The Adblock War: For or Against

[Trassk]

A rumors been going around, though I've yet to find the article on it, that youtube is aiming to try and remove adblock from its site so it can stream adverts both in videos and in advertisements.

There is currently an ongoing debate between people for or against the use of adblock. Those who want adblock removed say it interferes with advertisements allowing for websites to be free as ad revenue pays for many sites ongoing use.
Those against say adverts slow down their computers and viewing experience and it leads to adware infecting their systems and even making some websites impossible to load. I've experienced this myself before getting adblock installed.

What do you think is the right thing to do though? Show we have the choice to block this adverts that thrust themselves in our faces so the corporations will give these sites free money to host it, or should we carry on blocking adverts, and paying the site creators though things like patreon and other such means?

[Xanjori]

I disable it on certain sites, like streaming websites where I fully know the streamer will benefit directly, but other places I just have to have it on, obtrusive ad's blocking part of the screen or even random noises need to fuck right off.

[Deleted]

I don't use YouTube.

[Charge me Doctor]

Well, if only Youtube could regularize links on videos on their website, like, say, Twitch does, so you can properly configure your adblock to not block ads of certain channels.
If you deal with ads on tv - you can always turn off tv or mute sound and go do something, adblock is the same thing, they shouldn't block it.

[Super Kami Dende]

If Youtube blocked AdBlock, I would just wait 24hrs for the multiple new programs that block ads to pop up.

I fucking hate ads with every part of my being, everytime I see a "forced" ad on Youtube (one that runs it's entire length without the ability to skip 5 secs in) when I see my housemate use Youtube on his Xbox, I instantly just despise the company and refuse to buy their products.

If I want to read an advertisement about a product, I'll look for it myself.

[Trassk]

I disable it on certain sites, like streaming websites where I fully know the streamer will benefit directly, but other places I just have to have it on, obtrusive ad's blocking part of the screen or even random noises need to fuck right off.

Thats why thought. Being able to adjust what sites we would allow adverts on is fine.

Like I read on a forum post, someone saying before all this ad revenue shit, websites weren't supported by these corporations and just made content. Obviously it takes money to made better content, and some sites need the funding, but when every website you visit has adverts on it slowing down your pc, its gone to such extremes nowadays I just want to shut them out.

It kinda makes me think of the Charge episode in southpark.

[Icebear]

I'm mostly conflicted about it.
For me it's about 2 things: Annoyance and Performance/my hardware.
When a site has ads that are too annoying (takes up too much space, too attention graping, delays what I came to see), then I tend to run AdBlock on the page. YouTube is a conflicted example of this, because many of the ads is a small box that is no issue and can be clicked away. But those that delays the video you came to see, is just purely annoying and I do what I can to avoid them.
On MMO-Champion, when I'm on a smaller screen, some ads take up a SHITTON of space (the front page already take 95% of the screen width), and when an ad suddenly takes 40% of the width, AdBlock is turned on immediately.

And then there's performance. I have 2 computers, an old, used up laptop that I take with me. It can literally not take all the ads and trackers running, so I'm going AdBlock and NoScript (and holy hell has it helped om my MMO-Champion performance). My Desktop on the other hand, has it much better, and is only a month old where I don't really need either, but I run it anyways because a lot of off-page scripts really annoy me and just takes up performance anyways (longer loading times)

[Shrouded]

When ads are intrusive, I enable adblock.

When ads are not intrusive, I disable adblock.

I don't believe that it's my "right" to use any website for free, however, so I try to be very lenient with my adblock usage.

[breadisfunny]

i don't mind ads but i use adblock because of all the bad ads with nasty viruses and stuff.

[Deleted]

I disable it for some sites, as it is important revenue, a lot depends how much the ram down your throats as well.

You Tube that have 3 min adverts? FUCK THAT SHIT. instant Ad-Block entire domain.

Pages that have auto play videos or audio of any sort? FUCK THAT SHIT, instant Ad-Block entire domain.

