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This is why the appeal-to-ethics argument against adblocking holds no weight with me. Yes, maybe I stole $0.0001 from the publisher by not looking at an advert.

This is why the appeal-to-ethics argument against adblocking holds no weight with me. Yes, maybe I stole $0.0001 from the publisher by not looking at an advert. But I also didn't have my bank password stolen and my files cryptolockered. It's a small price to pay for security.

hgsgm 4y ago
I don't know about "stole" but the value of those ads is more like $100/yr/user
- TremendousJudge 4y ago
  I know people who got robbed of more than that by scams that showed up on ads
BizarreByte 4y ago
You shouldn’t feel bad, advertisements online are user hostile and a security threat. It’s not like a billboard that is at most annoying as you avert your gaze, despite what online ad supporters want you to believe. The ad companies could cleanup the business and actually enforce security/safety standards, but that would cost money and god forbid they lose some.
kmoser 4y ago
There is no reasonable appeal-to-ethics argument. When it comes to accepting code and/or data onto my computer, or more precisely my screen, I can and should have 100% control over what I accept. My computer, my choice.
WorldMaker 4y ago
The other appeal-to-ethics argument is that major advertising networks should not (ever) do business with malware companies, scammers, and bad actors. Their ethical responsibility of doing their business, which they profit from, is at the very least some form of due diligence on who they form business relationships with. Ethics is a two-way street.
scarface74 4y ago
That doesn’t help. My mom downloaded malware when she was searching for a printer driver. It was organic search and not an ad. It’s about time for her to upgrade anyway. I’m going to encourage her to get a new $599 Mac Mini. Yes I know there is nothing inherently more secure about the Mac than your typical Windows computer besides perhaps code signing. But isn’t targeted as heavily.

hgsgm 4y ago

I don't know about "stole" but the value of those ads is more like $100/yr/user

TremendousJudge 4y ago
I know people who got robbed of more than that by scams that showed up on ads

BizarreByte 4y ago

You shouldn’t feel bad, advertisements online are user hostile and a security threat. It’s not like a billboard that is at most annoying as you avert your gaze, despite what online ad supporters want you to believe. The ad companies could cleanup the business and actually enforce security/safety standards, but that would cost money and god forbid they lose some.

kmoser 4y ago

There is no reasonable appeal-to-ethics argument. When it comes to accepting code and/or data onto my computer, or more precisely my screen, I can and should have 100% control over what I accept. My computer, my choice.

WorldMaker 4y ago

The other appeal-to-ethics argument is that major advertising networks should not (ever) do business with malware companies, scammers, and bad actors. Their ethical responsibility of doing their business, which they profit from, is at the very least some form of due diligence on who they form business relationships with. Ethics is a two-way street.

scarface74 4y ago

That doesn’t help. My mom downloaded malware when she was searching for a printer driver. It was organic search and not an ad. It’s about time for her to upgrade anyway. I’m going to encourage her to get a new $599 Mac Mini. Yes I know there is nothing inherently more secure about the Mac than your typical Windows computer besides perhaps code signing. But isn’t targeted as heavily.