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The Rise of AdBlock Reveals a Serious Problem in the Advertising Ecosystem

26 points by LaSombra 12y ago

valarauca1 12y ago
The problem is web ads are fundamentally flawed. They require the user (you and me) to be ignorant to the fact that ads are no different then getting a catalog, and 4 letters requesting you order other semi-related catalogs in the mail. Nothing is forcing you to actually order those catalogs, only your good will, or in the case of web-browsers standards compliance. I run Noscript + adblock edge + 230KB hosts file to block most ad networks. I'm sick of people who think that the 1/4 of a cent you get from me waiting 3+ minutes for your 125kB of JQuery + 1MB of Ad flash + 50kB analytic JS is worth reading a blog post.
- Retra 12y ago
  After using Netflix, TV/cable in unbearable to me. After using an iPod, radio is just obnoxious and exhausting. "Deals deals DEALSS!!!" Hey, after driving a car, feeding a horse probably seems downright wasteful. It will be very hard to convince people to give up Adblock when the alternative is so offensive to their sense of comfort and wellbeing. If a business is going to tank because of Adblock, then good riddance.
Sir_Substance 12y ago
I remain unconvinced by the entire premise. Advertisers tell us that only ads can provide quality content on the internet, because people need to be paid if they are to make quality content. But there was lots of quality content on the internet before ads became a thing, because people who make good content tend to want to share it. Most of it is still up and available, and ad free. So google is saying they want to sell my eyeballs, for profit. Ad block plus responds by offering to protect my eyeballs from google, for profit. Now google responds with the contributor program, offering me a way to protect my eyeballs while giving the profit to google rather then ad block plus. How about everyone just leaves my eyeballs alone? If the cost of that is websites like cracked closing down, see if I give a damn.

26 points by LaSombra 12y ago

The problem is web ads are fundamentally flawed. They require the user (you and me) to be ignorant to the fact that ads are no different then getting a catalog, and 4 letters requesting you order other semi-related catalogs in the mail. Nothing is forcing you to actually order those catalogs, only your good will, or in the case of web-browsers standards compliance. I run Noscript + adblock edge + 230KB hosts file to block most ad networks. I'm sick of people who think that the 1/4 of a cent you get from me waiting 3+ minutes for your 125kB of JQuery + 1MB of Ad flash + 50kB analytic JS is worth reading a blog post.

Retra 12y ago
After using Netflix, TV/cable in unbearable to me. After using an iPod, radio is just obnoxious and exhausting. "Deals deals DEALSS!!!" Hey, after driving a car, feeding a horse probably seems downright wasteful. It will be very hard to convince people to give up Adblock when the alternative is so offensive to their sense of comfort and wellbeing. If a business is going to tank because of Adblock, then good riddance.

Sir_Substance 12y ago

I remain unconvinced by the entire premise. Advertisers tell us that only ads can provide quality content on the internet, because people need to be paid if they are to make quality content. But there was lots of quality content on the internet before ads became a thing, because people who make good content tend to want to share it. Most of it is still up and available, and ad free. So google is saying they want to sell my eyeballs, for profit. Ad block plus responds by offering to protect my eyeballs from google, for profit. Now google responds with the contributor program, offering me a way to protect my eyeballs while giving the profit to google rather then ad block plus. How about everyone just leaves my eyeballs alone? If the cost of that is websites like cracked closing down, see if I give a damn.