jlengrand.github.io/_posts/2011-10-25-why-i-dont-use-adblocker-and-co.markdown

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layout	status	published	title	author	author_login	author_email	author_url	wordpress_id	wordpress_url	date	categories	tags	comments
post	publish	true	Why I don't use adBlocker and co	Julien Lengrand-Lambert	jlengrand	julien@lengrand.fr	https://www.lengrand.fr	200	https://www.lengrandlambert.fr/wordpress/?p=200	2011-10-25 09:18:43.000000000 +02:00	misc	adblocker web chrome firefox	id author author_email author_url date date_gmt content 26 James treasonx@gmail.com MjAxMS0xMi0wMiAxMzoxMDo0OSArMDEwMA== MjAxMS0xMi0wMiAxMjoxMDo0OSArMDEwMA== I feel the same way. I will actually make it a point to click on ads for some of my favorite sites. In gmail I click an ad at least once a day. Just want to show my support for the great free content and apps on the internet! That being said I do hate the ads which take over an entire site with a tiny "click here to skip" button. Those are the worst and most of the time least interesting ads for me to look at. Also preroll on youtube or any other video site is horrible, usually on a video site I want a quick chuckle and then move along. Sometimes if a short video has a preroll I will just leave the page (Fail blog does this alot and its not worth waiting). Sometimes the preroll ads are longer than the video! I find the best ads a subtle targeted ads. I really dont mind ads that take my search or even the topic of the site into consideration. id author author_email author_url date date_gmt content 27 Simon Bartlett simon.bartlett@me.com https://simonbartlett.co.uk MjAxMS0xMi0wMiAxMzoxMjoxMSArMDEwMA== MjAxMS0xMi0wMiAxMjoxMjoxMSArMDEwMA== I have no problem with advertisements, but I do have a problem with advertisement agencies and other organisations that track my online activity. Until there's such a day when those organisations respect my privacy, I will continue to use AdBlock. id author author_email author_url date date_gmt content 28 Andre andre@email.com MjAxMS0xMi0wMiAxMzoyNjoxOCArMDEwMA== MjAxMS0xMi0wMiAxMjoyNjoxOCArMDEwMA== I think the biggest problem isn't the ad itself, but the ad networks that track the user without any respect. Maybe instead of using an less intrusive Ad Network, one that shows ads based on your content not the past visits of the user. The first ads networks worked that way, but they realized that could track all navigation from the user to increase revenue for everybody. id author author_email author_url date date_gmt content 29 Andre andre@email.com MjAxMS0xMi0wMiAxMzoyNzozNSArMDEwMA== MjAxMS0xMi0wMiAxMjoyNzozNSArMDEwMA== "Maybe instead of using an less intrusive Ad Network, one that shows ads based on your content not the past visits of the user." should be read Maybe using an less intrusive Ad Network, one that shows ads based on your content not the past visits of the user. id author author_email author_url date date_gmt content 30 Julien Lengrand-Lambert julien@lengrand.fr https://www.lengrand.fr MjAxMS0xMi0wMiAxMzo1Nzo0NSArMDEwMA== MjAxMS0xMi0wMiAxMjo1Nzo0NSArMDEwMA== Those ads on videos are the worst advertising method I've ever seen actually :s . I simply hate those, as it forces you to lose time waiting for your content. I stopped watching TV some years ago because of ads, I hope I won't have to do the same with Youtube and co :s. What I can say for sure however, is that it is pretty useful for people posting videos and having some audience. I got friends almost living only by creating such videos. id author author_email author_url date date_gmt content 31 Julien Lengrand-Lambert julien@lengrand.fr https://www.lengrand.fr MjAxMS0xMi0wMiAxNDowMDoxNiArMDEwMA== MjAxMS0xMi0wMiAxMzowMDoxNiArMDEwMA== But somehow, don't you prefer being attacked with ads that suit your needs? This can have some advantages. Those information about you people are connecting (may/can) allow them to create better content for you, isn't it? The google reader is a good example, I do like the "related" feeds It gives me. id author author_email author_url date date_gmt content 32 Julien Lengrand-Lambert julien@lengrand.fr https://www.lengrand.fr MjAxMS0xMi0wMiAxNDowNDo0NSArMDEwMA== MjAxMS0xMi0wMiAxMzowNDo0NSArMDEwMA== I don't really see your point : "one that shows ads based on your content not the past visits of the user." Could you develop this a little bit? id author author_email author_url date date_gmt content 33 1Percenter 1percenter@occupyeverything.com MjAxMS0xMi0wMiAxNDoyMjozOCArMDEwMA== MjAxMS0xMi0wMiAxMzoyMjozOCArMDEwMA== Ok, here's the truth. I use AdBlock, NoScript, and FlashBlock. Why? Because there are enough lemmings out there to click on ads and allow the aggressive pop-up ads show up on their screen. If marketers wouldn't be so damn aggressive and have pop-ups every time you hover over a word or have those ads that take up 1/4 of your screen and you have to search and search for the "close" or "x" to get rid of it, and even then I'm scared that clicking "close" is going to cause another pop-up to occur. Also, I agree that the tracking features these companies place in their ads does upset me. It's as though everything is a default "opt-out" policy for just opening a web page. Unfortunately there is no opt-out selection, so you have to perform your own and use tools such as AdBlock, NoScript, etc... In closing, like I stated at the beginning, there are enough clickers out there that they'll allow these ads and pop-ups to occur on their browser that my avoid them will most likely not have effect on that websites bottom line. So, click away grandmas and non-educated webbies. I thank you id author author_email author_url date date_gmt content 34 Julien Lengrand-Lambert julien@lengrand.fr https://www.lengrand.fr MjAxMS0xMi0wMiAxNDozMzo1MSArMDEwMA== MjAxMS0xMi0wMiAxMzozMzo1MSArMDEwMA== And don't you think that in some way this is especially thanks to guys like you that ads take more and more place on our screens? There are surely lots of websites that use the data they can grab with absolutely no respect. A good example? The growing number of websites with "buzz" videos with "ROFL, JustinBieber killed by a cat" or "OMFG! Spider in his head" that will force you to post on your Facebook wall. . . But as I said, those websites are generally low added value, so you'd be better avoiding them anyway. id author author_email author_url date date_gmt content 35 1Percenter 1percenter@occupyeverything.com MjAxMS0xMi0wMiAxNDo0ODowOCArMDEwMA== MjAxMS0xMi0wMiAxMzo0ODowOCArMDEwMA== There's no proof one way or the other. So saying that "don’t you think that in some way this is especially thanks to guys like you that ads take more and more place on our screens" is unsupported. I don't know and I doubt you know, so right now you and I are assuming two different sides of the coin. I would tend to slant to marketers being more aggressive than thinking they are saying "OMG, these guys are blocking ads, lets make them bigger and that will get more attention and we'll make more money." It's not just the B-rated sites that do the aggressive marketing. Techtarget sites and others use "in your face" type ads, I see them when I use a non-FF browser and then I remember why I hate ads. I don't click on ads, period. I'm a technical person, I just want the information, period. I came there for an article and do not want to be assaulted with ads. So for now it's a cat and mouse game. I for one welcome the challenge. Question - what is the difference between a person that never clicks on links, therefore doesn't "support" the site owner by giving them ad revenue and a person that opts-out and uses blocking software? One seems automated and the other seems to be more self-controlled. id author author_email author_url date date_gmt content 36 commonsurfer wahoo@gmail.com MjAxMS0xMi0wMiAxNzowODo0MyArMDEwMA== MjAxMS0xMi0wMiAxNjowODo0MyArMDEwMA== It is trivial to add your favorite websites to the excluded list in most adblockers. Why be tracked, risk exploitative ads, slow page loadings on pages or sites you might stumble through? If you like a site, or want to support it, add it to the excluded list. Ad blocking doesn't need to be all or nothing. id author author_email author_url date date_gmt content 41 Julien Lengrand-Lambert julien@lengrand.fr https://www.lengrand.fr MjAxMS0xMi0wNCAxOToyNDo1MSArMDEwMA== MjAxMS0xMi0wNCAxODoyNDo1MSArMDEwMA== Actually (shame on me), I had never thought about using an abblocker this way. And the more I think about it, the more seducing it seems to me. Because after all, Ads are still useful in a way, and the real problem is "ad abuse". So thanks for the idea ^^ id author author_email author_url date date_gmt content 42 Julien Lengrand-Lambert julien@lengrand.fr https://www.lengrand.fr MjAxMS0xMi0wNCAxOTozMDowNSArMDEwMA== MjAxMS0xMi0wNCAxODozMDowNSArMDEwMA== You came here for an article, and you have not been assaulted with any ad ;). I agree with you about what you call "in you face" ads, and generally I avoid websites using such methods. Hopefully, some tech websites stay free of ads (almost at least). And generally, those are the one in which you'll find good (useful) information. This is one of the reason I love stack overflow or hacker news for example. Sorry, but both sides of your question seem alike for me. That may come from my non-proficiency in English though. Would you develop a bit more? id author author_email author_url date date_gmt content 1062 Jonathan jayjayhales@gmail.com MjAxMi0wNS0yOSAxMjowNjozMSArMDIwMA== MjAxMi0wNS0yOSAxMTowNjozMSArMDIwMA== I appreciate your intentions, but clicking on/looking at adds without buying is not a long term solution. If the advertisers don't make money, they will pay less and less and the pay walls will appear (assuming you don't buy the advertised product as you are trying to establish a 'free' experience). I also think you could make an argument *for* ad block once you start taking into account the necessity of profits for the advertisers. If you know that you won't be buying adds, then you can minimize the costs for the advertisers by not clicking or viewing (depending on the pay system) their adds. Advertiser profits are important as if they feel they are getting low returns for adds on your favorite site they will start to pay less and the site will be incentivized to increase the # and/or aggressive nature of the ads to retain the revenue stream or put up the hated paywalls. id author author_email author_url date date_gmt content 1082 Hal hal68000@gmail.com MjAxMi0wNS0yOSAyMjowNjo0NyArMDIwMA== MjAxMi0wNS0yOSAyMTowNjo0NyArMDIwMA== I usually whitelist sites I enjoy and want to support, unless they start using obnoxious advertisements, like ones that actually play audio when the page first loads ("CONGRATULATIONS! YOU'RE A WINNER!"), or have porn in them (e.g. banner ads on certain imageboards) id author author_email author_url date date_gmt content 1092 Julien Lengrand-Lambert julien@lengrand.fr https://www.lengrand.fr MjAxMi0wNS0zMCAxMToyMDoxNCArMDIwMA== MjAxMi0wNS0zMCAxMDoyMDoxNCArMDIwMA== Well, these websites are usually low quality anyway; aren't they ? id author author_email author_url date date_gmt content 1093 Julien Lengrand-Lambert julien@lengrand.fr https://www.lengrand.fr MjAxMi0wNS0zMCAxMToyMTozMSArMDIwMA== MjAxMi0wNS0zMCAxMDoyMTozMSArMDIwMA== I agree with you, and think this is becoming more and more true. Since I wrote this article, I have seen the ad effect worsen (look at youtube); probably especially because the CPC is dropping.

