How Google Chrome’s ad blocker works • Hacker News Board

Re: How Google Chrome’s ad blocker works

#211

Post by sorokod » Sat, Feb 03, 2018, 9:09 PM UTC

mabbo wrote: post #89

I think there's good intentions by Google here. That said, let's talk about the worst-case scenario, the thing that Google could actually do that is entirely anti-competitive. Step 1: Google finds a large number of competitors who are doing pretty well playing by their rules. Google finds some trait they all have in common. Google then modifies their own ads to not have that trait. Step 2: Google declares the given t…

The entire exercise is then predicated on the assumption that adverts actually solve some problems that users have.

That is not my experience.

Re: How Google Chrome’s ad blocker works

#212

Post by JoshMnem » Sat, Feb 03, 2018, 9:10 PM UTC

drngdds wrote: post #103

mabbo wrote: post #89

I think there's good intentions by Google here. That said, let's talk about the worst-case scenario, the thing that Google could actually do that is entirely anti-competitive. Step 1: Google finds a large number of competitors who are doing pretty well playing by their rules. Google finds some trait they all have in common. Google then modifies their own ads to not have that trait. Step 2: Google declares the given t…

I feel like there's a simpler explanation that's still not 'good intentions': 1. Lots of people are using adblockers to block all ads, including Google's, and they don't like that. 2. People mostly install adblockers to block really annoying ads.* 3. By building in an adblocker that blocks annoying ads, people will stop installing full adblockers that also block Google's ads. *There are real issues with non-annoying…

> People mostly install adblockers to block really annoying ads.*

Many people use ad blockers because they want to block all ads. There are many reasons to block them, including malware, privacy, and brainwashing.

If ads works to manipulate behavior (and they do, otherwise people wouldn't buy them), and you don't want to be manipulated, you shouldn't let professionals attempt to hijack your brain (whether those attempts are done via ads, Facebook-style feeds, or other ways).

Re: How Google Chrome’s ad blocker works

#213

Post by chacham15 » Sat, Feb 03, 2018, 9:15 PM UTC

JoshMnem wrote: post #212

drngdds wrote: post #103

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I feel like there's a simpler explanation that's still not 'good intentions': 1. Lots of people are using adblockers to block all ads, including Google's, and they don't like that. 2. People mostly install adblockers to block really annoying ads.* 3. By building in an adblocker that blocks annoying ads, people will stop installing full adblockers that also block Google's ads. *There are real issues with non-annoying…

> People mostly install adblockers to block really annoying ads.* Many people use ad blockers because they want to block all ads. There are many reasons to block them, including malware, privacy, and brainwashing. If ads works to manipulate behavior (and they do, otherwise people wouldn't buy them), and you don't want to be manipulated, you shouldn't let professionals attempt to hijack your brain (whether those attem…

This is a very pessimistic view of the world. Not all ads are attempts to hijack your brain. For example, if you were already thinking about buying a specific keyboard and then saw an ad for that same keyboard with a 10% discount, that ad would have actually provided positive value to you. You save money for the thing that you already want. Not all ads are like that, but the example goes to show that there is a spectrum and that its not black and white.

Re: How Google Chrome’s ad blocker works

#214

Post by imroot » Sat, Feb 03, 2018, 9:26 PM UTC

This feels like it's "DoubleClick For Publishers or Bust."

Admittedly, I've only been on the DevOps side of content marketing -- and even at that, only on the cloud infrastructure side of it -- but, I think that just about everyone knew that while writing your own content and then selling your own ad inventory was ideal, if you couldn't sell your own ad inventory, DFP was the second best play for the income.

To me, this screams, "Even if you have other ads, if they're not DFP-compliant, we won't show them if they are from our browser."

I may be completely wrong...but, who knows.

Re: How Google Chrome’s ad blocker works

#215

Post by Feniks » Sat, Feb 03, 2018, 9:27 PM UTC

carlosrg wrote: post #15

This is a good thing. Advertising is one of the most effective ways companies have to let people know about their products - I'd say they're essential in free market economies. But having ads is one thing and completely disrupting the user experience is another. Finding a balance is a better approach than blocking all ads.

Still buying stuff and I've been using ublock origin for years.

Re: How Google Chrome’s ad blocker works

#216

Post by SeriousM » Sat, Feb 03, 2018, 9:29 PM UTC

It's a nice writeup but to be honest, I'm so happy that I have my pi-hole setup so I don't care anymore :). For Android is an OSS app called dns66 (f-droid) which has the same functionality.

Re: How Google Chrome’s ad blocker works

#217

Post by Spoom » Sat, Feb 03, 2018, 9:31 PM UTC

drngdds wrote: post #103

mabbo wrote: post #89

I think there's good intentions by Google here. That said, let's talk about the worst-case scenario, the thing that Google could actually do that is entirely anti-competitive. Step 1: Google finds a large number of competitors who are doing pretty well playing by their rules. Google finds some trait they all have in common. Google then modifies their own ads to not have that trait. Step 2: Google declares the given t…

I feel like there's a simpler explanation that's still not 'good intentions': 1. Lots of people are using adblockers to block all ads, including Google's, and they don't like that. 2. People mostly install adblockers to block really annoying ads.* 3. By building in an adblocker that blocks annoying ads, people will stop installing full adblockers that also block Google's ads. *There are real issues with non-annoying…

I think the actual plan may be one step once their own blocker is released:

1. Declare all ad blockers in the Chrome Web Store now obsolete, and ban them.

Re: How Google Chrome’s ad blocker works

#218

Post by dbbk » Sat, Feb 03, 2018, 9:31 PM UTC

aplorbust wrote: post #177

"However, users can't add their own websites to the blocklist."

It doesn't prevent you from installing an Ad Blocker extension to block sites yourself, as you do today.

Re: How Google Chrome’s ad blocker works

#219

Post by TekMol » Sat, Feb 03, 2018, 9:31 PM UTC

imroot wrote: post #214

This feels like it's "DoubleClick For Publishers or Bust." Admittedly, I've only been on the DevOps side of content marketing -- and even at that, only on the cloud infrastructure side of it -- but, I think that just about everyone knew that while writing your own content and then selling your own ad inventory was ideal, if you couldn't sell your own ad inventory, DFP was the second best play for the income. To me, t…

    if you couldn't sell your own ad inventory,
    DFP was the second best play for the income

If you don't sell your ad inventory, then how is DFP different from Adsense?

Re: How Google Chrome’s ad blocker works

#220

Post by GirlsCanCode » Sat, Feb 03, 2018, 9:37 PM UTC

paulryanrogers wrote: post #183

Bitcoin_McPonzi wrote: post #83

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The ADT company hired and trusted convicted serial killer Dennis Rader to install alarms. He'd then defeat the alarms and go in to the houses to bind, torture, and kill his victims. See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dennis_Rader#Early_life_and_ca... Your analogy is good. Google and Chrome Adblocker is just like ADT and the "BTK Killer".

Did he have a criminal record when ADT hired him?

Did Google lose an anti-trust suit over adblocking before they implemented this feature?