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Google engineers want to make ad-blocking (near) impossible

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Re: Google engineers want to make ad-blocking (near) impossible

#51

Post by bondarchuk »

qwertox wrote: post #21

Maybe each household should host its army of noise-making AI which spews out page visits and random searches in order to let the people hide in the noise. Projects like these existed, I think it was an extension, but we'd probably need to do better than that.

Yes it was AdNauseam.

Re: Google engineers want to make ad-blocking (near) impossible

#53

Post by ModernMech »

rovr138 wrote: post #44
ModernMech wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They are the ones doing the work. They certainly have a choice not to.

The same engineers doing this in exchange for money, healthcare, etc to put food on their tables and provide for their families? Not everyone has the ability to act on said 'choice' and risk their jobs, income, benefits.

If anyone does, it’s Google engineers. How much are they paid again? $100k? $200k? $300k? Seriously they have no agency here?

Re: Google engineers want to make ad-blocking (near) impossible

#54

Post by blagie »

k4rli wrote: post #3

Blaming the engineers themselves?

Both should be blamed. A proposal like this would make me not want to hire Ben Wiser, Borbala Benko, Philipp Pfeiffenberger, or Sergey Kataev, ever.

There are projects one of integrity should simply refuse to work on, if they make the world a worse place. With Google on a resume, it's not exactly hard to find jobs. People who agree to work on projects like these are defective human beings.

Re: Google engineers want to make ad-blocking (near) impossible

#55

Post by Frost1x »

ModernMech wrote: post #22
k4rli wrote: post #3

Blaming the engineers themselves?

They are the ones doing the work. They certainly have a choice not to.

Makes sense. This is the (labor) market selecting on services it wants to support. Employers like Google have no sort of leverage or responsibility here what-so-ever.

Re: Google engineers want to make ad-blocking (near) impossible

#56

Post by jwr »

Unfortunately, we will all happily accept this. Because using Chrome is "convenient". People will accept anything for convenience — WhatsApp is a good example, where millions of people worldwide happily share and sync their entire phone book with Facebook/Meta.

If you care, stop using Chrome. If you criticize this evil move, but continue using Chrome, you are part of the problem.

Re: Google engineers want to make ad-blocking (near) impossible

#57

Post by nfriedly »

I hate to say it, but if you used Chrome to read this, then you're part of the problem.

Awful stuff like this wouldn't stand a chance if Google didn't have such a near-monopoly position.

For the sake of the open internet, please switch to a different browser. IMO, Firefox is best*, but even something chromium based is probably fine. Just not Google Chrome.

* On desktop - Firefox is a bit weaker on Android, with an extemely limited set of extensions (but still better than Chrome with no extensions) and just a Safari wrapper on iOS, with no extensions. (But sync works everywhere!)

(I posted something similar in a different thread recently but I think it bears repeating.)

Re: Google engineers want to make ad-blocking (near) impossible

#58

Post by beefield »

danielovichdk wrote: post #52

I know ads is a huge business. I never click them. Who clicks on ads? Really? What segment of Internet users does?

You might want to check almost anyone else searching something on google and see if they get past the first few paid links/ads.

Re: Google engineers want to make ad-blocking (near) impossible

#59

Post by watwut »

rovr138 wrote: post #44
ModernMech wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They are the ones doing the work. They certainly have a choice not to.

The same engineers doing this in exchange for money, healthcare, etc to put food on their tables and provide for their families? Not everyone has the ability to act on said 'choice' and risk their jobs, income, benefits.

Yeah, but you know what? Many of us do have choices and many actively do make those choices. Lets not pretend that we are struggling low paid workers whose families would starved if we changed the job or asked for reassignment.

Also, many unethical choices are made or advocated for by engineers themselves.

Re: Google engineers want to make ad-blocking (near) impossible

#60

Post by bujak300 »

danielovichdk wrote: post #52

I know ads is a huge business. I never click them. Who clicks on ads? Really? What segment of Internet users does?

Bots? The ad impressions are like 60% fake, no? I click from time to time when delayed loading puts an ad right where I was about to click.
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