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Weren't those ads always there, though? The most obvious change is that a little AI popup appears on Google search providing a brief (even if hallucinated) over
by hypeatei 8mo ago
Weren't those ads always there, though? The most obvious change is that a little AI popup appears on Google search providing a brief (even if hallucinated) overview of what the user queried.
Unrelated, but I wouldn't expect this take on HN where I assumed everyone knew what an ad-blocker was.
- Aboutplants 8mo agoYes the ads were always there but that was the most efficient way to get the content/information. That has changed and even with ad blockers, websites are no longer the most efficient way to get to that content/infomation. That is what has changed
- hypeatei 8mo agoOkay, I see what point you were trying to make. I misinterpreted your comment as saying LLMs weren't the catalyst but instead the ads were.
- glenstein 8mo agoI also read it that way. I guess the synthesis/charitable interpretation is that the negative ad experience meant it was ripe for disruption should an alternative come along. But it raises a potential counterpoint: are there sites with non-terrible user experiences that are staying stable?
- idiotsecant 8mo agoWikipedia.
- structural 8mo agoMobile users (or other locked down devices where adblockers are forbidden) are still a decent chunk of traffic. It's much easier to just read the overview and not click through to the ad infestation, or even use a chatbot of choice as the search engine instead of going to Google, because "websites is how you get spammed with ads".
- pocksuppet 8mo ago> Mobile users (or other locked down devices where adblockers are forbidden) Just say Apple. They're still allowed on Android, although I don't think you can get them from the Play Store.
- vineyardmike 8mo agoNot allowed on my work computer. Which I do use the internet on. Also you can put ad block on Apple devices.
- mikestew 8mo agoThey didn’t “just say Apple” because it wouldn’t be true. What gives you the impression ad blockers don’t work on Apple mobile devices?
- SR2Z 8mo agoThe part where you are forbidden from using a web browser that isn't Safari (Chrome + FF use Safari under the hood) without jailbreaking the phone? On my Android phone, I installed Firefox. It synced my extensions and installed uBlock automatically. That was it. The last time I tried on iOS, I gave up. The adblockers I found didn't really work, they were painful to install, and the platform is so locked down that I couldn't figure out other options.
- politelemon 8mo agoUblock origin is a Firefox extension that works on mobile. You don't need a dedicated app for blocking adverts.
- pousada 8mo agoNot on iOS, there Firefox is actually Safari under the hood and you can’t use extensions… Haven’t found a good solution yet (other than avoiding websites with ads)
- vineyardmike 8mo agoI don’t use ad block. I find that when it messes with the layout or formatting of a website it’s really annoying, and I consider the volume and type of ads an important signal for a website’s trustworthiness. Oh and plenty of devices don’t have easy access to ad block, like my work computer.
- pousada 8mo agoI use reader mode 90% of the time, I’m really not interested in fancy layout or formatting for a website. I just want the text readable and looking exactly the same way for every website. Designers probably hate users like me.
- JoshTriplett 8mo ago> and I consider the volume and type of ads an important signal for a website’s trustworthiness You can get the former from the number showing up in the uBlock Origin icon.