Should I Block Ads? • Hacker News Board

Re: Should I Block Ads?

#41

Post by hpoe » Fri, May 22, 2020, 9:00 PM UTC

So the reason I block ads, or at least started is a book I read called Pre-suasion by Robert Caldini. In it he points out that internet ads are dismissed and ignored by our conscious mind but because of that often will produce an effect on our unconscious mind. Think like the subliminal messaging type thing. People who were shown Kodiak ads on a webpage in an experiment couldn't recall seeing any Kodiak ads simply because we are so used to internet ads we ignore them; however later for the subjects favored purchasing a Kodiak camera over competitors products.

The books final chapter concluded by explaining an experiment they did where simply by showing a particular image in the background, combined with a spaced follow up and increased incentive, they were able to sucessfully manipulate people's political and voting preferences in a manner that lasted over a year.

I decided at that point no one gets to screw with my subconscious but my immense amount of childhood trauma. In my mind every other reason pales in comparison to this one for why I adblock and put it on my wife's computer, and every computer a family member owns.

Re: Should I Block Ads?

#42

Post by notriddle » Fri, May 22, 2020, 9:00 PM UTC

paulcole wrote: post #30

Can I possibly be the only person here who doesn’t use an adblocker? I like buying things. I like seeing ads that interest me. I don’t care who tracks me or monetizes data about me that is 100% worthless to me. I like not paying money out of my own wallet to read websites and watch videos.

You'll notice that the essay doesn't build its argument around "ads bad" or "privacy good" or any of the typical shibboleths.

It builds its argument around crap like fake download buttons, fake FBI warnings, coin miners, and ads that break the website. These are the reason why University of California and Edward Snowden recommend ad blockers, and they're the reason why I recommend them too.

Re: Should I Block Ads?

#43

Post by mrspeaker » Fri, May 22, 2020, 9:01 PM UTC

Hamuko wrote: post #2

How many people actually disable their adblockers when sites don't allow you to access them if you have one enabled? It's just much easier to close the tab.

I have the same approach to sites that require JavaScript.

If a page loads blank, or contains a single line of text "this applications requires javascript", it's an insta-close.

The unintended benefit of this is I nearly always realize I was procrastinating when I clicked the link anyway... so now I regard NoScript as a productivity tool!

Re: Should I Block Ads?

#44

Post by Animats » Fri, May 22, 2020, 9:01 PM UTC

Hamuko wrote: post #2

How many people actually disable their adblockers when sites don't allow you to access them if you have one enabled? It's just much easier to close the tab.

Right. There's usually a site just as good without ads.

Re: Should I Block Ads?

#45

Post by pesfandiar » Fri, May 22, 2020, 9:01 PM UTC

Hamuko wrote: post #2

How many people actually disable their adblockers when sites don't allow you to access them if you have one enabled? It's just much easier to close the tab.

It's still worth it for them to ask if a non-zero number of people turn it off (and make them some money rather than none).

Re: Should I Block Ads?

#46

Post by deepspace » Fri, May 22, 2020, 9:01 PM UTC

lalaland1125 wrote: post #6

I think this article downplays the downsides of ad blockers too much. If ad blockers become the norm, much of the current web will no longer be viable. Facebook, YouTube, Google, Reddit, StackOverflow, and countless other sites are fundamentally based on advertising and can't survive without it. The article tries to address this a little bit with the "Ad blockers do not block all advertising" section, but I don't thi…

That ship sailed when websites neglected to screen ads properly, resulting in malware being served to unsuspecting users.

If the sites collapse, so be it, but it won't because the vast majority of people casually surfing the web do not know how to use ad blockers.

Re: Should I Block Ads?

#47

Post by krapp » Fri, May 22, 2020, 9:01 PM UTC

lalaland1125 wrote: post #6

I think this article downplays the downsides of ad blockers too much. If ad blockers become the norm, much of the current web will no longer be viable. Facebook, YouTube, Google, Reddit, StackOverflow, and countless other sites are fundamentally based on advertising and can't survive without it. The article tries to address this a little bit with the "Ad blockers do not block all advertising" section, but I don't thi…

>Facebook, YouTube, Google, Reddit, StackOverflow, and countless other sites are fundamentally based on advertising and can't survive without it.

I mean, don't get me wrong, I use all of these sites and I see utility in all of them (even the much-maligned Facebook.) Youtube, for all its controversy, is arguably the modern Library of Alexandia.

But with every other business in the universe, you either adapt to changing market conditions or you die. I don't see why the web should be any different.

Re: Should I Block Ads?

#48

Post by sneak » Fri, May 22, 2020, 9:03 PM UTC

0xCMP wrote: post #31

gfody wrote: post #7

I was on a fresh setup recently and caught a glimpse of the raw internet on my way to install uBlock Origin and uMatrix. There are still fake download buttons everywhere. I can't understand how the non-ad-blocking world tolerates that stuff - no choice and no voice I guess? The amount of autoplaying videos was disturbing as well.

This probably an important reason people would rather browse Facebook or Instagram on their phone. It's literally a much better experience.

Those are also full of unblockable ads, and spyware to boot. I don’t think that is a better experience at all.

Re: Should I Block Ads?

#49

Post by sergiotapia » Fri, May 22, 2020, 9:03 PM UTC

hpoe wrote: post #41

So the reason I block ads, or at least started is a book I read called Pre-suasion by Robert Caldini. In it he points out that internet ads are dismissed and ignored by our conscious mind but because of that often will produce an effect on our unconscious mind. Think like the subliminal messaging type thing. People who were shown Kodiak ads on a webpage in an experiment couldn't recall seeing any Kodiak ads simply be…

It's our responsibility as parents in tech to teach our children to block all ads. My son hasn't browser the web without an adblocker, ever. I showed him what his favorite sites look like without an adblocker and he was really surprised.

Re: Should I Block Ads?

#50

Post by ComputerGuru » Fri, May 22, 2020, 9:04 PM UTC

derefr wrote: post #13

Hamuko wrote: post #2

How many people actually disable their adblockers when sites don't allow you to access them if you have one enabled? It's just much easier to close the tab.

I do use my adblocker disable button, but not in response to sites pleading for me to do so. I just find that sometimes it helps when a web app is being wonky. (Usually, the adblocker has misidentified one of the app’s main first-party JS files as an ad script and prevented it from loading.) Of course, since we’re talking about web apps , no ads usually result from this.

Usually. But Fidelity loads bootstrap.js from the ensighten CDN on some pages, so it’s not a mistaken first party domain blocked but a tracking third party you need to allow.