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Publishers get to try sending whatever they want to my computer. I get to accept or reject the parts that I want. Based on whether I accept or reject ads, they

Publishers get to try sending whatever they want to my computer. I get to accept or reject the parts that I want. Based on whether I accept or reject ads, they can refuse to let me see content. This is business, not morality. I have no moral obligation to support their business model. They have no moral obligation to deliver a website without intrusive advertising. (Okay, maybe they have a moral obligation not to invade my privacy by tracking me all over the internet, which is why when it comes down to it, adblocking is probably more moral than putting ads on your website).

matt4077 10y ago
Just because you have the /power/ to block their ads has nothing to do with the morality. More intersting though::: Don't you think it is in your interest for these publishers to survive? It sometimes seems as if people are spending hours and hours reading these publications but have nothing but scorn for them, cheering their demise.
- flashman 10y ago
  I'm interested why you think this is a moral question. I don't have a moral responsibility to accept internet ads any more than I have to avoid changing the TV channel during an ad break, or to read instead of flipping past the ads in a free community newspaper. All three mediums use a business model based on the understanding that only some fraction of users will pay attention to the ads.
- Trundle 10y ago
  >Just because you have the /power/ to block their ads has nothing to do with the morality. Sure, but one should probably have to start with making the argument for there being a moral burden incurred when sending a digital message to another persons computer that says "what have you got sitting there?" that requires the person to then execute everything they receive. >Don't you think it is in your interest for these publishers to survive? It sometimes seems as if people are spending hours and hours reading these publications but have nothing but scorn for them, cheering their demise. I don't think you necessarily need to be cheering to be fine with their demise. As for their heavy use? It's effectively dead time. I might read a lot of crap on the internet but if not that I'd be watching some tv show I don't really care about or doing a crossword or watching a bug on a wall. It's not high value entertainment it's something to do to make doing nothing slightly less boring.

matt4077 10y ago

Just because you have the /power/ to block their ads has nothing to do with the morality. More intersting though::: Don't you think it is in your interest for these publishers to survive? It sometimes seems as if people are spending hours and hours reading these publications but have nothing but scorn for them, cheering their demise.

flashman 10y ago
I'm interested why you think this is a moral question. I don't have a moral responsibility to accept internet ads any more than I have to avoid changing the TV channel during an ad break, or to read instead of flipping past the ads in a free community newspaper. All three mediums use a business model based on the understanding that only some fraction of users will pay attention to the ads.
Trundle 10y ago
>Just because you have the /power/ to block their ads has nothing to do with the morality. Sure, but one should probably have to start with making the argument for there being a moral burden incurred when sending a digital message to another persons computer that says "what have you got sitting there?" that requires the person to then execute everything they receive. >Don't you think it is in your interest for these publishers to survive? It sometimes seems as if people are spending hours and hours reading these publications but have nothing but scorn for them, cheering their demise. I don't think you necessarily need to be cheering to be fine with their demise. As for their heavy use? It's effectively dead time. I might read a lot of crap on the internet but if not that I'd be watching some tv show I don't really care about or doing a crossword or watching a bug on a wall. It's not high value entertainment it's something to do to make doing nothing slightly less boring.