Instead of defrauding ad networks and legitimate sites that have ads, there's an even easier way to deal with annoying ad policies: Don't go to sites that have them.
Ad blocker that clicks on the ads
11–20 of 253 posts
Re: Ad blocker that clicks on the ads
#12While I agree that this can be a problem for the webpages you visit, see that the point of the extension is:
" [...] to obfuscate browsing data and protect users from surveillance and tracking by advertising networks."
So while it may be a negative side effect the point of the extension is not disrupting online advertisement, but disrupting online tracking. Even though you will be effectively doing both.
Re: Ad blocker that clicks on the ads
#13Bad idea, ads are also a way to support the site/service you are using. Automatic ad clicks can get that site banned (i.e. Adsense will surely do that) so that's a sure way to kill the site. Google for instance wouldn't have existed without ads. Lots of people on HN saved millennia with help from Stackoverflow (ad supported) and so on. I'm now "ad-aware" so I know how to differentiate content from ads, but I will cli…
From another perspective, it's a way to punish publishers who work with ad companies which do not respect your privacy.
I wonder if it can be disabled for ad networks that don't collect user data.
Re: Ad blocker that clicks on the ads
#14As someone who runs an ad-supported site, I would really prefer if you just blocked my ads and did not register fake clicks on them.
Re: Ad blocker that clicks on the ads
#15Screw that. If you don't like sites with annoying adds why send them revenue from click throughs? There are also a lot of hard working companies out there that would rather not pay $0.25 every time some ass hole with a browser extension visits a page. edit:toned down.
Not sure if you've used google to advertise with before but they will work out that this user is clicking maliciously and discard them. The whole point is they won't get revenue from this unless you visit very few sites.
So does that make it better or worse than just blocking adds?
Re: Ad blocker that clicks on the ads
#16It's a shame this is even receiving front page publicity. This is ultimately terrible for everyone except maybe a few anarchists that think they deserve every websites information for free while sabotaging the publishers who work to develop the sites. And if it actually were to take off, it would then be bad for the anarchists who no longer get that free access to the information they wanted. Who wins?
Edit: Seriously, how is this a good idea? You disproportionately harm the sites you actually visit, and ultimately the result is A) Big ad networks shut them off .. or B) Independent ads think their ads aren't converting and pull them.
This is how you kill the sites you actually visit. They don't magically find a new business model before hosting/payroll/whatever catch up to the fact that their ad revenue has been shut off. I can't fathom what you stand to gain from getting their ads shut off instead of just hiding them for yourself with a standard ad block that is much more acceptable.
Re: Ad blocker that clicks on the ads
#17While I agree that this can be a problem for the webpages you visit, see that the point of the extension is: " [...] to obfuscate browsing data and protect users from surveillance and tracking by advertising networks." So while it may be a negative side effect the point of the extension is not disrupting online advertisement, but disrupting online tracking. Even though you will be effectively doing both.
Can someone explain now clicking an ad link prevents tracking?
Re: Ad blocker that clicks on the ads
#18As someone who runs an ad-supported site, I would really prefer if you just blocked my ads and did not register fake clicks on them.
Totally agree. There's something quite mean spirited about this.
Re: Ad blocker that clicks on the ads
#19I realize this won't be popular, but I really have no feelings for ad networks.
- They allow shoddy security on their servers
- They track users against their will
- Info on me is sold w/o my knowledge or consent
- Ads are a poor business model since they can be blocked
- There is no moral imperative for me to view ads since I've paid to access the Interwebs
I block all ads, tracking cookies, beacons, all of it... I whitelist my bank and my email provider. Everyone else gets nothing from me. I lie about my browser agent, I disallow scripts, CSS history, I disallow HTTP/S referrer, DOM storage, I use a European proxy where I need to. This all works great for me, as I have the right to move around the Internet as a customer, not a product.
I think if anything, this extension makes ad companies sit up and take notice. I won't be installing it, as I don't need it, but kudos to the authors for throwing the cat in among the pigeons. Ad revenue from most of these sites is based on tracking people and this is something I am against 100%.
Re: Ad blocker that clicks on the ads
#20I don't understand this, they say it prevents tracking but, actually, this helps ad companies track you since they will now know you will click their ads whenever you are visiting a certain site. With ad blockers that prevent the HTTP request, those third party sites aren't able to track you. The publisher can always track you but that won't be shared with their advertisers or networks. Disclaimer: I work in the adte…
You have my upvotes, while you may think "well now they know nothing because they think I like everything!" instead it will be "I just told every ad network that I visit this website, another notch in the information about me belt."
You cant get around that fact, and the information is not some firehose they cant take or something ( also this kind of behavior is eminently detectable by the ad network, nobody clicks ALL of the ads).