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VPAID ads destroy performance and are still served by major ad networks

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Re: VPAID ads destroy performance and are still served by major ad networks

#151
post #115

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This logic doesn't make sense. If an advertiser willingly pings itself to a ridiculous degree does not mean it's a conspiracy to bring a server (its own?) down.

If something hijacks your computer and uses excesive resources, you should assume it has hostile intentions. It is not your job to inspect packet to find out what is going on.

It is worth distinguishing between actual malice and mere incompetence, and handling them differently.

Re: VPAID ads destroy performance and are still served by major ad networks

#152

One thing to note: When the developer tools are opened Chrome will temporarily disable the cache. When the video loops it would normally just reach into cache and re-play the file that was already downloaded. However, with devtools open it will probably re-download all the files again.

That's not true at all. It only disables the cache if you tell it to. Like so: http://i.imgur.com/dutc1cy.png . As you can see, that checkbox is not on in the demoed GIF. The ad code is actively requesting new ads and pinging its trackers countless times.

ok, sure, it's configurable. But that box is checked by default.

Re: VPAID ads destroy performance and are still served by major ad networks

#153

What I would like in a new kind of Ad network: - all ads are responsive HTML5 ads - all resources are loaded over HTTPS - ads are based on your content, not on a profile of the user - ads can be requested server side by sending the URL where the ad will be displayed through an API. The response contains the ad code, as well as the expiration date - if you want, you can even download a package with all resources so ad…

If each site creates a CNAME (ex: ads.example.com or not-ads.example.com or more likely [a-z][a-z0-9]{15}.example.com) pointing at the ad broker, they could use something like letsencrypt to dynamically set up HTTPS.

Re: VPAID ads destroy performance and are still served by major ad networks

#154
post #144
post #126

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So why can't the same be done on websites? If numbers of views can't be confirmed without spying on users or trusting shady actors to do that for you, it means the business model that is based on this metric is skewed.

If one network offers approximate numbers from an expensive external audit and another network offers "exact" tracking through cookies etc., which network do you think advertisers will spend with?

Exactly such egoistic and short term thinking led us to the current situation and the widespread usage of ad-blockers, no?

Re: VPAID ads destroy performance and are still served by major ad networks

#155
post #111

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It might cost pennies for wealthy countries but might be a good chunk of money for poorer countries.

If your users are from poor countries, you'll also get pennies from ads. TAANSFL. If you have an actual community, it's more efficient to simply ask for donations.

TANSTAAFL

Re: VPAID ads destroy performance and are still served by major ad networks

#156
post #92

In most walks of life we happily pay for something that provides us value: Cars, phones, shoes etc. I don't see the web/app ecosystem as any different although owners (that's app creators and web site owners/creators) feel they can make more by selling our lives to a third party - That's not something I want to happen with my details I will block your system for doing so. If I feel your site/app is not providing me w…

I pay for access to NYT, Economist and Guardian. And I still block their ads. I expect them to eventually kick me out or charge more, because I'm sure my subscription fee isn't covering their profit goals. Even if I was paying full fee for these things to be dropped on my physical door step every day, there would still be ads, only they'd be static and safe.

I have a visceral hate for advertising inside a product I pay money for (website, magazine, movie, etc). The only exception I've found to that being a product packaging including advertising for additional catalog items from the same manufacturer or retailer.

Re: VPAID ads destroy performance and are still served by major ad networks

#157
post #111

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It might cost pennies for wealthy countries but might be a good chunk of money for poorer countries.

If your users are from poor countries, you'll also get pennies from ads. TAANSFL. If you have an actual community, it's more efficient to simply ask for donations.

Donations don't work in poor countries.

People from wealthy countries usually forget about the rest of the world, when they talk about things that annoy them.

Re: VPAID ads destroy performance and are still served by major ad networks

#158
This whole thing would actually be technically quite easy to solve: just introduce new attribute to iframe, say f.ex. you could have traffic-limit="10MB", and request-limit="5". Browser would block the iframe and anything that runs in it cold, if it exceeds limits. In an ad-auction one would sell the ad space with the knowledge of those limits. Publisher would have perfect control on how heavy ads they allow on their page. Ad networks could still run arbitrary js. And tracking the amount of raw traffic or requests on a separate iframe should not be hard to implement.

Re: VPAID ads destroy performance and are still served by major ad networks

#159
post #19

> A single VPAID ad absolutely demolishes site performance on mobile and desktop, and we, the publishers, get the full blame from our readers. The site is responsible for including ads; "publishers" should get the full blame from their readers. The publishers themselves can complain to the ad network they use, but readers are right to just blame the publishers.

It's not that straightforward though; these networks all pile in on each other, layers and layers deep, and in real time. It is very difficult for a publisher to work out who they are dealing with. The only network ads I had running on my news site were from Google Adsense, the seemingly reputable choice, but I found ads and trackers from all sorts of networks were infiltrating through that little window. The only re…

"We now only host ads we have sold direct."

Do those ads include any JS? If not, you've figured out how advertising should work.

Re: VPAID ads destroy performance and are still served by major ad networks

#160
post #111

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It might cost pennies for wealthy countries but might be a good chunk of money for poorer countries.

If your users are from poor countries, you'll also get pennies from ads. TAANSFL. If you have an actual community, it's more efficient to simply ask for donations.

Which would be useful to continue the site. I am from India nobody really pays for content. Donations would not work as well.
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