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Opera Browser adds integrated adblocker

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Re: Opera Browser adds integrated adblocker

#11

Post by threatofrain »

reasonality wrote: post #4
yev wrote: post #2

if ((!!window.opr && !!opr.addons) || !!window.opera || navigator.userAgent.indexOf(' OPR/') >= 0) { throw alert('your browser is not supported'); }

Or just hide and obfuscate the ads better. Getting past ad-blockers isn't exactly rocket science. This is an arms race which will not end well.

Whatever end is reached, there's no intuitive or trending reason why it won't be any better or worse than not using ad + tracking blockers. The end result of any side winning is simply that they get what they want; it's not going to lead to some tragedy of the commons.

Either advertisers get to track people or they don't. Either people get to block things or they don't. Once upon a time there was little attention to these things, and advertisers got to slurp up data en masse. That is still the case, just an inch less so today.

Perhaps this is a bit cruel, but I believe in a divided web experience, one which is ad-supported and the masses browse and are tracked, the other which is curated, high signal, and directly paid for. Like with most things in life, you get what you have the leverage to get, and in general that means what you pay for.

Scientific literature is run through this way, and I don't think they're hurting for ad revenue. I think exclusivity can protect quality. It's okay to have a paid-for news channel, and a free news channel for the masses, a paid-for Reddit, and a free Reddit. You get what you pay for.

Re: Opera Browser adds integrated adblocker

#13

Post by jinst8gmi »

moonchrome wrote: post #10
reasonality wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How does it hurt them? You stopped leeching their bandwidth without any opportunity for them to earn any ad revenue from them! Allowing leeches on your website doesn't seem that beneficial.

Let's say two sites, A and B host similar content. The end user cannot see some content on site A because of adblock detection but he can see it on site B, he down votes the link of site A on sharing networks, he asks for a policy banning or advocates against linking to site A because content can be found on B. I've seen this play out many times , and at that point you're not just losing traffic from ad block clients…

Perhaps we should add [adwall] to links similar to the way we include [paywall]?

Re: Opera Browser adds integrated adblocker

#15

Post by distances »

hathym wrote: post #6
yev wrote: post #2

if ((!!window.opr && !!opr.addons) || !!window.opera || navigator.userAgent.indexOf(' OPR/') >= 0) { throw alert('your browser is not supported'); }

forbes did it, look what happened.

Well, what happened? I stopped visiting myself, but I have no idea what was the general reaction.

Re: Opera Browser adds integrated adblocker

#17

Post by aw3c2 »

reasonality wrote: post #5
akerro wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I stopped using at least 4 websites which I followed for years just because they tried to enforce on me turning off PrivacyBadger and uBlock. It will hurt only you in long term. It's more important for me to use my browser then you website that doesn't respect my choices.

How does it hurt them? You stopped leeching their bandwidth without any opportunity for them to earn any ad revenue from them! Allowing leeches on your website doesn't seem that beneficial.

Is bandwidth anything remotely worth "protecting" in this day and age?

Re: Opera Browser adds integrated adblocker

#18

Post by reasonality »

threatofrain wrote: post #11
reasonality wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Or just hide and obfuscate the ads better. Getting past ad-blockers isn't exactly rocket science. This is an arms race which will not end well.

Whatever end is reached, there's no intuitive or trending reason why it won't be any better or worse than not using ad + tracking blockers. The end result of any side winning is simply that they get what they want; it's not going to lead to some tragedy of the commons. Either advertisers get to track people or they don't. Either people get to block things or they don't. Once upon a time there was little attention to…

Well clearly the experience for people not using ad blockers is substantially worse than it was 10 years ago.

If the usage of ad blockers increases, you can bet that those not using ad blockers will be squeezed and exploited and have a thousand popups and intrusive ads thrown at them in order for the sites to recoup the lost money.

So those using ad blockers are making the web worse for everyone.

Re: Opera Browser adds integrated adblocker

#19

Post by hoodoof »

Why would I want to deprive sites of their ad revenue?

If you use ad blocking, just be sure that you and no-one you are close to depends on advertising - directly or indirectly - to get their bills paid.

So damn childish to have such a sense of self righteous indignation that people turn off ads but expect the Internet to be free.

Re: Opera Browser adds integrated adblocker

#20

Post by sergiotapia »

yev wrote: post #2

if ((!!window.opr && !!opr.addons) || !!window.opera || navigator.userAgent.indexOf(' OPR/') >= 0) { throw alert('your browser is not supported'); }

People just stop using those sites, easy peasy. I've stopped browsing a few, and just close out sites that block me because I use ublock origin. No real loss to the consumer when almost every news story is syndicated and found elsewhere just as easily.
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