[Templar 331]

I use Adblock. I have no problem with a site advertising. It's how they are advertising that I have a problem with. If a site wants to advertise they should have a boarder at the top of the page with a still image of the product. Not a flashing, malware infected piece of crap that randomly screams at me like what's on this site. And video advertisements on Youtube are ridiculous. I want to watch a video, not an advertisement. If you want to advertise on Youtube do what I just listed above. Don't interrupt me with an ad I have to wait several seconds before I can skip it. I'm going to skip it anyway, why the hell should I be forced to watch 5 seconds of it.

The straw that broke the camel's back was when I was playing my rock playlist on Youtube while I was in the shower. A 30 MINUTE ad came on and I was confused as hell when I heard a black man talking about Nike while I was in the shower. It was still playing when I got out. Screw that.

[Trassk]

(and holy hell has it helped om my MMO-Champion performance).

I know right? this websites the worst for it, though that could just be the influx of adware infecting computers because of other adverts. I had to have someone clean up my system to remove all the adware, and even then they carried on showing up here.

[Daws]

Ad-block and its like are the natural reaction to the mass abuse of advertising on websites. It was fine when there where one or two non intrusive ads on a page but as soon as they started forcing you to interact with the material i.e. popups or adds between pages it became annoying. Ad users brought this on themselves and I've no mercy for them. Should probably also be noted that ad-block can server a secondary purpose in that what it blocks is sometime also malicious code so you know I'm sure that won't have a negative effect by trying to block ad-block.

[Deleted]

It is my right to use for free any website which has in their business model to provide their services for free.

I pay Netflix because their business model involves a subscription.

In the end you can't do what the customer doesnt' want and hope to have a good business running.

If Youtube wants to force ads, they're going to have a bad time.

[Deleted]

I block all ads, I can't stand them. Sound ads are the worst. So yes I'm pro ad block!

[Trassk]

Ad-block and its like are the natural reaction to the mass abuse of advertising on websites. It was fine when there where one or two non intrusive ads on a page but as soon as they started forcing you to interact with the material i.e. popups or adds between pages it became annoying. Ad users brought this on themselves and I've no mercy for them. Should probably also be noted that ad-block can server a secondary purpose in that what it blocks is sometime also malicious code so you know I'm sure that won't have a negative effect by trying to block ad-block.

See, this is what needs to be spoken out to this corporations who jam there adverts in peoples faces. You can advertise your shit that fine, but don't get it in our faces.
Of course they wouldn't listen, they see people as numbers and only care about money being made, they don't give a shit about how it pisses people off.

[Arrashi]

I wouldn't mind not using AdBlock, if not for the fact that Ads are just way too noisy and obnoxious. And they have horrible targeting - no im not interested in baby products and insurances.

[Paula Deen]

When I was a kid I remembered all those really neat ads that were just literal banners.

Now they are loud.
Now they are full of Adware.
Now they are large.
Now they are annoying and in the way.

I don't use Adblock on one site, 4chan, because Christopher Poole is smart and understands ads shouldn't rape my ears, they should rape my wallet.

[Okacz]

AdBlock is an only natural reaction to how internet advertising works. If the ads were not interfering with whatever you are doing (youtube making you watch ads longer than the videos you are playing, some sites obscuring your view with giant advertisments you don't know how to exit), there would be no problem. Hence AdBlock was born. If some of the sites mature enough to understand that whoring themselves to brands by making your viewer annoyed to no avail is not the right call then AdBlock will die a natural death.

So yeah, I support AdBlock for now, and youtube should start thinking straight. All those vevo ads on the sidebar, or flash banners all over the place, this I can bear with, but blocking content until you sit through a 2 min video is too much.

[Icebear]

I know right? this websites the worst for it, though that could just be the influx of adware infecting computers because of other adverts. I had to have someone clean up my system to remove all the adware, and even then they carried on showing up here.

I haven't gotten any adware infections from before I started to use NoScript, but just the sheer amount of ads running on this page is quite disgusting (not enough to make me not use it though).

For people who don't use NoScript, the ones not allowed are adware scripts: