9 ms·

"Serious question: Why do you block FB ads?" Because I dont like looking at ads.

by hodder 10y ago

delta1 10y ago
It seems so obvious
omginternets 10y ago
I've said it before and I'll say it again: "if you [Facebook] want me to consume ads, make ads I want to consume". The thing is, this already exists and it's called native advertising. The trick is to create advertisements that, while endorsing a product, have real value for me. A simple example: a tutorial on doing XYZ with Docker on Google Compute Engine might (A) be relevant to my interests and immediately useful, and (B) incite me to use GCE. Ad-blockers block the scummy, bottom-feeder, AIDS-of-the-internet ads.
- freehunter 10y ago
  I actually run a local-interest blog for my small city, and whenever I talk to people about it they're amazed I don't have ads all over the place. "How do you make money", "why would you run this site without making money", "you should be getting something for it", etc. They don't immediately realize that 90% of the content on the site is advertising, and I actually am getting paid for it. I'll write an article about whatever I want, in whatever tone I want, for free. But sometimes businesses want to set their own tone, or want me to write about something that isn't immediately interesting to me. Sometimes they want me to run a story before I would otherwise do so. And they'll pay me for that. Not a lot, but it generally covers the cost of hosting at least. I have an entire section, accessible from any page, that goes into my advertising policy and how businesses can contact me. Ads don't have to look like ads. And ads can give value, too. Did the local tavern pay me to run a story talking about their new 1/2 off drinks special every Wednesday? They sure did. But people clicked on it and read the article and then visited the bar and took advantage of the promotion. Not because they were tricked into doing so, but because it was interesting to them and they got value from it. And those people will come back to the site again tomorrow and read the next one, because my advertising provides real value to them.
  - elmigranto 10y ago
    Do you disclose that content is sponsored? If not, is it legal?
    - omginternets 10y ago
      >If not, is it legal? In most jurisdictions, it's a priori legal unless it falls under some special category (e.g. a political campaign ad).
      - DanBC 10y ago
        It's not legal in UK or US. FTC will regulate undisclosed native content advertising content in US: https://www.ftc.gov/tips-advice/business-center/guidance/native-advertising-guide-businesses https://www.ftc.gov/tips-advice/business-center/guidance/nat... https://www.ftc.gov/tips-advice/business-center/guidance/ftcs-endorsement-guides-what-people-are-asking https://www.ftc.gov/tips-advice/business-center/guidance/ftc... The Advertising Standards Authority regulate it in the UK: https://www.cap.org.uk/Advice-Training-on-the-rules/Advice-Online-Database/Contextually-targeted-branded-content.aspx#.V6roQFQrK00 https://www.cap.org.uk/Advice-Training-on-the-rules/Advice-O... About vlogging, but clearly applies to blogging and traditional print media: https://www.asa.org.uk/News-resources/Media-Centre/2014/Making-ads-Clear-The-challenge-for-advertisers-and-vloggers.aspx#.V6roUlQrK00 https://www.asa.org.uk/News-resources/Media-Centre/2014/Maki... http://blogtacular.com/sponsored-posts-ads-reviews-the-asa-and-your-blog/ http://blogtacular.com/sponsored-posts-ads-reviews-the-asa-a...
    - freehunter 10y ago
      Yes, I took the concept from Cult of Mac, and I run it exactly like they do. I have a page where I detail my ad policy and every sponsored post says "sponsored by..."
  - angry-hacker 10y ago
    Well, that is deception unless you are honest with users. In many countries illegal, and as scummy, if not more, than your taboola ads.
blahi 10y ago
Why do you feel entitled to use facebook's resources?
- idlewords 10y ago
  Because they encourage us to use them and make them available for free.
  - blahi 10y ago
    It is available on the condition that you are served ads alongside content.
    - idlewords 10y ago
      No one is ever obligated to view ads. I'm not stealing from the billboard company because I keep my eyes on the road, and I'm not a bad person because I mute the television every five minutes when NBC runs ads for things I don't want during the Olympics. The browser is our user agent. Facebook can serve whatever it wants, but we're under no contractual or moral obligation to look at it.
      - jeena 10y ago
        In a not so distant future: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tMXKQdc5ZM&t=9m https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tMXKQdc5ZM&t=9m Btw. the Black Mirror TV series is awesome.
    - cmc31 10y ago
      Is that in their EULA?
      - StavrosK 10y ago
        Oh but my EULA says "By injecting ads into the articles I read, you implicitly agree to provide me with free resources with no obligation on my part".

