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It’s OK to block ads (2015)

blog.practicalethics.ox.ac.uk

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Re: It’s OK to block ads (2015)

#61

Post by orwin »

12_throw_away wrote: post #39

I accidentally turned off my adblocker on youtube today, and I immediately got 2 ads, both of which were AI deepfakes of some celebrities selling "supplements" of dubious legality. So, um, is this what internet ads are now? Because even if it weren't "ok" to block these ads, I'm sure as shit going to keep blocking them.

Happenned two days ago for me, the rule to block shorts from appearing in my feed caught a bit too much, and I mistakenly deactivated ublock while trying to refine them.

YouTube ads are terrifying. Probably others are to, but my opinion to avoid any product showed on internet if possible is vindicated. How can I trust an Axe ad if it's advertised side by side with an obvious scam?

Re: It’s OK to block ads (2015)

#62

Post by h4kunamata »

It isn't just okay but mandatory! 2015, 10 years later things got so much worse, only know some minority are realising all the problems behind an AD.

With the rise of privacy being breached by American companies and now AI, the way we deal with technology should change altogether.

Basics first, if you only use your PC to access the internet, YouTube, office/excel(LibreOffice) and alike, Mint Cinnamon Linux to replace Windows. No money wasted with licensing and its AI flooding you with ADs

Android and iPhone are such major issue with targeted ADs, GrapheneOS running on Pixel phones are the only way to have a phone and life without having all your personal life leaked, plus ADs.

At home, I run Pihole + Unbound as recursive DNS, OPNSense to force all the DNS traffic to them, and WireGuard to connect to home when I am out. Pihole blocked traffic goes brrrrrrrrrrr

If people knew how much crappy their phones, Windows/Mac PCs are sending out to Microsof, Apple, Meta, Google, etc, to be exchanged into targeted ADs, people would lose their mind lmao

Re: It’s OK to block ads (2015)

#63

Post by DanielHB »

h4kunamata wrote: post #62

It isn't just okay but mandatory! 2015, 10 years later things got so much worse, only know some minority are realising all the problems behind an AD. With the rise of privacy being breached by American companies and now AI, the way we deal with technology should change altogether. Basics first, if you only use your PC to access the internet, YouTube, office/excel(LibreOffice) and alike, Mint Cinnamon Linux to replace…

I has gotten better security-wise at least, malicious ads can't infect your OS anymore just by being loaded. The browser sandbox is much more secure these days.

Re: It’s OK to block ads (2015)

#64

Post by DanielHB »

orwin wrote: post #61
12_throw_away wrote: post #39

I accidentally turned off my adblocker on youtube today, and I immediately got 2 ads, both of which were AI deepfakes of some celebrities selling "supplements" of dubious legality. So, um, is this what internet ads are now? Because even if it weren't "ok" to block these ads, I'm sure as shit going to keep blocking them.

Happenned two days ago for me, the rule to block shorts from appearing in my feed caught a bit too much, and I mistakenly deactivated ublock while trying to refine them. YouTube ads are terrifying. Probably others are to, but my opinion to avoid any product showed on internet if possible is vindicated. How can I trust an Axe ad if it's advertised side by side with an obvious scam?

I actually use a full blown desktop computer as media center specifically because it can run adblock (and games). I got one of those "fly-mouses" (like a wii-remote pointer to control the mouse cursor), works really well and it is nice to be able to pull a wireless mouse+keyboard when you want to do more complex things.

We often use our TV to plan trips using google maps or do some planning using excel sheets with this setup.

Re: It’s OK to block ads (2015)

#65

Post by DanielHB »

roscas wrote: post #3
keernan wrote: post #2

For me, it is a straight forward proposition. There is literally nothing online so far that has ever interested me enough to pay money or with my eyeballs. I either see it without ads or move on without even a moment of thought.

It very very sad that some people will even say "I like to see ads, it might have something I want...". They are not just dumb, they are dangerous. This ads companies have been online for too much time. It is time to bring them down. Fast. And with them all those parasites of ads associations and marketing. We do need to bring the level of ads to 0. Then start new.

My mom has been getting some supplement ads and asking me to buy them (she can't do online shopping, too computer illiterate). Man just yesterday she wanted to buy a supplement that was basically a redbull in pill form...

Re: It’s OK to block ads (2015)

#66

Post by graemep »

h4kunamata wrote: post #62

It isn't just okay but mandatory! 2015, 10 years later things got so much worse, only know some minority are realising all the problems behind an AD. With the rise of privacy being breached by American companies and now AI, the way we deal with technology should change altogether. Basics first, if you only use your PC to access the internet, YouTube, office/excel(LibreOffice) and alike, Mint Cinnamon Linux to replace…

I have found most people have just given up. I have in various conversations with people been told they will find out anyway, that I am naive if I think it is possible to maintain privacy, and similar.

Re: It’s OK to block ads (2015)

#67

Post by DanielHB »

al_borland wrote: post #6
roscas wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It very very sad that some people will even say "I like to see ads, it might have something I want...". They are not just dumb, they are dangerous. This ads companies have been online for too much time. It is time to bring them down. Fast. And with them all those parasites of ads associations and marketing. We do need to bring the level of ads to 0. Then start new.

To take this a step further, I have had people argue with me that tracking and profiling online is a good thing, because it provides more relevant ads for things they want to buy. There are people who actively want ads that can better target and manipulate them into giving up their money. I would like to say I've only run into one person like this, but no. I've lost count of how many of these people I've run into. I…

My partner got upset when I added a pihole to our network because she wouldn't see ads in google search. She said most of the time she doesn't mind the pihole but when she is actively looking for things to buy she wants the ads.

What I ended up doing is setting up two separate wifi networks, one with the pihole DNS server and one without it. So she can opt to turn it on.

But yeah overall I agree with you, the ads skew the research by whoever is paying the most for marketing BUT they also work as a filter so you only see stuff that people actually spend money to market on. For _some_ types of products the "barrier to entry" in the ad space can guarantee a certain level of quality (or at least reduce the change for scams).

Re: It’s OK to block ads (2015)

#68

Post by lrvick »

DanielHB wrote: post #63
h4kunamata wrote: post #62

It isn't just okay but mandatory! 2015, 10 years later things got so much worse, only know some minority are realising all the problems behind an AD. With the rise of privacy being breached by American companies and now AI, the way we deal with technology should change altogether. Basics first, if you only use your PC to access the internet, YouTube, office/excel(LibreOffice) and alike, Mint Cinnamon Linux to replace…

I has gotten better security-wise at least, malicious ads can't infect your OS anymore just by being loaded. The browser sandbox is much more secure these days.

If we do not count the multiple sandbox escape vulnerabilities that happen every year, sure. https://issues.chromium.org/issues/405143032

Re: It’s OK to block ads (2015)

#69

Post by lrvick »

DanielHB wrote: post #67
al_borland wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

To take this a step further, I have had people argue with me that tracking and profiling online is a good thing, because it provides more relevant ads for things they want to buy. There are people who actively want ads that can better target and manipulate them into giving up their money. I would like to say I've only run into one person like this, but no. I've lost count of how many of these people I've run into. I…

My partner got upset when I added a pihole to our network because she wouldn't see ads in google search. She said most of the time she doesn't mind the pihole but when she is actively looking for things to buy she wants the ads. What I ended up doing is setting up two separate wifi networks, one with the pihole DNS server and one without it. So she can opt to turn it on. But yeah overall I agree with you, the ads ske…

You are more accommodating than me.

Profit driven targeted content of any kind, especially ads, are poison. I could never knowingly enable anyone in my household to harm themselves with something so toxic to brain health and quality of life.

In terms of things I want far away from my home and family, surveillance capitalism driven technology ranks up there with meth.

Re: It’s OK to block ads (2015)

#70

Post by lrvick »

shortrounddev2 wrote: post #7

I work for an adtech company and we recently discovered that we were serving ads to some users using ad blockers, but the impression tracker endpoint had bbeen blocked. We decided the best course of action is to just submit our bidders domain to whatever lists we can (easylist, ublock, whatever). My project manager wanted to try just changing our endpoints periodically to evade the list. I said to him "You fool! You…

I run AdNauseam to click as many ads as possible randomly simulating ad-addicted humans, just to waste as much money of adtech companies and ad buyers as possible. This year I caused something like $10k to likely be paid for ads to be delivered to my computer that I sent to /dev/null and never saw.

I see no way adtech will reform unless conversion rates plummet to the point that the business model becomes unsustainable.

Genuine question: If millions of people ran automated ad-clicking bots, how would your industry survive?

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