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The Morality of Ad-Blocking - Page 2

Blogs > Iyerbeth
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zobz
Profile Joined November 2005
Canada2175 Posts
September 03 2011 16:44 GMT
#21
I very much like the idea of this blog but, I would ammend that if you don't think a website is worth viewing for the hassle of its advertisements, which is definitely sometimes the case, you should be willing to stand by your assessment of the site's value, while respecting its decision to advertise, and not showing respect for any part of the whole package of its presentation any longer. If an administrator has made a bad decision in your view, don't correct it for him, let him suffer for it completely; grant him no attention at all and save yours for someone who deserves it.
"That's not gonna be good for business." "That's not gonna be good for anybody."
hypercube
Profile Joined April 2010
Hungary2735 Posts
September 03 2011 16:51 GMT
#22
Until ads become 100% honest and objective anyone arguing for ads automatically loses the moral high ground. If you're in the business of deceiving people you don't get to tell them they're doing something wrong.

Unfortunately the business model for websites is what it is so for now I leave them on. But in an ideal world we'd have subscription or donation based models where you'd have to opt in to receive ads.

Annoying ads are a whole new level. I just try to steer clear of sites that have them.
"Sending people in rockets to other planets is a waste of money better spent on sending rockets into people on this planet."
Al Bundy
Profile Joined April 2010
7257 Posts
September 03 2011 17:07 GMT
#23
Well except for a couple of streams, I say FUCK ADS. Seriously ever since my birth I've been harassed by ads. So now that I have the ability to block them, man I fucking block them.
o choro é livre
Xxio
Profile Blog Joined July 2009
Canada5565 Posts
September 03 2011 17:19 GMT
#24
What a spoiled world we live in.
KTY
TheButtonmen
Profile Joined December 2010
Canada1403 Posts
September 03 2011 17:35 GMT
#25
I don't block ads, if I like a site that I visit often enough that the ads become an issue then the least I can do is let them earn some money off my eyeballs.
poundcakes
Profile Joined March 2011
Norway239 Posts
September 03 2011 18:15 GMT
#26
I block ads for the reasons mentioned in the OP, although I whitelist all the pages I usually visit since I enjoy their content. Internet ads are generally far more obtrusive and deceptive and some pages are completely swamped by them, making navigating random sites I may enter annoying.
The cur foretells the knell of parting day; The loafing herd winds slowly o'er the lea; The wise man homeward plods; I only stay to fiddle-faddle in a minor key.
deathly rat
Profile Blog Joined October 2010
United Kingdom911 Posts
Last Edited: 2011-09-03 18:19:44
September 03 2011 18:18 GMT
#27
I think you have to look at this from a semi-historical basis. When I first started using the internet was when I went to University and back then the only advertising was banners on major websites and search engines like Yahoo etc.

Then after a short while Pop-up Ads started to appear, and these were annoying to most people. Especially the ones that pretended to look like a normal window but in fact were a picture so that when you clicked the close X button it just opened another Ad.

Ever since then internet Ads have been coming up with different strategies to get in your face, like launching if you happen to roll over them, or you being unable to watch a video without watching a 2 minute advert every time.

This is why people started to use Ad blockers. If it all went back to simple banners and wasn't too intrusive then people wouldn't bother with blockers.

Now sites like TL suffer because of this historical misuse of the internet, and that is a shame.
No logo (logo)
Geovu
Profile Blog Joined November 2010
Estonia1344 Posts
Last Edited: 2011-09-03 20:18:45
September 03 2011 20:16 GMT
#28
On September 04 2011 03:18 deathly rat wrote:
I think you have to look at this from a semi-historical basis. When I first started using the internet was when I went to University and back then the only advertising was banners on major websites and search engines like Yahoo etc.

Then after a short while Pop-up Ads started to appear, and these were annoying to most people. Especially the ones that pretended to look like a normal window but in fact were a picture so that when you clicked the close X button it just opened another Ad.

Ever since then internet Ads have been coming up with different strategies to get in your face, like launching if you happen to roll over them, or you being unable to watch a video without watching a 2 minute advert every time.

This is why people started to use Ad blockers. If it all went back to simple banners and wasn't too intrusive then people wouldn't bother with blockers.

Now sites like TL suffer because of this historical misuse of the internet, and that is a shame.

I agree with this for the most part.

The biggest problem I have with ads is movement and sound. For movement: If you have seen any of the Netflix ad banners you will know what I am talking about. The flash multiple times and have large amounts of movement and is super distracting. Banner Ads built into a video player literally just get in the way of actual content and block out the screen you are supposed to be looking at as opposed to regular banners where it doesn't (always) get in the way of the actual website interface.

