3 ms·

Are you equating adblock to stealing?

Workaccount2 3y ago
The question really to ask is if taking $0.001 stealing. Strictly speaking, yes. Colloquially speaking, no. But would youtube have a markedly higher revenue if no ads were blocked, even if some percentage fewer videos were viewed? The business model youtube works with is clear: +Ad-view income - operational cost - creator payout = income. So what is it called when the user uses the backdoor to input $0 as "ad-view" income?
- toastercat 3y ago
  I guess my question would be -- where do you draw the line? You seem to be implying that adblock is not ethical. YouTube is not the only site that relies on ad revenue to cover operation costs. And it's not just visual ads; one can argue that trackers are equally as important to maximizing profits for a site that relies on advertisement. Then, do you recommend browsing the internet without any adblock to honor this implied contract between user and website?
  - goalonetwo 3y ago
    the next logical step is to imply that it is stealing/unethical to look away during those ads.
  - Workaccount2 3y ago
    No, I recommend paying for services you use because the ad-model is pure cancer, and freeloading is unethical. Most people in the ad-block camp want no ads and no subscriptions. But they are then wholly dependent on honest users to keep their choice services alive. There is this intense cognitive dissonance that prevents people from recognizing that. Use ad-block, I can't stop you, but don't pat yourself on the back like you're the hero of the open internet waging some kind of war. Recognize that you're just dead weight making the situation even worse. Its either pay directly or pay through ad views. That's it.
    - toastercat 3y ago
      My point is you can name-call adblock users as "freeloaders", "pirates", "entitled", but this idea has to be consistent and apply to adblock users on sites other than YouTube. If you have adblock turned on, whether it's an extension or built into your browser, you are undoubtedly one of these freeloaders as well. The only "honest" users as you put it are those with ad and tracker blocking completely disabled when they browse the internet.

The question really to ask is if taking $0.001 stealing. Strictly speaking, yes. Colloquially speaking, no. But would youtube have a markedly higher revenue if no ads were blocked, even if some percentage fewer videos were viewed? The business model youtube works with is clear: +Ad-view income - operational cost - creator payout = income. So what is it called when the user uses the backdoor to input $0 as "ad-view" income?

toastercat 3y ago
I guess my question would be -- where do you draw the line? You seem to be implying that adblock is not ethical. YouTube is not the only site that relies on ad revenue to cover operation costs. And it's not just visual ads; one can argue that trackers are equally as important to maximizing profits for a site that relies on advertisement. Then, do you recommend browsing the internet without any adblock to honor this implied contract between user and website?
- goalonetwo 3y ago
  the next logical step is to imply that it is stealing/unethical to look away during those ads.
- Workaccount2 3y ago
  No, I recommend paying for services you use because the ad-model is pure cancer, and freeloading is unethical. Most people in the ad-block camp want no ads and no subscriptions. But they are then wholly dependent on honest users to keep their choice services alive. There is this intense cognitive dissonance that prevents people from recognizing that. Use ad-block, I can't stop you, but don't pat yourself on the back like you're the hero of the open internet waging some kind of war. Recognize that you're just dead weight making the situation even worse. Its either pay directly or pay through ad views. That's it.
  - toastercat 3y ago
    My point is you can name-call adblock users as "freeloaders", "pirates", "entitled", but this idea has to be consistent and apply to adblock users on sites other than YouTube. If you have adblock turned on, whether it's an extension or built into your browser, you are undoubtedly one of these freeloaders as well. The only "honest" users as you put it are those with ad and tracker blocking completely disabled when they browse the internet.