Wet dream of advertisers
Web ad blocking may not be (entirely) legal | CNET News.com — Apparently there is a rumbling about ad blocking and other methods that block or ignore advertising. I suppose these jerks would like to litigate forced viewing.
Advertising-supported companies have long turned to the courts to squelch products that let consumers block or skip ads: it happened in the famous lawsuit against the VCR in 1979 and again with ReplayTV in 2001.
Tomorrow’s legal fight may be over Web browser add-ons that let people avoid advertisements. These add-ons are growing in functionality and popularity, which has led legal experts surveyed this week by CNET News.com to speculate about when the first lawsuit will be filed.
oh god, oh god, oh god.
Don’t bring me back to the land of popups!
Although the best way to make money would be to make the internet unusable.
Smart thinking.
So I am a criminal … big deal. I have been a pirate for years. Maybe I should get an eye patch and a parrot.
Firefox + ABP for my Hi-Def TV @ home would be awesome.
Using Add Block Plus on this website, I SEE NO ADS 🙂
Ads! End it! Here’s How.
Though the Horror Scope HTML Ad is an intelligent work around. So I tolerate it.
That lame blogger that boots you off his site, if that ever catches on, there’s a Firefox plug-in that spoofs Internet Explorer 6.
Go ahead, myspace.com, file your lawsuit. Better sue all your users, too. Make sure you get all three of them (that’s how many you will have left before too long).
Nice customer service, you jerks.
#2 – then you should be well aware that International Talk Like a Pirate Day is next Wed:
http://www.talklikeapirate.com/links.html
Arggghhhhhh!
From day one we’ve been allowing the greedy Philistines of commerce to simply take over the Internet and claim it as their own corporate property.
They didn’t conceive of it, they didn’t build it, they didn’t develop it and they shouldn’t suddenly be allowed to simply claim ownership of it and everyone who uses it just because they have a lot of money and a lot of expensive, scumbag lawyers!
Now I know how indigenous people felt when the conquerors arrived en masse.
Cinaedh – case in point, http://www.nissan.com
I don’t use an adblocker, myself, but I am going to start. The ads loading before the content is getting worse. And more often than not lately the web page hang-ups I’ve been getting have been because of a stuck adserver somewhere, wasting my time and bandwidth.
does this mean i will be forced to install flash on my computer? That is how I block the most annoying of ads.
Soon we will have a list of ad supporting software we have to have installed or go to jail.
I have no use for flash myself.
#7 your-name-here
That’s a pretty good case in point. I particularly liked the term “corporate terrorism”.
The Internet wasn’t created and nurtured so we could be force-fed noxious advertisements for things we neither want nor need. Despite corporate greed, the Internet actually has a greater meaning to humanity than simply being an advertising medium for psychopaths.
So I guess that the tried and true method of using a hosts file would also be illegal…
Wow, what principled stands… I bet y’all feel really good about what you believe!
But, are you ready to see your favorite websites go out of business because they can’t afford to run without the advertising revenue?
If enough people block popup ads, the advertisers won’t pay the websites for ad (rightfully so, if no one is seeing them) and no more website.
Did y’all ever think of helping your favorite website by actually *looking* at their ads and maybe even buying something from their advertisers? I guess not.
So thump your chest all you want about freedom from advertising, but just don’t bitch and moan if your favorite website goes out of business.
And furthermore… one of the indications that a child is developing a sense of morals and ethics, is when he is able to consider a possible course of action, and ask himself, “what if *everyone* did this?”
What if everyone ignored the traffic lights?
What if everyone acted rude to people on the street?
What if everyone shoplifted?
What if everyone did those little “wrong” things that you could probably get away with but are nonetheless wrong?
So block those ads if you want… but think about what would happen if *everyone* did it.
The blocking of ads came about because the ad people did wrong by makeing them “in your face” they cover the web page, they open up windows you don’t want open, they make sound. If they were simple like the ones here at DU then I don’t think there would be that big of a issue and less would use the ad blockers. I personaly don’t block all ads, I only block the ones (by not having the software installed) that use flash and java, and block pop-ups(this is software installed to do this one).