Sound is the biggest problem by far though. It's just way too fucking loud!!!. When I use the internet I usually put any audio players to 50-80% so that if I come across a quiet video I can use the built in volume control on the player to turn it up instead of turning up the volume on my actual speakers, and then get freaked out when I do something else and forget to turn it back down. Since every ad in existence wants to smash the hell out of the waveform in order to fit as much noise available into as small of a space, its just unfair. It's like watching sleeping tigers on the discovery channel on TV and suddenly BAM that damn fucking ad for those fruit cups wakes up my cats and they run from the room (Exaggeration). Except on the internet it's 5 times worse in the volume difference. And also, if I mute the player and the ad pops up it should be muted as well, I have more than 1 tab up thank you very much -_-


I have ADD as well so ads are even worse for me goddammit :S
Makes me want to falcon punch my monitor sometimes. Often, actually.


P.S. Anyone know of a reliable way to block video ads on Opera? There are extensions specifically designed for youtube that work well but other ad blockers tend to only block video ads sometimes and sometimes even block out the player itself. IMO it's literally the only weak link in Opera.
Carnac
Profile Blog Joined December 2003
Germany / USA16648 Posts
Last Edited: 2011-09-03 20:56:21
September 03 2011 20:35 GMT
#29
I block everything, except on a few select sites that I a) use a lot b) I know rely on advertising a lot and c) don't have very intrusive ads. Any site that uses flashing or moving and what's worst ads that include sound can be certain to never ever have its ads unblocked.

Ads are one of several reasons why I don't watch TV (ok, I don't even own a TV atm) or listen to the radio, too.

Morality is... if you get in my face I'm gonna shut you down. That is all.
ModeratorHi! I'm a .signature *virus*! Copy me into your ~/.signature to help me spread!
duk3
Profile Joined September 2010
United States807 Posts
Last Edited: 2011-09-03 20:53:04
September 03 2011 20:52 GMT
#30
I block ads everywhere but websites that I 1. Like and use regularly and 2. Don't have stupid pop-outs or ads with sound.
Streams are tricky, as I want to support the streamer, but I also don't want to watch their annoying ads. Usually depending on how much I like their stream I disable the blocker.
Also, I have an advertisement for Google AdWords at the top of this page
Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana.
askTeivospy
Profile Blog Joined March 2011
1525 Posts
Last Edited: 2011-09-03 21:13:11
September 03 2011 21:12 GMT
#31
i just ban anyone that says they have adblock on stream chat, if you have it on thats w/e but "bragging" about it on the broadcasters chat is a douchey move

In reality an ad is 30 seconds of time every 5-30 minute game, its not a huge deal to watch it since it really doesn't cost you anything if you think about it
hihihi
Suisen
Profile Joined April 2011
256 Posts
Last Edited: 2011-09-03 23:28:15
September 03 2011 23:22 GMT
#32
Ads are propaganda that try to exploit our in build irrationality. Ads try to abuse the flaws in human nature. They are immoral in themselves.

Ads are one of the strangest aspect of our society. How can you be a free society when every 15 minutes on tv some super powerful corporation tries to brainwash you into buying their products?

It is really a rotten part of our society.

Internet ads suddenly appear on your computer unasked and unwanted. Preventing them from violating your computer experience is theft? Ads are the most North Korea-like segment of our society. Especially tv ads. Those are the most sinister of them all. Never seen a tv ad the last few years that offer 1 tiny bit of useful information about their product to potential customers. Instead, they are extremely disrespectful by appealing to emotion and acting like the customers are idiots. And apparently they are because advertisements are extremely advanced and well researched in their methods.
Blazinghand *
Profile Blog Joined December 2010
United States25562 Posts
September 03 2011 23:29 GMT
#33
I used to have my adblocker on, but then the TL Mascot's adorable eyes were staring at me and I couldn't keep it turned on for this website. How could I possibly deny a personal appeal from the TL Horse Mascot?
When you stare into the iCCup, the iCCup stares back.
TL+ Member
Mobius_1
Profile Blog Joined April 2011
United Kingdom2763 Posts
September 04 2011 06:11 GMT
#34
Call me crazy, but I don't use AdBlock. Probably because I was an early switcher to Chrome pre-AdBlock and got used to it, and also most sites I visit have manageable ads.
Starleague Forever. RIP KT Violet~
_awake_
Profile Joined August 2007
196 Posts
September 04 2011 06:54 GMT
#35
Websites earning money through ads is a privelage, not a right. Same goes with users visiting a website.
Treemonkeys
Profile Blog Joined August 2010
United States2082 Posts
September 04 2011 08:41 GMT
#36
On September 04 2011 08:22 Suisen wrote:
Ads are propaganda that try to exploit our in build irrationality. Ads try to abuse the flaws in human nature. They are immoral in themselves.

Ads are one of the strangest aspect of our society. How can you be a free society when every 15 minutes on tv some super powerful corporation tries to brainwash you into buying their products?

It is really a rotten part of our society.

Internet ads suddenly appear on your computer unasked and unwanted. Preventing them from violating your computer experience is theft? Ads are the most North Korea-like segment of our society. Especially tv ads. Those are the most sinister of them all. Never seen a tv ad the last few years that offer 1 tiny bit of useful information about their product to potential customers. Instead, they are extremely disrespectful by appealing to emotion and acting like the customers are idiots. And apparently they are because advertisements are extremely advanced and well researched in their methods.


