Thursday 9 April 2015

Why do we even need AdBlock?


Everyone's done it at one point or another. You're browsing the web, you're hoping to find the information you need, whether it's the latest fashion trends, the newest tech gadgets, how to work your 30-year-old VCR (no one even uses those anymore, right?), or maybe even just to find out about what's happening on Capitol Hill in Washington. It's no doubt, of course, if you're reading this, you're using the internet. And nothing's more annoying than clicking on a link and seeing an advertisement for a new pair of underwear, or a flashing fake warning that your computer is infected with a virus and you need to clean it right now, generally something that has nothing to do with what you are trying to get to, and even worse, is pretty darn shady to boot.

Advertising is by itself fairly harmless - somebody somewhere wants your money, so they pay someone else money so that you can get your stuff for free - all you have to do is tolerate a few flashy images and, if you're interested, well, you can click on it and find out what it's all about. But where we generally draw the line is when this content is forced on us. Adfly - I am looking at you.

The HTML protocol was originally never designed with advertisement in mind, so content hosts and advertisers alike had to build around the restrictions for it. At first it was pretty harmless - it got annoying at times, sometimes even deceptive, but it wasn't a big deal. But then, the first of the nuisances started - pop-ups. When it was first realized that the Javascript engine of every modern browser (at the time, anyway, they'd be considered ancient now) could open up new windows to any page, advertisers took advantage of this. Suddenly, it wasn't just images inserted into the document - now they loaded right over your page. They started becoming intrusive and unwelcome. Just for visiting a page, now, your computer is forced to open a brand new window to a completely foreign website that you never had any interest in going to in the first place, in the hopes that you would buy something.

Let me tell you something - I don't like to spend money on a practice that is that intrusive and conceited on the part of the advertiser. Especially when knowing that if I do, it would continue funding this atrocious practice.

But things went downhill from there. Suddenly, it was pop-up hell. There were hardly any websites you could go to without getting a pop-up. Sometimes closing a pop-up would open a new one. Sometimes closing one opened three! It got to a point where if you didn't know how to use the task manager to close the web browser, and you weren't brave enough just to pull the computer right out of the AC socket, you could easily wind up spending more time exiting the internet than getting the info you needed to start with!

So, advertisers - consider this. Why is AdBlock even necessary? It's because you think that by being annoying, we spend more money. And it works. That's the worst part. There's always some idiot that will spend money on something that's shoved right into his face. The sales climb, and the profits roll right in.

There are those of us who don't use the internet to buy your garbage, however. And having it forced into our face just makes us even more averse to it. I get to a point at times where I outright refuse to buy from a merchant who engages in such practices with their advertising.

Consider that, for a moment.

If you want a customer, the best way to do it is by building trust and loyalty. This has been the tenant of successful businesses for a very long time. Now - how is shoving pop-up ads - FORCEFULLY - in someone's face accomplishing this goal?

Adfly. Now here's an odd mystery if ever there was one. Authors use it, typically with download links but sometimes also with exit links, to try and gain revenue for content hidden behind said links. Now - I have nothing against authors wanting a little compensation for their work. It's how they're getting it that's upsetting me. Adfly not only forces you to view an advertisement, but if you have your browser configured in such a way for safe browsing (i.e. scripts turned off, plug-ins on confirmation only, ad blocker turned on), it doesn't even work at all. You get no advertisements - but worst of all you get no content. And why? For no reason other than the ridiculous 5-second timer. Which it will not allow you to skip. Oh, the endless war that is fought with that one. Because Adfly wants to FORCE you to view an ad for 5 seconds, they intentionally make it incompatible with browsers that are capable of skipping this ridiculous timer. And if you dare try to install browser extensions that either skip the timer or bypass the ad entirely, they will work to break that extension and force you to turn it off in order to get the page you want. Why? Because to them, serving an ad is more important than anything else. I think it's reasonable to guess that they actually have a staff employed 40 hours a week just to break those things.

Adfly - you make me sick. I would love to see you guys go bankrupt. You - and all of your customers, too. Anyone who lists an ad with you. The practice is annoying, and there's a reason why Ad blockers exist. YOU ARE THAT VERY REASON. If you want my money, (which will ultimately come from your advertisers anyway, if I ever even buy something from those despicable weirdos), try a less intrusive and less forceful form of advertisement.

Additionally, it would benefit any advertiser greatly to know that AdBlock intentionally whitelists ads that it deems are "non-intrusive." Take the time to research it. I promise you, it's well worth the read, because if you make your ad "acceptable" - it will be viewed by a great many more people than the ones you are FORCING to view it. And better yet, your advertisers will be viewed much more favorably. Wouldn't you prefer to show your advertisers in the best, most favorable light possible? Do you ever think it could possibly be damaging, not only to your own company, but to your advertisers, when the user is upset and agitated about what they have to deal with, in seeing those ads?

Food for thought.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this post are the author's own views, and are formed from her own experiences and opinions. These views and commentary are not representative or intended to be representative of other people, including the hosts of this blog.

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