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How likely would advertisers be to refuse to allow the Adblock ads? I don't really have a problem with ads on websites, experienced users can easily block them

by dm2 13y ago

How likely would advertisers be to refuse to allow the Adblock ads? I don't really have a problem with ads on websites, experienced users can easily block them, but I see no problem with providing ads for a free service. Many organizations only have three methods to generate revenue, either show advertisements, have paid memberships, or take donations. Google shows advertisements, Apple has paid memberships, Wikipedia and Apache Foundation take donations. All three are great companies, they just have different ways to generate revenue. Many websites have no choice but to move towards an advertisements method to remain operational, Adblock is trying to destroy that method of revenue and the online advertising market, it could destroy many great websites and companies that currently make money from advertising. While I'm not a huge fan of ads, they do serve a purpose, and destroying a harmless market such as online advertising without replacing it or supplementing it somehow isn't good. Plus if Adblock is actually successful and the online advertising industry collapses, then they will be putting themselves out of business.

ErikHuisman 13y ago
"Plus if Adblock is actually successful and the online advertising industry collapses, then they will be putting themselves out of business." Even worse. Some of these companies (not adblock) are asking protection money from big advertisers to be whitelisted. Mafia style.
- philliphaydon 13y ago
  A free service putting itself out of business... Can someone explain to me how that works?
  - Kudos 13y ago
    > A free service putting itself out of business... Are you suggesting a free service can't make enough money to operate a business? Man, how am I getting away with not paying for that Wikipedia subscription. Adblock operates on donations and if it were to eliminate advertising, its current product would become useless.
    - pjmlp 13y ago
      > Man, how am I getting away with not paying for that Wikipedia subscription. Because other people pay for you.
  - frankacter 13y ago
    I believe they meant that the ad companies are promoting a product that blocks the same ads they sell. If the promotion is successful, the ad company gets a short term win ($$) but a long term loss in ad views.
- kailuowang 13y ago
  I think that's the only way add block remain operational
- dylangs1030 13y ago
  [Citation needed.] Maybe this is well-known, but my google-fu only turned up this news about Adblock Plus. Are you sure Adblock does it as well? When I used adblock as the search criteria, I got a bunch of hits on it. But when I did adblock -plus, I got nothing primary that could pin this activity to AdBlock.
  - ErikHuisman 13y ago
    Sorry.. No, Adblock does not do this. It is purely donation based which is a good thing. I was a bit off topic.
ponyous 13y ago
I completely agree. If I could reinvent adblock I would create it so only false ads would have been blocked. By that I mean false download buttons, fake iphone winnings, insert your phone number for iq test, etc...
- dchest 13y ago
  I wouldn't use your adblock, I want all ads to be blocked.
- dylangs1030 13y ago
  That's not really the demand, except for a relatively small set of people who are savvy to the reasons why advertising exists and benefits big companies. It wouldn't be nearly as successful.
petercooper 13y ago
Adblock is trying to destroy that method of revenue and the online advertising market, it could destroy many great websites and companies that currently make money from advertising. This is why native advertising is doing so well lately. Instead of having blockable ads surrounding your content, you subtly twist the content into being an ad of sorts. Ad blocking has helped fuel this and while it can be done well, it can also be done in a shady payola-esque way.. while being far harder to detect or block than regular ads. Blocking ads is about as effective as banning abortions long-term. There's a non-shifting demand and it'll always find a way to express itself, whether in entirely legal ways or not.

by dm2 13y ago

ErikHuisman 13y ago

"Plus if Adblock is actually successful and the online advertising industry collapses, then they will be putting themselves out of business." Even worse. Some of these companies (not adblock) are asking protection money from big advertisers to be whitelisted. Mafia style.

philliphaydon 13y ago
A free service putting itself out of business... Can someone explain to me how that works?
- Kudos 13y ago
  > A free service putting itself out of business... Are you suggesting a free service can't make enough money to operate a business? Man, how am I getting away with not paying for that Wikipedia subscription. Adblock operates on donations and if it were to eliminate advertising, its current product would become useless.
  - pjmlp 13y ago
    > Man, how am I getting away with not paying for that Wikipedia subscription. Because other people pay for you.
- frankacter 13y ago
  I believe they meant that the ad companies are promoting a product that blocks the same ads they sell. If the promotion is successful, the ad company gets a short term win ($$) but a long term loss in ad views.
kailuowang 13y ago
I think that's the only way add block remain operational
dylangs1030 13y ago
[Citation needed.] Maybe this is well-known, but my google-fu only turned up this news about Adblock Plus. Are you sure Adblock does it as well? When I used adblock as the search criteria, I got a bunch of hits on it. But when I did adblock -plus, I got nothing primary that could pin this activity to AdBlock.
- ErikHuisman 13y ago
  Sorry.. No, Adblock does not do this. It is purely donation based which is a good thing. I was a bit off topic.

ponyous 13y ago

I completely agree. If I could reinvent adblock I would create it so only false ads would have been blocked. By that I mean false download buttons, fake iphone winnings, insert your phone number for iq test, etc...

dchest 13y ago
I wouldn't use your adblock, I want all ads to be blocked.
dylangs1030 13y ago
That's not really the demand, except for a relatively small set of people who are savvy to the reasons why advertising exists and benefits big companies. It wouldn't be nearly as successful.

petercooper 13y ago

Adblock is trying to destroy that method of revenue and the online advertising market, it could destroy many great websites and companies that currently make money from advertising. This is why native advertising is doing so well lately. Instead of having blockable ads surrounding your content, you subtly twist the content into being an ad of sorts. Ad blocking has helped fuel this and while it can be done well, it can also be done in a shady payola-esque way.. while being far harder to detect or block than regular ads. Blocking ads is about as effective as banning abortions long-term. There's a non-shifting demand and it'll always find a way to express itself, whether in entirely legal ways or not.