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Part of the problem is the terminology 'adblocker' is outdated and essentially incorrect. Ads aren't ads. They're trackers, viruses, malware, scams. Even video

Part of the problem is the terminology 'adblocker' is outdated and essentially incorrect. Ads aren't ads. They're trackers, viruses, malware, scams. Even video ads on Youtube, whilst not vectors of viruses or malware, they're advertising literal scams and YouTube are responding saying these ads are 'within' policy guidelines. As I've said a few times before (in various ways), browsing the internet without an 'ad blocker' is like running Windows in the 90's / 00's without anti-virus software when you're a serial downloader of interesting programs / executables (like I was); it's negligent, you're asking for trouble. The advertising industry, Google, Facebook, etc. are hiding behind the terminology "advertising" because it makes it sound a lot more palatable than what the reality is, as I said above: tracking, malware, viruses, scams. If it was just advertising, then I'd be much less rabidly agressive in my defense of blocking it: Annoying is a long way separated from Dangerous. Advertising, as it has evolved on the Internet, is Dangerous.

Dalewyn 3y ago
>Ads aren't ads. They're trackers, viruses, malware, scams. Even video ads on Youtube, whilst not vectors of viruses or malware, they're advertising literal scams and YouTube are responding saying these ads are 'within' policy guidelines. >If it was just advertising, then I'd be much less rabidly agressive in my defense of blocking it: Annoying is a long way separated from Dangerous. This really needs to be emphasized more, because the problem is that these so-called "ads" aren't just ads anymore as you said. If they were just ads, sure they would be annoying (or hilarious if they are made well!) but ultimately not something that most of us would feel a religious desire to block out of our lives. But no, they aren't just ads anymore. They are malicious in their intent and harmful in their contents. If it's not the "ads" trojan horsing malware onto our computers, it's their contents directing us towards scams and harmful activities. That dangerous bullshit deserves to be blocked out with extreme prejudice. Adblocking is the anti-virus of the 2010s and '20s, it's a defensive measure to keep ourselves safe.
- anotherevan 3y ago
  I call them HTML firewalls.
qingcharles 3y ago
I'll add that on top of that the ads use so many resources in the browser, CPU/RAM, that it slows many otherwise great budget computers to a standstill. And if you're on a low-res screen like me (1280x720) the ads often overwrite half the content or make the site completely unnavigable. Additionally, the amount of bandwidth the ads use is enormous, especially when they include self-playing video, and people who have government-issued phones in the USA (poor people) only get 15GB of bandwidth on most plans, and that is burned up within a couple of days due to this.
jpambrun 3y ago
Good point, they should rename to scamblockers to change the narrative.
macguyvermectin 3y ago
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Dalewyn 3y ago

>Ads aren't ads. They're trackers, viruses, malware, scams. Even video ads on Youtube, whilst not vectors of viruses or malware, they're advertising literal scams and YouTube are responding saying these ads are 'within' policy guidelines. >If it was just advertising, then I'd be much less rabidly agressive in my defense of blocking it: Annoying is a long way separated from Dangerous. This really needs to be emphasized more, because the problem is that these so-called "ads" aren't just ads anymore as you said. If they were just ads, sure they would be annoying (or hilarious if they are made well!) but ultimately not something that most of us would feel a religious desire to block out of our lives. But no, they aren't just ads anymore. They are malicious in their intent and harmful in their contents. If it's not the "ads" trojan horsing malware onto our computers, it's their contents directing us towards scams and harmful activities. That dangerous bullshit deserves to be blocked out with extreme prejudice. Adblocking is the anti-virus of the 2010s and '20s, it's a defensive measure to keep ourselves safe.

anotherevan 3y ago
I call them HTML firewalls.

qingcharles 3y ago

I'll add that on top of that the ads use so many resources in the browser, CPU/RAM, that it slows many otherwise great budget computers to a standstill. And if you're on a low-res screen like me (1280x720) the ads often overwrite half the content or make the site completely unnavigable. Additionally, the amount of bandwidth the ads use is enormous, especially when they include self-playing video, and people who have government-issued phones in the USA (poor people) only get 15GB of bandwidth on most plans, and that is burned up within a couple of days due to this.

jpambrun 3y ago

Good point, they should rename to scamblockers to change the narrative.

macguyvermectin 3y ago

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