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Is Germany on the brink of banning ad blockers?

blog.mozilla.org

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Re: Is Germany on the brink of banning ad blockers?

#131

Post by kstrauser »

webspinner wrote: post #128
kstrauser wrote: post #84

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don’t want to use a “separate but equal” Internet. Screen readers support very specific situations that don’t apply to me. I see using them as the equivalent of tweaking my knee and having to sit in a wheelchair so that I can just use wheelchair accommodations and call it a day. Nah. I don’t want to use a wheelchair or a screen reader because those devices weren’t made for my own needs and don’t suit me.

Screen readers do not skip ads! If they're there, they still get in the way. There are commands you can use to make things more efficient to navigate, but if the ads take up most of the page, it's just going to be an exercise in ridiculousness!

That sounds awful, and it's something I hadn't really thought of before. I can empathize with not wanting to have to deal with that.

Re: Is Germany on the brink of banning ad blockers?

#132

Post by webspinner »

3036e4 wrote: post #51
lxgr wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Your comment just made me realize how easy it would actually be for a court to implement such a ban these days: They could simply require Apple to not ship a content blocking API anymore in their jurisdiction. Thanks to Apple's ban of third-party browsers, that would be enough. On Android, the situation is slightly better, since browsers can be sideloaded, but ad blockers would quickly become a niche phenomenon.

Easy to forget, but some of us still browse the web on laptops and desktop computers where users still have slightly more choice when it comes to what software to use. For now. Of course eventually Google or someone else will manage to spread something like Web Environment Integrity Checks, and then things will become a lot messier. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_Environment_Integrity

That's me lol! I never use the internet on my phone for anything, unless mine here goes out.

Re: Is Germany on the brink of banning ad blockers?

#133

Post by dh2022 »

Vinnl wrote: post #31
kstrauser wrote: post #26

A friend raised what I consider a very valid point, that ad blockers are assistive technology for people with ADHD. They prevent the web from being an unusable mess of shiny distraction. And as such, in America, blocking ad blockers is a violation of the ADA. I’m being completely serious here and so is he. I can barely use the web without ad blockers. They make it possible for me to participate in online life. Remove…

Yeah, that's also the main warning from the blog: the reasoning here is that adjusting how the website code executes on your computer is copyright infringement. The effects of that would go way beyond just adblockers.

Why is it copyright infringement? How is this different from playing music with different settings (more bass, less bass) or playing it at different speeds?

Re: Is Germany on the brink of banning ad blockers?

#134

Post by dh2022 »

kstrauser wrote: post #42
Vinnl wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, that's also the main warning from the blog: the reasoning here is that adjusting how the website code executes on your computer is copyright infringement. The effects of that would go way beyond just adblockers.

I strongly agree with that point, too. The notion that you can legally force me to run a bit of arbitrary code you transmit to me is absolutely bonkers.

Nobody is forcing you to do anything. I am blocking your ads without your help.

Re: Is Germany on the brink of banning ad blockers?

#135

Post by dh2022 »

bitpush wrote: post #83
kleiba wrote: post #79

The day I cannot have my ad blocker anymore is the day I'll say goodbye to the world wide web.

I don't know how you can say this with a straight face. This is nothing different than "reddit boycott" or "politician x gets elected and I'm out of here" Sounds nice. But isn't remotely feasible

I used to watch veritasium and one blue tree brown on YouTube. I stopped this spring because of the number of ads I am getting on my iPad. Maybe I could’ve found a workaround via some ad blockers on iPad. But that was too much trouble so I am back to Wikipedia (so far no ads there).

I think the web is regressing to the point where it is more trouble than it is worth.

Re: Is Germany on the brink of banning ad blockers?

#136

Post by yjftsjthsd-h »

bitpush wrote: post #83
kleiba wrote: post #79

The day I cannot have my ad blocker anymore is the day I'll say goodbye to the world wide web.

I don't know how you can say this with a straight face. This is nothing different than "reddit boycott" or "politician x gets elected and I'm out of here" Sounds nice. But isn't remotely feasible

I don't use reddit. Why do you think it infeasible?

Re: Is Germany on the brink of banning ad blockers?

#137

Post by sneak »

syntaxbush wrote: post #13
sneak wrote: post #2

Under a strict reading of copyright law, this actually makes sense. The problem is that the fundamental concept of IP is nonsensical and insane. When applied rationally, it will of course result in wacky results like this.

Applying this "strict reading" would that mean the majority of chrome extensions are violating copyright. They would not be allowed to modify the DOM to translate web pages, to add price history, check for coupons, etc. as they all modify the original creator's "program"?

Yup. Copyright and intellectual property are utterly absurd.

It was created whole cloth as a legal fiction to prop up an industry that the legislature thought was worth propping up.

If you think about it, if search engines didn’t exist, and you invented and marketed one today, you’d be sued into oblivion. Same goes for public lending libraries.

Re: Is Germany on the brink of banning ad blockers?

#138

Post by slightwinder »

3976189126 wrote: post #107
slightwinder wrote: post #76

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's Germany, certain parties are corrupt on higher levels, to the point of being harmful. They protect the interests of certain industries, even if it means burning down the country. The one suing here is Axel Springer, a well known misinformation-complex, with very strong political connections.

However, their budget is 1/10 of the state-sponsored propaganda machinery that is Germany's public broadcasting.

No, it's not. But your phrasing reads like you're from the Nazi-Bubble, so you likely don't care for facts anyway.

Re: Is Germany on the brink of banning ad blockers?

#139

Post by brookst »

kstrauser wrote: post #84
woofcat wrote: post #68

Earlier quoted context omitted.

screen readers / text based browsers / etc.

I don’t want to use a “separate but equal” Internet. Screen readers support very specific situations that don’t apply to me. I see using them as the equivalent of tweaking my knee and having to sit in a wheelchair so that I can just use wheelchair accommodations and call it a day. Nah. I don’t want to use a wheelchair or a screen reader because those devices weren’t made for my own needs and don’t suit me.

Understandable, but my point was that the ADA is not a “I get whatever I want” law. It has specific requirements. IANAL but I do not believe that just declaring something desirable for yourself and your needs makes it legally required under ADA.
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