Browser makers warned against ad-blocking

[Lord_of_the_Dense]

The end of free Internet content will come when Web browsers start blocking online advertisements by default, a DoubleClick executive has warned.

Bennie Smith, the online advertising network's privacy chief, told ZDNet Australia the popularity of tools like Adblock (http://adblock.mozdev.org/) -- an extension to the Mozilla Firefox browser -- which makes blocking online ads simple was tied to "a negative vibe against advertising in general".

However, only the online arena is able to easily produce and widely distribute such tools, he added.

He said if a similar tool could be produced for newspapers, it would not be accepted by consumers.

Read entire story here (http://www.zdnet.com.au/news/software/0,2000061733,39198608,00.htm).

[mcovey]

boo hoo.

I don't want to pay for commerical internet. It's just getting more and more free you weiner.

My site has no ads (that I make money off at least) and you don't see me bitching about high costs and whatnot.

[notbob]

the analogy is flawed to begin with

the idea of holes in pages pissing people off is outrageou. consumers don't want or need ads, they want content. the loss of ads would force content providers to provide more content

you don't buy a magazine for the ads. you buy it for the article that catches your attention. in fact, if a magazine is all ads, only an idiot would buy it (which says something about our society and the publishing industry i guess)

you pay for a magazine. you pay for the internet. fuck ads. why pay twice?

[serrebi101]

I see both sides, but really 10% of the internet population blocks adds, you stil got the 90% or so that are n00b-ish and don't block adds and use IE

[Unsueable Davey Brown]

The internet was better before all the popup ridden, spyware loading, cookie-spy, corporate sites hit it anyway. Who needs em? They're squatters.

[Betamax]

Adbock doesn't leave any holes, in fact it makes leaves room to fit more on each page. The anaolgy makes no sense.

...

[Digital Bliss]

lol i remember back in the day when their were not many adds at all

[method]

I guess ad-whores at DoubleClick don't realise some people run their sites on donations... besides... hosting is cheap enough these days.

Screw DoubleClick and screw their adverts... they're just crying like pussies 'cuz of ad-blocking.

[truelyme]

Well, they are bringing in on themselves. Ads have gotten so intrusive, cookies adding spyware, the pictures from ad servers and the like. When it reaches the point that you can't see what you came for because of some idiot ad that flashes all over the place, what can you expect?

Internet users are slowly becoming more aware as time goes on. I routinely blocked cookies, ad servers, and used a pile of stuff just to prevent the viewing and the like of those ads. We all pay for our internet and like notbob says, why pay twice. Just because business has hijacked the net for their use, doesn't mean we have to agree to it.

I finally had enough of the Windoze and all it's crap and switched to Linux. With Microsucks selling the OS to users and the licenses to businesses to allow them to gain access through your computer security with spyware and the like enough is enough. I mean you gotta run a spyware hunter (if not more than one to get them all), an antivirus, antitrojan, firewall (Microsucks Fisher-Price reject of a firewall doesn't cut it) and a ton of other things just to gain the control of your machine and to keep it safe. Crap on that. All that stuff costs money. Finally I threw up my hands and just gave up Microsucks. It isn't worth it as an OS to run.

I suspect many others will rebel in one fashion or another but playing this game of protectism isn't cutting it. For myself, I have dropped out of the Microsucks game.

[Omyn]

I dont block ads on the computer anyway...

I dont even venture out to websites with more
than banner ads anyway, sites like that drive
people away and make for an unpleasant
experience for everyone.

If it really is such a big deal for these companies
with their intrusive advertising thats in your face
and annoying then maybe it will just show you how
truely strong the public will become
(blogging, independantly run websites, instant messaging,
email, etc.) Why do we even need the giant corporate
goliaths?

It will be interesting to see how the problem escalates
within the next few years, everyone remember spyware
a few years back? I sure dont, but with companies so
desperate to push their product on you further you can
only imagine how much worse the problem will get later.

But its definitely not going to be the doomsday bullcrap
theyre talking about.

[Potato]

Maybe the ad company people need to find new jobs. Stop making people view your lame shit, most people don't really look at it anyways. And if you're like me, you think they're stupid and annoying, so you make them go away with RIP.

[tomars]

I can see that adverts are an important part of the internet. Although I don't like seeing them and I block them on pages I visit regularly, if browsers did this by default it would (I reckon) have an effect. Its like TV, BBC is ad-less but you have to pay TV-liscence, ITV has ads because they dont get anything from TV liscence.
Removing ads would force sites to find other sources of revenue - subscription content. High bandwidth free download sites wouldn't exist without ads so I don't know how its going to turn out

[ducttapeBigSexy]

you pay for a magazine. you pay for the internet. fuck ads. why pay twice?