Pop ups are like a perosn breaking into your house and screaming at you to buy their stuff, no thank you. same with the flashing and sound generating ones.
You want to do an ad to me, look at how google does things…
and sounds like you (mike) are a ad pediler and is mad that you are finding that people do not like to be annoyed by usless adds.
Advertising is gambling. It is just that simple. Companies bet the production costs and placement fees will be less than the increased revenue driven by the Ad. Just because someone paid for the production and the placement of an Ad does not mean I have to look at it.
When the ads are in print or on television, you could only estimate how many people look at the ad. But with the internet there are all kinds of metrics. And what is becoming apparent is that people don’t read Ads.
What gall to think that they can make us look at whatever they want. Unbelievable! I definitely agree with #6 Cinaedh.
I didn’t mind ads at all until technology made them insufferable. They’re distracting, noisy, block the content you want to see, foul up the scolling and all but take control of your computer. There should be a class-action suit against the advertisers for intrusion of privacy. If ads go back to like they were in magazines, I’ll stop blocking them. In the meantime, you advertising assholes just try and stop me from blocking them!
CRIPES! It’s like a frickin’ contest to see who can grab your attention first.
#11 Mike
“But, are you ready to see your favorite websites go out of business because they can’t afford to run without the advertising revenue?”
The answer to your question is: “Hell, Yes! The sooner the better. With the possible exception of Dvorak Uncensored, they’ll immediately be replaced by more intelligent, higher quality content and we won’t have to wade through oceans of stinking sewage to find them.”.
Your linkage of not viewing advertisements to ignoring traffic lights etcetera is just too pathetic to even comment upon.
“So block those ads if you want… but think about what would happen if *everyone* did it.”
What the hell are you talking about? Before the advent of spam, pop-up advertisements and all the other crap we have to put up with today, there were millions of web sites, created by millions of people who were interested in ideas and communicating with other people around the world in many different, innovative ways. You’ll never know what I’m talking about because now it’s gone forever.
There were no freaking corporations and there were no freaking, stupid in-your-face advertisements for zillions of shoddy goods no one wants but everyone has to look at every day of the week.
Your rejection of “principled stands” as silly says a lot about your character and the manner in which you were reared. You might want to try looking inside yourself for something more.
I haven’t seen A Clockwork Orange in years. I remember it as an extremely disturbing movie. Now I have to decide which is more disturbing, being forced to watch the adds or remembering the movie.
Tough call.
Will they block bathroom doors in our homes during TV commercials next?
The answer to your question is: “Hell, Yes! The sooner the better. With the possible exception of Dvorak Uncensored, they’ll immediately be replaced by more intelligent, higher quality content and we won’t have to wade through oceans of stinking sewage to find them.”.
And we’re all going to get a pony for Christmas too. I’m gonna like my pony.
So the only thing stopping these intelligent, high quality websites from showing up is the evil ad-supported websites. Riiiiiiiiight…
What the hell are you talking about? Before the advent of spam, pop-up advertisements and all the other crap we have to put up with today, there were millions of web sites, created by millions of people who were interested in ideas and communicating with other people around the world in many different, innovative ways. You’ll never know what I’m talking about because now it’s gone forever.
And why are these wonderful websites gone forever? Maybe partly because the people couldn’t *afford* to keep them up?
Your enthusiasm and idealism is charming. Now all you need is a little contact with reality. 🙂
#18 – Mike
“And we’re all going to get a pony for Christmas too. I’m gonna like my pony.”
Good for you, kid. And your point is?
“So the only thing stopping these intelligent, high quality websites from showing up is the evil ad-supported websites. Riiiiiiiiight…”
I grow weary of people who, when they haven’t the wherewithal to come up with a halfway intelligent point, simply create dialog so they can then disagree with it. Quite simply, I didn’t say that.
It suddenly dawned on me, I’m trying to have a discussion with an ad salesman or a telemarketer! Cripes! What a waste of my valuable time!
I have no problem with baner ads or sidebar ads if they are on a page I want to look at. Its a way to fund the content and the servers of the page.
