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Adblock buying ads to advertise Adblock

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Re: Adblock buying ads to advertise Adblock

#71

Post by kamjam »

mcintyre1994 wrote: post #32
painki11er wrote: post #29

I don't understand how ad-blocking is even legal. It's like stealing - stealing content for free, IMHO there's no difference between stealing MP3s and news or any other content. There's some kind of user agreement between websites and its users - "you can use our site for free, but you have to watch the ads". Adblock violates this agreement. The people responsible for this should be in prison, they're thieves. And I'…

Do you feel that violating any user agreement should be illegal and those who do it "should be in prison"? Furthermore, where the user agreement isn't specifically given (eg a mandatory ToS), do you feel that any agreement the site owner can claim was implied (use the site for free, watch our ads) should be legally binding?

I'm also pretty sure that in most countries you actually have to agree to the ToS and ensure the user has read it. Just having a T&Cs page on your website somewhere does not count. Most websites don't force me to agree to anything before viewing their content... if that's part of the ToS then they need to make sure I agree to it.

Re: Adblock buying ads to advertise Adblock

#72

Post by kamjam »

notahacker wrote: post #18
lutusp wrote: post #2

This initially sounds crazy and paradoxical, until you realize they'll surely be able to reach people who haven't yet installed AdBlock.

Yes, it's a good way for them to bombard people who aren't sufficiently annoyed by ads to actually look for ways to block them with messages telling them they should be. They already "empowered" people to choose an ad-free internet by building the app; people that want it download it. Why exactly isn't it equally obnoxious and irritating for AdBlock to follow everyone else round the internet trying to change their be…

Luckily for you then, since you already have AdBlock installed, you won't see the adverts.

Or is their rationale that advertising serves the legitimate purpose of informing users about choices they may not realize they have?

Exactly. Believe or not, most people on HN are computer savvy. There are some users who are not aware of AdBlock. Personally I have installed it on a number of friends and family computers, and guess what, it has reduced the amount of adware and malware they install.

Re: Adblock buying ads to advertise Adblock

#73

Post by kamjam »

painki11er wrote: post #29

I don't understand how ad-blocking is even legal. It's like stealing - stealing content for free, IMHO there's no difference between stealing MP3s and news or any other content. There's some kind of user agreement between websites and its users - "you can use our site for free, but you have to watch the ads". Adblock violates this agreement. The people responsible for this should be in prison, they're thieves. And I'…

So you're telling me that you have never downloaded an MP3? A DivX or streamed a tv series from somewhere? Or skipped those adverts at the beginning of the DVDs? How about recorded something on a PVR and then fast-forwarded when it comes to commercial breaks?

Believe it or not, not everybody in the world gets to enjoy super fast internet connection speeds, cos they live in countries that are not so well developed or they are in very rural places. Why should they have to sit through waiting for irrelevant content to load? And the adverts are not relevant to them cos Google has no advertisers in their region? And they are on bandwidth capped plan so they are paying to see these adverts?

Re: Adblock buying ads to advertise Adblock

#74

Post by mjolk »

jonknee wrote: post #38
mjolk wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm not sure that I qualify as 'sane,' but I do it to block tracking/breadcrumb JS. I don't want to pay extra cash for a flight because airlines know that I've been looking extensively over the last few hours.

You can also just use an Incognito tab (or similar in your browser). AdBlock alone may not be enough to keep you out of tracking for comparison shopping.

It's close enough to a solved problem and I want the web history. My machine fingerprint is hugely generic -- Chrome on OSX with a couple plugins coming from NYC. Advertisers/jerks could use the visited link color hack with first-party/same-origin JS, but nothing's perfect.

Re: Adblock buying ads to advertise Adblock

#75

Post by lutusp »

kamjam wrote: post #72
notahacker wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, it's a good way for them to bombard people who aren't sufficiently annoyed by ads to actually look for ways to block them with messages telling them they should be. They already "empowered" people to choose an ad-free internet by building the app; people that want it download it. Why exactly isn't it equally obnoxious and irritating for AdBlock to follow everyone else round the internet trying to change their be…

Luckily for you then, since you already have AdBlock installed, you won't see the adverts. Or is their rationale that advertising serves the legitimate purpose of informing users about choices they may not realize they have? Exactly. Believe or not, most people on HN are computer savvy. There are some users who are not aware of AdBlock. Personally I have installed it on a number of friends and family computers, and g…

> Luckily for you then, since you already have AdBlock installed, you won't see the adverts.

Actually, AdBlock is making the new ad appear to those who have AdBlock installed -- I just saw my AdBlock icon light up and, when clicked, display this ad:

http://i.imgur.com/Kwi9qmD.png

I don't think we're in Kansas any more, Dorothy.