Let's look at this using zeropaid.com as an example. Everyone blocks all ads on this site. Jorge doesn't make enough money off the site. Jorge can't pay his bills. Jorge shuts ZP down. That's why there's ads.

[DwarfBaby]

However, only the online arena is able to easily produce and widely distribute such tools, he added.

He said if a similar tool could be produced for newspapers, it would not be accepted by consumers.

here (http://www.zdnet.com.au/news/software/0,2000061733,39198608,00.htm).

Wrong, I Tivo everything and skip the commercials. Use XM radio without commercials. I also read the newspaper online; therefore adblocking stops those ads as well. I also close my eyes, cover my ears and hum loudly during coming attractions at movie theaters and I close my eyes while driving to avoid the billboard advertisements.

[Auggie2k]

Bennie Smith, the online advertising network's privacy chief, told ZDNet Australia the popularity of tools like Adblock (http://adblock.mozdev.org/) -- an extension to the Mozilla Firefox browser -- which makes blocking online ads simple was tied to "a negative vibe against advertising in general".A negative vibe against advertising, oh my god I'm so sorry! Are we hurting the poor feeling of the ad companies, oh no I didn't realise! Can I say just one thing.. SHUT THE HELL UP! Nobody can force us into viewing advertisements, we choose what we want to see, not you's greedy bastards! Il use adblock whenever and wherever I want!

[Unsueable Davey Brown]

Let's look at this using zeropaid.com as an example. Everyone blocks all ads on this site. Jorge doesn't make enough money off the site. Jorge can't pay his bills. Jorge shuts ZP down. That's why there's ads.

On the other hand, much as I like ZP, I was getting information on filesharing before ZP, and other ad funded sites. I'm confident I could do it again. I'd prefer not to lose the odd fine site like ZP, but if it came down to dumping my ad-blockers, using IE and allowing crap like active x, or saying goodbye to these rare useful ad funded sites, all I would have to say to them is "ciao, and good luck in your next endeavour"

[Auggie2k]

Jorge gets paid off the companies to show the advertisements! Just because we don't see them, doesn't mean jorge doesn't get his paper up!

[Betamax]

Zeropaid has ads?!?

<>

[ducttapeBigSexy]

On the other hand, much as I like ZP, I was getting information on filesharing before ZP, and other ad funded sites. I'm confident I could do it again. I'd prefer not to lose the odd fine site like ZP, but if it came down to dumping my ad-blockers, using IE and allowing crap like active x, or saying goodbye to these rare useful ad funded sites, all I would have to say to them is "ciao, and good luck in your next endeavour"

Oh yeah, I'm not saying that at all - I was just saying why web sites have ads in addition to the cost of your internet connection. To illustrate my point, that'd be like saying "I paid for my car, so when I drive to the store, everything there should be free." That's all I was saying.

Jorge gets paid off the companies to show the advertisements! Just because we don't see them, doesn't mean jorge doesn't get his paper up!

Well, yes and no - some ads, yes, this is true, but not pay-per-click ads like the ones from Google.

[shawners]

I hate ads on the pc.. But the junk mail that you guys get from the postal service pays 70percent of our salaries. If people didnt sale ad space, the cost of producing a magazine or publishing it or even broadcasting it to millions of shelfs would be an outrageous cost.. If aol pays so much money to put a cd in a magazine, and it makes the magazine that much cheaper, i can deal with it. But on the PC, ads install themselfs on your machine, making your pc run slower, some ads are disgraceful and full of sexual crap. Some even are unrelated to what your visiting.. Ads on the internet is a different thing intirely then the ones in magazines. IF ads are placed in a nice area of a web and not making 100's of windows.. Then i can handle it.

[Siskabush]

"He said if a similar tool could be produced for newspapers, it would not be accepted by consumers."

Is this person a retard? Newspaper ads dont flash, move, or pop up, or install adware/spyware in your newspaper. they are printed there, and are easy to avoid.

I think all internet ad execs should be shot for being so stupid.

[bart5986]

but some ads are out of control. The frog ad sometimes starts playing the music by itself! And it also wastes a ton of bandwidth trying to load the song.

[Brassen]

I really don't mind a small banner now and then... but ads nowadays are getting too intrusive... flash animations, flash banners that take half the screen with a small "close" button at the corner... what the hell is this...

I have adsl, but I just wonder how those still at 56k navigate through portals...

Yes! I am blocking the most ads i possibily can

cheers

[the great one]

That is total BS,if ads in newspapers weren't there it would be a welcomed change.
I hate ads on the internet and will continue to block them,so f*ck you Bennie Smith! :devil2

[Jau_Peacecraft]

here here, auggie, here here :toasts brandy: