If there are no ads and websites get tied to subscription based content networks or come as part of goods purchase, they'll actually have to create content that people feel has merit. Right now there's very little on the Verge that I feel like was created to fulfill expectations of readers rather than generate clicks for ad revenue. People need to be more creative with how they monetize because the current standard of mobile content deliverysmall blurbs surrounded by ads requiring you to click through more pages and see new ads load up every timeis dickshit garbage.
The Verge: The internet is dying a slow death because of ad blockers
- Thread starter Wreav
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I've been using the Internet since 1994 and I don't think that I have ever clicked on a web banner intentionally. I've been made aware of games and movies that I was interested in and their release date, but never actually clicked through.
Unknown Soldier
Member
I admit that I used to bag on Josh Topolsky a lot but The Verge literally turned into shit after he left. Oh, and there's a reason why people use The Verge as a benchmark site for how much loading time and data is saved because that site is literally unreadable if you allow it to show ads. Fuck off Nilay and take your shitty spiked bracelet with you.
Crimsonclaw111
Member
And done. NeoGAF's ads, for example, are harmless.
Most of the time anyway.
Shuggananas
Banned
Minion Rush ads are pretty harmful tbqh
unholyrevenger72
Banned
Then how come when i turn off Adblock on Gaf i get a notice from Avast saying it blocked access from lijit.com
Kill Your Masters
Member
They are but you report it and Evilore gets it sorted out. Heck he even admitted for leaving out mobile ads completely for 6 months in this thread because of these issues.
If you tell Nilay that ads want to install malware or are intrusive, he'll probably throw a hissy fit and attack you on twitter telling you that you want to make him lose his job or something.
Coreda
Member
Except occasionally when it's malware. Or mobile ads that redirect to an app store. Or full-page overlays... paulrudd60percentofthetime.gif
They usually get sorted after being reported, yes. Fiction's post is still what the ideal should be.
Great post.
Has already been said a hundred times, but I didn't start using adblock until the ads had gotten so bad I literally couldn't stand it anymore.
Auto-play video ads on every page. Pop-up ads that appear right over the spot where you're going to click right before you click (that ain't an accident). Pop-up ads covering the entire screen every time you open a new page. Loud noises, everywhere. Viruses. I don't mind looking at a normal banner ad -- at all -- but that's not what it is anymore.
Then I installed an adblocker, and the internet became tolerable again. If the internet is going to "slowly die" unless I give in to the current state of internet ads, the internet can die. Calling the bluff.
Auto-play video ads on every page. Pop-up ads that appear right over the spot where you're going to click right before you click (that ain't an accident). Pop-up ads covering the entire screen every time you open a new page. Loud noises, everywhere. Viruses. I don't mind looking at a normal banner ad -- at all -- but that's not what it is anymore.
Then I installed an adblocker, and the internet became tolerable again. If the internet is going to "slowly die" unless I give in to the current state of internet ads, the internet can die. Calling the bluff.
CyclopsRock
Member
I completely agree with Dalrek in the OP. It's ridiculous to think that you can just consume the content despite the author's obvious intent for you to have adverts on the page. I don't think the ad-revenue model is a very good one, but it's the website's prerogative to choose that route if they want.
Fusion Pizza
Member
Slowly dying because of ad-blockers, my ass, it's all the copy cat "media" websites.
If you WILLINGLY decide to build a business model on ads, fill your website with bullshit annoying ads that make whatever "content" you're trying to show un-readable, then you are a fucking moron, and I have no sympathy for you.
Anyone else ready for this tech cycle to end? I'm so sick of this shit.
Oh so that's what that bullshit was about huh.
If you WILLINGLY decide to build a business model on ads, fill your website with bullshit annoying ads that make whatever "content" you're trying to show un-readable, then you are a fucking moron, and I have no sympathy for you.
Anyone else ready for this tech cycle to end? I'm so sick of this shit.
Oh so that's what that bullshit was about huh.
Ayato Kanzaki
Member
So you're saying that people who use ad-blockers are basically pirates? You may want to put some water in your wine. Hyperboles and all that.
I get your point, but you're defending a situation that has become simply inacceptable. Ad-blockers aren't born from a willingness to get content for nothing. They were created because the ads became so toxic that blocking them became almost mandatory.
And you're not proposing any solution or alternative to the issue.
BocoDragon
or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Realize This Assgrab is Delicious
I don't know that I agree that adblockers exist because ads became especially intrusive. I more think people like the psychology of a clean webpage with only relevant content.
Langdon Alger
Banned
If everyone used ad block it would.
Shuggananas
Banned
I'm pretty sure it wouldn't but hey.
No it wouldn't.
For one, there are plenty of ways to make money on the internet that aren't classic ads, site-takeovers, and shit like that.
It would probably kill clickbait though (yay), it might kill websites with cheap content aimed more at generating quick clickthrough then content and it might push people towards more quality content by smart writers, rather than commercially exploited websites, but the internet will be just fine.
BocoDragon
or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Realize This Assgrab is Delicious
I'm old enough to remember the birth of the Internet, and the struggle to figure out how to monetize it.
Ad-supported content was something they stumbled into. It was nothing innate to the function of the web.
If the ad-supported Internet is a temporary business model that was a flash in the pan, it wouldn't surprise me. At this point it's barely 15-20 years old.
There would be severe growing pains if it went away... But it's not the death of the web. It's the death of a particular short lived experiment in monetization.