"Serious question: Why do you block FB ads?" Because I dont like looking at ads.

by hodder 10y ago

"Serious question: Why do you block FB ads?" Because I dont like looking at ads.

delta1 10y ago

It seems so obvious

omginternets 10y ago

I've said it before and I'll say it again: "if you [Facebook] want me to consume ads, make ads I want to consume". The thing is, this already exists and it's called native advertising. The trick is to create advertisements that, while endorsing a product, have real value for me. A simple example: a tutorial on doing XYZ with Docker on Google Compute Engine might (A) be relevant to my interests and immediately useful, and (B) incite me to use GCE. Ad-blockers block the scummy, bottom-feeder, AIDS-of-the-internet ads.

freehunter 10y ago
I actually run a local-interest blog for my small city, and whenever I talk to people about it they're amazed I don't have ads all over the place. "How do you make money", "why would you run this site without making money", "you should be getting something for it", etc. They don't immediately realize that 90% of the content on the site is advertising, and I actually am getting paid for it. I'll write an article about whatever I want, in whatever tone I want, for free. But sometimes businesses want to set their own tone, or want me to write about something that isn't immediately interesting to me. Sometimes they want me to run a story before I would otherwise do so. And they'll pay me for that. Not a lot, but it generally covers the cost of hosting at least. I have an entire section, accessible from any page, that goes into my advertising policy and how businesses can contact me. Ads don't have to look like ads. And ads can give value, too. Did the local tavern pay me to run a story talking about their new 1/2 off drinks special every Wednesday? They sure did. But people clicked on it and read the article and then visited the bar and took advantage of the promotion. Not because they were tricked into doing so, but because it was interesting to them and they got value from it. And those people will come back to the site again tomorrow and read the next one, because my advertising provides real value to them.
- elmigranto 10y ago
  Do you disclose that content is sponsored? If not, is it legal?
  - omginternets 10y ago
    >If not, is it legal? In most jurisdictions, it's a priori legal unless it falls under some special category (e.g. a political campaign ad).
    - DanBC 10y ago
      It's not legal in UK or US. FTC will regulate undisclosed native content advertising content in US: https://www.ftc.gov/tips-advice/business-center/guidance/native-advertising-guide-businesses https://www.ftc.gov/tips-advice/business-center/guidance/nat... https://www.ftc.gov/tips-advice/business-center/guidance/ftcs-endorsement-guides-what-people-are-asking https://www.ftc.gov/tips-advice/business-center/guidance/ftc... The Advertising Standards Authority regulate it in the UK: https://www.cap.org.uk/Advice-Training-on-the-rules/Advice-Online-Database/Contextually-targeted-branded-content.aspx#.V6roQFQrK00 https://www.cap.org.uk/Advice-Training-on-the-rules/Advice-O... About vlogging, but clearly applies to blogging and traditional print media: https://www.asa.org.uk/News-resources/Media-Centre/2014/Making-ads-Clear-The-challenge-for-advertisers-and-vloggers.aspx#.V6roUlQrK00 https://www.asa.org.uk/News-resources/Media-Centre/2014/Maki... http://blogtacular.com/sponsored-posts-ads-reviews-the-asa-and-your-blog/ http://blogtacular.com/sponsored-posts-ads-reviews-the-asa-a...
  - freehunter 10y ago
    Yes, I took the concept from Cult of Mac, and I run it exactly like they do. I have a page where I detail my ad policy and every sponsored post says "sponsored by..."
- angry-hacker 10y ago
  Well, that is deception unless you are honest with users. In many countries illegal, and as scummy, if not more, than your taboola ads.

blahi 10y ago

Why do you feel entitled to use facebook's resources?

idlewords 10y ago
Because they encourage us to use them and make them available for free.
- blahi 10y ago
  It is available on the condition that you are served ads alongside content.
  - idlewords 10y ago
    No one is ever obligated to view ads. I'm not stealing from the billboard company because I keep my eyes on the road, and I'm not a bad person because I mute the television every five minutes when NBC runs ads for things I don't want during the Olympics. The browser is our user agent. Facebook can serve whatever it wants, but we're under no contractual or moral obligation to look at it.
    - jeena 10y ago
      In a not so distant future: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tMXKQdc5ZM&t=9m https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tMXKQdc5ZM&t=9m Btw. the Black Mirror TV series is awesome.
  - cmc31 10y ago
    Is that in their EULA?
    - StavrosK 10y ago
      Oh but my EULA says "By injecting ads into the articles I read, you implicitly agree to provide me with free resources with no obligation on my part".