I do have a problem with popup ads and pop back ads that open a seperate window to display advertising content. Blocking of these ads should not only be legal, but encouraged as they cause MY computer to use extra resources to display their content.
Personally, I have never purchased a single product in 10+ years of web surfing that was advertised on a website through a pop-up ad (or any other banner-type ad). I could be wrong, but I’m willing to postulate that I’m in the majority of web surfers that have never purchased a product because of seeing a web advertisement. I just don’t understand how this business model works or how a substantial enough income is derived through web-based advertising. Maybe I’m in the minority or just ignorant. If so, someone please enlighten me.
The exact context of your quote, Cinaedh:
Me: But, are you ready to see your favorite websites go out of business because they can’t afford to run without the advertising revenue?
You: The answer to your question is: “Hell, Yes! The sooner the better. With the possible exception of Dvorak Uncensored, they’ll immediately be replaced by more intelligent, higher quality content and we won’t have to wade through oceans of stinking sewage to find them.”
So thru what magic will these websites IMMEDIATELY be replaced by more intelligent, higher quality content websites? And why haven’t these more intelligent, higher quality content websites already appeared? You’re blowing smoke, pal. The gums are flapping but you’re not making sense.
It suddenly dawned on me, I’m trying to have a discussion with an ad salesman or a telemarketer! Cripes! What a waste of my valuable time!
Wrong again, pal. I’m just another web surfer. But I’m grounded in reality enough to understand the revenue model that advertising fits into. You might want to try to think outside your little box and try to understand what it’s like to run an ad-supported website. You’ve got some serious black-and-white thinking going there.
Look, I have no problem with shunning ads. I don’t have a TV in my house, never have had as an adult, almost 30 years. It’s 99.9999% crap, including the ads. But I do understand that it’s the ads that pay the salaries of all those people making the programs. And so far on the web, it’s the ads that pay for a lot of content.
But it’s the height of fantasy to believe that if we get rid of all those eeeevul ad-supported websites, “somehow” more intelligent, higher quality content websites will just “show up”. Gimme a break.
I never knew I should feel bad about blocking ads. I guess removing commercials from TV shows recorded is bad too? I think everyone should just have to take 1 hour a day and just watch ads.
Seriously, ads that are static on a site or a top banner don’t bother me. Its the ones that move around in front of the information I want to see and make noise and generally be annoying that suck. So I use plug-ins to block them thanks to the wonders of Firefox. Make ads that are not annoying and people wouldn’t go to the effort of blocking them.
Animated ads with or without audio are just as bad as the pop-ups. They totally use up the CPU and cause horrible jumpy response from the browser.
Ricardio — if I recall correctly, ads only need a small percentage of responses to be worthwhile. So it’s probably true that the vast majority of people ignore them.
ArianeB — I agree with you on the popup ads that obscure your web browser. Those certainly are obnoxious and deserver to be stopped.
22 – Mike
I’d love to continue typing to myself but my other life is interfering with this one.
“So thru what magic will these websites IMMEDIATELY be replaced by more intelligent, higher quality content websites?”
I think you missed the obvious inference such web sites existed prior to the corporations taking over the Internet in order to transform it into an advertising medium.
Such sites exist now and they will always exist, until such time as the corporations consider them competition and use the legal system to take them down.
The rest of your post is just ad hominem, repetitive nonsense. Go buy a TV or something. I’m sure you can find a few thousand advertisements for TVs somewhere on the Internet. Go look!
#11, 12 – Mike,
Shouldn’t it be up to the so-called “free market” to deal with the fact their customers don’t want to see ads? The solution shouldn’t be legally requiring persons to view ads…
Mike – Something else to add to your “What if everyone…”
What if the only thing any one used to advertise was popups or popovers?
What if the only advertising was the sort that had to play through before you could get to the site?
I wouldnt mind adverts IF’
No installations of bots/virus
NO trackers
Nothing except the advert.
NO ActiveX or FLASH or PHP.
AND its coming from the site Im patronizing, NOT a random location.
#10 So I guess that the tried and true method of using a hosts file would also be illegal…
You nailed it.
And as for web sites having a “Terms of Service” for viewing their site, who says that I am legally required to follow their terms of service?