Re: Adblock buying ads to advertise Adblock

#76

Post by Zoomla »

entropyneur wrote: post #49

It's actually pretty trivial to detect AdBlock and make your site inaccessible unless the user disables it. I've seen a couple sites doing that in the wild. Sounds like a business opportunity...

I am sure they know about it... but they must have figured it isn't work blocking them (this Adblock detection technique has been around for years).

Re: Adblock buying ads to advertise Adblock

#77

Post by Zoomla »

painki11er wrote: post #29

I don't understand how ad-blocking is even legal. It's like stealing - stealing content for free, IMHO there's no difference between stealing MP3s and news or any other content. There's some kind of user agreement between websites and its users - "you can use our site for free, but you have to watch the ads". Adblock violates this agreement. The people responsible for this should be in prison, they're thieves. And I'…

It's because of people like you that USA's incarceration rate is through the roof.

Re: Adblock buying ads to advertise Adblock

#78

Post by kamjam »

lutusp wrote: post #75
kamjam wrote: post #72

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Luckily for you then, since you already have AdBlock installed, you won't see the adverts. Or is their rationale that advertising serves the legitimate purpose of informing users about choices they may not realize they have? Exactly. Believe or not, most people on HN are computer savvy. There are some users who are not aware of AdBlock. Personally I have installed it on a number of friends and family computers, and g…

> Luckily for you then, since you already have AdBlock installed, you won't see the adverts. Actually, AdBlock is making the new ad appear to those who have AdBlock installed -- I just saw my AdBlock icon light up and, when clicked, display this ad: http://i.imgur.com/Kwi9qmD.png I don't think we're in Kansas any more, Dorothy.

Actually, AdBlock is making the new ad appear to those who have AdBlock installed

I saw the same thing, but that's not exactly the same thing as seeing ads, they're not (AFAIK) only showing AdBlock ads... they're informing you of something they are implementing in a hidden way.

If you really take offence to what they are doing then you (and not directed at you per se) - Uninstall AdBlock - View ads on websites, maybe click on them occasionally so click-through rates increase - Install Adblock Plus, because it's not the ad blocking that you are specifically against, just the fact they are advertising

The point is, you have options, and they are presenting options to potential users. This is how things work in a free-market economy. We're not living under a totally facist regime just yet...

Re: Adblock buying ads to advertise Adblock

#79

Post by lutusp »

kamjam wrote: post #78
lutusp wrote: post #75

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Luckily for you then, since you already have AdBlock installed, you won't see the adverts. Actually, AdBlock is making the new ad appear to those who have AdBlock installed -- I just saw my AdBlock icon light up and, when clicked, display this ad: http://i.imgur.com/Kwi9qmD.png I don't think we're in Kansas any more, Dorothy.

Actually, AdBlock is making the new ad appear to those who have AdBlock installed I saw the same thing, but that's not exactly the same thing as seeing ads, they're not (AFAIK) only showing AdBlock ads... they're informing you of something they are implementing in a hidden way. If you really take offence to what they are doing then you (and not directed at you per se) - Uninstall AdBlock - View ads on websites, maybe…

> I saw the same thing, but that's not exactly the same thing as seeing ads, they're not (AFAIK) only showing AdBlock ads... they're informing you of something they are implementing in a hidden way.

I think it counts as an advertisement, and I'm not complaining, only observing. I just thought there was more than a touch of irony in AdBlock showing an ad within the AdBlock app.

> We're not living under a totally facist regime just yet...

Interesting comparison. A regime that forced us to watch ads could be described as Fascist, as could one that blocked all ads regardless of people's tastes. Anything that prevented free choice.

Re: Adblock buying ads to advertise Adblock

#80

Post by kamjam »

lutusp wrote: post #79
kamjam wrote: post #78

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Actually, AdBlock is making the new ad appear to those who have AdBlock installed I saw the same thing, but that's not exactly the same thing as seeing ads, they're not (AFAIK) only showing AdBlock ads... they're informing you of something they are implementing in a hidden way. If you really take offence to what they are doing then you (and not directed at you per se) - Uninstall AdBlock - View ads on websites, maybe…

> I saw the same thing, but that's not exactly the same thing as seeing ads, they're not (AFAIK) only showing AdBlock ads... they're informing you of something they are implementing in a hidden way. I think it counts as an advertisement, and I'm not complaining, only observing. I just thought there was more than a touch of irony in AdBlock showing an ad within the AdBlock app. > We're not living under a totally facis…

I don't think the irony is missed on anyone, no doubt the AdBlock guys them themselves... and the ability to watch or not watch ads is not the point I was making. The point is we have a choice of whether to use or not use, either Adblock, AdBlock plus, something else or nothing at all. But more so, the general state of the web and the big brother on everything. It's a slippery slope :)
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