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Do you block web advertisements?

  • Yes

    Votes: 66 71.0%
  • No

    Votes: 27 29.0%

  • Total voters
    93

Jack Flash

macrumors 65816
Original poster
May 8, 2007
1,160
7
Do you block online advertisements through your web browser? Do you block ads even if they are a major source of revenue for the sites you use? Do you have any ethical qualms concerning ad blocking?
 
I block ad servers with a custom HOSTS file and I use adblock plus on firefox.

if all ads were discreet, showed some effort to keep their text in context and did not make me risk having porn show up when I'm looking for underwear, I'd be happy not to block stuff. since this is not an ideal world we live in, I prefer to block this content and guarantee some control on my browsing sessions by restricting pop ups to the maximum.

In terms of ethics and revenue for the web publishers, I usually think of this as ripping out certain pages of magazines before reading the articles. There's no way the printed media publisher can ensure that the reader will look at the ads, why should things be different in www media?
when some company pays for placing a banner on a webpage, they're paying for the content to be put on the web server, they're not ensuring that it will be on the client's side. if one day there's a convenient way to share the money paid to publish ads, so that the reader will get some of the advertising budget, I'll be happy to unblock such ad server.
 
I block all adverts and I refuse to put them up on my site. I rely on the BBC for news and entertainment so even my relax time doesn't have adverts.

Everytime I see an advert a big chunk of me dies.
 
I block ad servers with a custom HOSTS file and I use adblock plus on firefox.

if all ads were discreet, showed some effort to keep their text in context and did not make me risk having porn show up when I'm looking for underwear, I'd be happy not to block stuff. since this is not an ideal world we live in, I prefer to block this content and guarantee some control on my browsing sessions by restricting pop ups to the maximum.

That's exactly my viewpoint on it. I just hate those ads that cover the page/make noise/say "free [insert item here]!"/ or are incredibly flashy (including any Adobe Flash ads). If ad companies just showed a little more courtesy and didn't try to shove it down your throat, I'd be happy to not block their ads.
 
It's a simple motion of moving the mouse and clicking, people.

Right, a "simple motion" which is annoying. I generally don't have Flash turned on in the first place (and yes Flash ads are annoying), and I block pop-ups because they are, in fact, annoying. Just like if you were walking down the street and people constantly jumped in front of you, yelling and screaming for you to buy various products...that would be annoying, even though it would be a "simple motion" to just step around them. ;)

--Eric
 
Sometimes I block ads, but on lots of websites the blocks aren't permenant. If I had something like a laptop with WWAN card that had limited bandwidth I'd do it no questions asked, as I am paying for the service and don't want my money to be wasted on something I don't want. (Kind of brings up the question "Why do I pay for TV service and still have to watch commercials?")
 
Yes.

(As I understand it)... I don't think it matters if you block them or not. It's a page hit for the site either way; it doesn't know it's being blocked. Even if I could see the ad, I am not going to click it so the result is the same, and a win-win for me and the site.
 
Yes.

(As I understand it)... I don't think it matters if you block them or not. It's a page hit for the site either way; it doesn't know it's being blocked. Even if I could see the ad, I am not going to click it so the result is the same, and a win-win for me and the site.
I thought most ads only counted if they were clicked (not that it would make a difference in your case).
 
I thought most ads only counted if they were clicked (not that it would make a difference in your case).
I think both can be true. I think clicking an ad is their ideal but I would imagine some sites have a deal with the advertisers that simply displaying their ad on their page would at least partially 'count' (by hits). I really don't know for sure but it seems logical.
 
I've voted yes, but it tends to only be pop-ups that I block normally. On some sites where they go ad-crazy I will use the Camino ad blocker though. It's impossible to concentrate on reading the content with all that flashing nonsense going on left right and centre.
 
I block pop-ups, but I replied "no" because I don't block anything else. Pop-ups are bad because they can self propagate and take over your machine. I don't block the other ads because it's often difficult for the computer to distinguish ads from content, and I don't like constantly trying to "help" the computer decide which is which. I find <em>that</em> more annoying than the ads.
 
i block pop-ups and use Camino's built in ad blocker. works for me.
its not because i don't want to help the sites, its because i don't like the annoyances of the ads.

if i find a site to be valuable i'll donate some money. such as i've done here on MR.
 
I block ads with safariblock in safari and adblock in firefox. Ads are so annoying because they make you have to scroll extra and they sometimes slow pages down, even though I have fast internet.
 
I hate ads. I do not want little shaking windows telling me im the millionth viewer trying to sell me stuff. So yes, I block them. And getting rid of ads on MR was a nice bonus of becoming a Demi ;)
 
I block popups using the Safari feature, which works most of the time. I haven't seen a popup ad since I've been using Safari, except on dicey websites. I don't mind banner ads or anything else, though, unless if it pops out of the frame and animates.
 
I use ad blocker as well. The way I see it, I don't click on ads anyway, so it's not like the website is losing any revenue (am I understanding how web ads work correctly?) so they just serve as an annoyance.

It's so nice browsing the web without randomly hearing "Congratulations, you've won a free Apple iPhone!" :p
 
I don't block ads, I feel like I'm "stealing" content from webpages if I don't see them. Same as why even though I have a TiVo, I don't skip the commericals on my recorded programs. The ads pay for the site, the least I can do is look at them.

EDIT: Realized I already posted here. Oh well.
 
Pop ups = YES, Ads = very soon

As with many others, I black pop-ups and find Ads becoming more and more distracting.

I want to BLOCK Ads on CABLE, I've seen them ALL a hundred times before, or do I watch to much TV?
 
I don't block ads, I feel like I'm "stealing" content from webpages if I don't see them. Same as why even though I have a TiVo, I don't skip the commericals on my recorded programs. The ads pay for the site, the least I can do is look at them.

EDIT: Realized I already posted here. Oh well.

With TV, the networks still get their money whether or not you skip past them. The only way anyone will get more money from you viewing the ad is if you actually go out and buy everything you see on TV....

As with many others, I black pop-ups and find Ads becoming more and more distracting.

I want to BLOCK Ads on CABLE, I've seen them ALL a hundred times before, or do I watch to much TV?

That's why I love my TiVo. I record programs I watch, start watching them about 10 minutes after their scheduled start, and can skip right past all of the ads.
 
With TV, the networks still get their money whether or not you skip past them. The only way anyone will get more money from you viewing the ad is if you actually go out and buy everything you see on TV....

Well I feel like I'm ripping off the people who paid to put the ads on TV. They paid good money to put it on there, and I feel like they at least deserve to be watched, even if I'm not going to buy whatever it is they're selling.

The only reason I own a TiVo is so I can watch programs when I want. I always watch the commercials.
 
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