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Should I Block Ads?

shouldiblockads.com

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Re: Should I Block Ads?

#71

Post by collyw »

wlll wrote: post #27
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.

I've had this when dealing with family members computers. It's an absolute disaster.

I was cleaning up my mums computer (malware, crapware, virus scan) a few years ago and she got annoyed when I removed the emoji toolbar for Internet Explorer. It was quite a facepalm moment, I assumed it had installed itself without her asking for it, but no she wanted it there.

Re: Should I Block Ads?

#72

Post by EForEndeavour »

inetknght wrote: post #60
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.

> 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. Some sites intentionally break if you're using an adblocker. It's really easy to argue to not use those sites. But... What about government sites? Government sites don't work with strong ad blockers. What about bank sites? Bank sites don't work with strong ad b…

Anecdotally, I can't recall a single time my adblocker (uBlock Origin, AdBlock Plus before that) ever interfered with any of my online banking websites, ANY government website, or employers' websites.

And if they ever do, well, most people only use a small number of such sites. Whitelisting them would be easy enough.

Re: Should I Block Ads?

#73

Post by XCSme »

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 had to disable adblocker to view my old Yahoo mail inbox. I didn't find a way yet to safely switch from Yahoo to Gmail without potentially missing out on emails or lose access to sites registered using that email.

I did disable it. I am not proud.

Re: Should I Block Ads?

#74

Post by ViViDboarder »

cameronbrown wrote: post #36
centimeter wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There are better, more efficient ways to monetize than ads. Ads are one of the most destructive and socially wasteful ways to monetize content; it's just technically easy. If we make ads nonviable, you can expect things like micropayments to become more common (and I'm happy to make that trade).

(Disclosure: I work for Google, but not in Ads) Micropayments are generally considered to be unviable for the general population (edit: business model wise, not tech). People are unwilling to pay even pennies for an article[0], because now users are facing the burden of choice, constantly thinking about how their browsing is racking up pennies. Not to mention, it boxes you into the pay-per-article model. Sites like T…

> For the news at least, it'll likely just be the expensive megacorp publications that survive.

Says the guy working for one of the largest megacorps that would be most impacted...

Re: Should I Block Ads?

#75

Post by galfarragem »

Niche blogger here.

For some time I tried to fight the tide by continuing to publish ads and not using an adblock myself. By being an amateur blogger, I understand that even beer money helps to keep the moral high. However a couple of years ago I gave up and just embraced reality: deactivated adsense and started to use an adblock. I finally acknowledged that nobody likes ads - myself included - specially the ones not related with the content. Did my blogging suffered with it? Certainly it did.

Re: Should I Block Ads?

#76

Post by duck »

kgraves wrote: post #20

YES. I think you should block ALL ads entirely, internet and everywhere. They are time sinking distraction and you definitely don't need them in your life. A specific adblocker somebody needs to develop is podcast ad blocker, just auto-skip or have no sponsored message please.

You do realize that most podcasts will go away if they can't make money via advertising, right?

Re: Should I Block Ads?

#77

Post by saagarjha »

inetknght wrote: post #60
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.

> 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. Some sites intentionally break if you're using an adblocker. It's really easy to argue to not use those sites. But... What about government sites? Government sites don't work with strong ad blockers. What about bank sites? Bank sites don't work with strong ad b…

I try my best to send a polite email to sites that don't work but I need to use.

Re: Should I Block Ads?

#78

Post by ccmcarey »

divbzero wrote: post #40
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 includes plenty of “good” sites. I kept forwarding Worldometers’ COVID-19 data site [1] to friends and families, then later realized it’s full of banner ads if viewed without ad blocking. [1]: https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/

Oh wow, I also forward that site around, and sometimes comment on the great minimal design and information density.

Just had a look at it with uBlock Origin disabled, and wow, how do people browse the internet like this?

Re: Should I Block Ads?

#79

Post by taborj »

arendtio wrote: post #38
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.

If you find turning off your ad-blocker, just install a second ad-blocker. Having to turn off two ad-blockers, makes it a whole lot harder ;-) uBlock Origin + DuckDuckGo Privacy Essentials is the combination I am using.

I use DNS hijacking to redirect known adhosts to a black hole (basically a pi-hole, but done on OpenBSD with Unbound). You think disabling two ad-blockers is a chore, wait until you have to SSH into another box, tweak a .conf file, and reload a daemon...

Re: Should I Block Ads?

#80

Post by bostik »

inetknght wrote: post #60
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.

> 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. Some sites intentionally break if you're using an adblocker. It's really easy to argue to not use those sites. But... What about government sites? Government sites don't work with strong ad blockers. What about bank sites? Bank sites don't work with strong ad b…

> What about bank sites? Bank sites don't work with strong ad blockers.

For these sites I use anonymous mode in a different browser.

I don't disable my adblocker. I wouldn't go walking around dark alleys blind drunk in Mexico City at 2:30 in the morning either.

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