Hell yeah man, keep that shit out of my brain.

Can't even drive to work without seeing god damn ads all over the place, pretty soon we won't be able to shit without seeing them all over the place. So I welcome any chance to keep them out of my head.
http://shroomspiration.blogspot.com/
Geovu
Profile Blog Joined November 2010
Estonia1344 Posts
September 04 2011 08:43 GMT
#37
On September 04 2011 08:22 Suisen wrote:
Ads are propaganda that try to exploit our in build irrationality. Ads try to abuse the flaws in human nature. They are immoral in themselves.

Ads are one of the strangest aspect of our society. How can you be a free society when every 15 minutes on tv some super powerful corporation tries to brainwash you into buying their products?

It is really a rotten part of our society.

Internet ads suddenly appear on your computer unasked and unwanted. Preventing them from violating your computer experience is theft? Ads are the most North Korea-like segment of our society. Especially tv ads. Those are the most sinister of them all. Never seen a tv ad the last few years that offer 1 tiny bit of useful information about their product to potential customers. Instead, they are extremely disrespectful by appealing to emotion and acting like the customers are idiots. And apparently they are because advertisements are extremely advanced and well researched in their methods.


To be fair, advertisements in theory are not bad at all. They are simply a way to get your product known by anyone relevant. I'm sure that more than once in your life you stumbled across an advertisement for something really cool that you didn't realize you needed, but you did (Like say you have a super shitty vacuum cleaner, but you don't realize that until you see an advertisement) The problem is that in our current society ads try to be as loud and obnoxious as possible

No ones gonna buy your box of cereal if there's not enough lasor beams, lights and ninjas on the front. Razer in particular seems to capitalize on this fact quite a bit o:

On September 04 2011 08:29 Blazinghand wrote:
I used to have my adblocker on, but then the TL Mascot's adorable eyes were staring at me and I couldn't keep it turned on for this website. How could I possibly deny a personal appeal from the TL Horse Mascot?


Even with all ad blockers off and everything I always get the TL Mascot, lol. Makes me sad so I want to block that too :S
SpoR
Profile Blog Joined November 2010
United States1542 Posts
Last Edited: 2011-09-04 20:08:55
September 04 2011 20:03 GMT
#38
it can be argued that the TV ardvertisements are the same its just handled differently. I mean the goal of the people paying to put their ads in the shows is to market their product to a specific demographic, they spend lots of money doing research and paying for the time slots. TiVo, DVR, etc. can totally ignore ads so you are stealing from the company marketing just the same. While on the internet it works a bit differently and you're stealing from the 'tv show' (website) instead of the 'sales ad company'.
Ads are basically a calculated risk, they know they can possibly spend lots of money and make nothing at all from it (its very unlikely but they do know its a rare possibility). Ads are like gambling, in fact even phil hellmuth has a chapter in his book about advertising which basically advocates showing a bunch of shit to opponents and changing gears to capitalize on what their image of you is.

Anyways, I wouldn't call it stealing. If everyone blocks ads then the system obviously doesn't work and it will fail. There will be some other way for them to make the ad revenue instead. Don't blame yourself, blame the system. That's usually a good philosophy anyways haha
A man is what he thinks about all day long.
McCafe
Profile Joined July 2011
Canada11 Posts
September 04 2011 20:20 GMT
#39
I block most ads because if I accidentally click one, I may get a virus.
It happened to me once on an older computer.

I don't block some other ads such as good ones on TeamLiquid!
"When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth".
Falling
Profile Blog Joined June 2009
Canada11603 Posts
September 04 2011 20:21 GMT
#40
I honestly would never have thought to find such things as adblock if they had stuck with banners and sidebars or other non-intrusive ways of advertising. But as more and more things became, hop on our page and we'll blare loud music into your speakers or take control of what you can click on in the browser, or start when you accidentally hover over the ad, why then I became more and more frustrated with the intrusiveness of the ads. (And of course my original hatred came from those old pop-ups that irritating bright lights telling you, you won something, and goodness knows which button actually closes the dang thing rather than launch you onto some other webpage.)

But I think the final straw was watching the same 17-30 second ad whenever you have hit refresh on a video screen or try to move to a new part in the video, or the auto launcher started some new video, when you wanted to watch a different on. So you sit through the first ad, until you can click on the video you really want and possibly watch another ad when you switch and watch another ad before you start the one you wanted in the first place and maybe if you were having troubles buffering, you want to skip ahead 10 minutes, why then there's another ad to watch!

So I said screw it, I'll get adblock.

And I'll only unblock it for things like Team Liquid and Shamus Young and other websites with non-intrusive ads that I really support. I was actually surprised to learn youtube got ads as I was happily oblivious to that fact with adblock.
Moderator5000 of our finest Taliban warriors have been released! Rise up my brothers. Mashalla! al-Donald ibn-Frederick al-Masih allows it.
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