adds)

I`ve no idea what the server costs must be - but recurring bills sure can be painful.

How many people come to TPU straight from a google gpu driver search, grab a 200mb download and quietly leave?

That alone is costing someone $$

 

[qubit]

I voted for "What the feck has this to do with Science & Technology?"

Perhaps this thread would be better in the General Software section? I wasn't quite sure where to put this when I posted it.