Like most of you I guess, I always got my browser opened on my desktop, the number of tabs depending on whether I am at home or at work.

Lots of people see my screen and say : OMG! What are all those ugly ads!? Install AdBlocker so you won't have to see them any more.

No, I won't use AdBlocker . . . and it's a CHOICE. The reason? I don't want my favorites websites to swith to paid contents!

Anyone having a website (and some traffic :) ) knows that hosting costs lots of money! Data hosting, Electricity, Domain name . . . without including the hours of work in writing, reviewing, translating and updating articles that are mandatory to keep quality of content. Advertisment is a simple (the simplest?) way for admins to reduce those costs.

If everybody blocks adverts on its browser, it is likely that brands finally tend to stop using this way of promotion.

So, several ways would be left for websites owners to get some cash back :

• Keep paying for the service, without any help (Ouch!)
• Ask for volontary support. LegTux has chosen this type of solution for some time. And as perfect as the idea might be, the last time I heard about him he was still losing money with his service.
• Switch to paid contents. The worst solution in my opinion, as it closes the content to most of the web and lots of quality content would be lost. In addition, this solution might dramatically reduce the traffic of the website.
• Using free hosting solutions and often loose flexibility, personal domain name, ergonomy that paid hosting offer. . .

The same idea could be applied to lost of smartphone games and applications. which display ads while you use them. There is however a major difference, most of those applications offer to remove ads in supporting them. I love this kind of solutions as people get the choice to pay for an app they love, or not. I wonder if this kind of solution could be used on websites. . .

Stays the problem of websites that completely abuse of ads. It happens to be attacked by 24 flashing pop ups and wins 3 golden ferraris whenever you connect yourself. The solution for them is quite simple, just avoid them. And don't come back ! Hopefully, the admin will quickly see the drop in its stats and think about it...

And for the most generous one, don't forget to click on some ads of your favorite website and enjoy supporting them this way :)

Would you personally be ready to pay some fees a month to get rid of ads on your favorite website? I would really enjoy you personal mind on that !