That said, it seems to me that there are still plenty of people who will never install an ad blocker, no matter how easy Apple makes it.
Everyone reading GAF for example (har har)
CyclopsRock
Member
IMO it's up to the website runners to find the solution, not me. If their ads are really so toxic, the "correct" thing to do is to forgo the content, not simply ignore their wishes and take the content anyway. Now, in terms of scale obviously it's different to pirating a film before it's out or downloading a game, but to the people who made the content it's lost revenue - someone's consumed their content without paying for it. In terms of right-and-wrong, I don't really see how it's different.
Burger
Member
I mentioned to Nilay that the argument against adblockers falls apart when you are treated to a streaming video with non mutable audio advertising Intel CPU's when looking at a 2 paragraph article he casually replied:
"We don't permit those" and suggested I contact Verge support.
Why should users be policing what ads appear on his site? Fucking plonk.
"We don't permit those" and suggested I contact Verge support.
Why should users be policing what ads appear on his site? Fucking plonk.
Fusion Pizza
Member
Google might start burning, but the internet itself is not Google.
It's not a truck, it's a series of tubes!
D
Deleted member 1235
Unconfirmed Member
what I don't understand is why aren't adds circumventing add blockers quickly and easily?
I mean I HEARD FROM A FRIEND that if you visit pornhub.com with an adblocker, there is a banner saying 'hey we see you are using adblock, that's cool but....' etc etc. why not just replace that picture with rotating ads?
I understand that the businesses currently turning on ad revenue get nervous about talking about ad blockers, but I refuse to believe the internet will disappear if ads are abolished. Humanity simply will not allow it.
I mean I HEARD FROM A FRIEND that if you visit pornhub.com with an adblocker, there is a banner saying 'hey we see you are using adblock, that's cool but....' etc etc. why not just replace that picture with rotating ads?
I understand that the businesses currently turning on ad revenue get nervous about talking about ad blockers, but I refuse to believe the internet will disappear if ads are abolished. Humanity simply will not allow it.
Is there a way to aggregate user reviews of the ad placements/experience on a website?
That way people may be more willing to whitelist, in addition to giving site designers better info for ad placement best practices. Although, a system like that would probably be manipulated easily.
That way people may be more willing to whitelist, in addition to giving site designers better info for ad placement best practices. Although, a system like that would probably be manipulated easily.
PetriP-TNT
Member
... because the file happens to contain word "ad2" which is blocked on easylist.
Because one could block those too. Actually I HEARD FROM A FRIEND THAT sometime ago most popular adult sites managed to pass adblocking softwares for a while with elaborant iframe methods but those were quickly passed too. If it's available, you can block it.
Only solution is blocking everything behind a paywall and that's really not an long term option for most of the sites.
BocoDragon
or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Realize This Assgrab is Delicious
That is a very smart idea.
Why not integrate it into the adblock app itself? If you don't make that, someone should
ClosingADoor
Member
Then why are people still reading that when it has no merit and is garbage? Are those millions and millions of people so stupid they don't realize they don't want to read the content they are clicking on?
When websites you read and enjoy are already broke and closed down, you'll stop using adblock. Strange argument.
Coreda
Member
Advertisements are mostly loaded from third-parties and content blocking extensions block those third-party scripts and sites from loading. The 'hey we see you are using adblock' messages are loaded from the first-party site you're visiting (the messages can be as simple as static images set as the CSS background) so often nothing is blocked unless there are CSS display rules applied by the blocker extension to hide the element.
To bypass content blockers first-party sites would have to host all the ads themselves, but even then with wildcard URL/HTML element filtering content blockers could still prevent the ads from loading/displaying. It would became a problem if there are rogue ads though so I don't see this happening at scale unless they were solely image-based or carefully vetted.
The Internet will not die.
Amazon and online retailers will disappear because of ad block?
Netflix and streaming services will disappear because of ad block?
Banking websites will disappear because of ad block?
Wikipedia will disappear because of ad block?
Government, education, information websites will disappear because of ad block?
I can go on all day. Do you see how ridiculous this is?
The Internet is not going to die. It's a poorly written self-serving article. Par for the course for a website like the Verge.
funkystudent
Member
Writing has been on the wall for web advertising for damn near a decade and instead of changing things for the better and adapting advertisers and major sites doubled down on intrusive ads that make their site harder to use and annoy their viewers.
Now on top of full screen ads and redirects people have to slog though auto playing video ads and pre roll ads that are longer them the videos viewers want to watch.
Its fun to see people at the Verge being such children about it but screw em'. That site is a poster child for intrusive ads. Adapt or die. The way ads run on the internet needs to change and the fact it can so easily be broken is proof in itself.
Now on top of full screen ads and redirects people have to slog though auto playing video ads and pre roll ads that are longer them the videos viewers want to watch.
Its fun to see people at the Verge being such children about it but screw em'. That site is a poster child for intrusive ads. Adapt or die. The way ads run on the internet needs to change and the fact it can so easily be broken is proof in itself.
BocoDragon
or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Realize This Assgrab is Delicious
Remember when the Internet depended on pop-up ads and they were nuked from orbit by browsers?
toythatkills
Member
If a website can detect an ad-blocker, why does it not just refuse to load?
Not websites. Website. Singular. It doesn't even have to be one I use.
PetriP-TNT
Member
Guess what an user will do when a site refuses to load?
Hint: it's close the tab and never come back.
toythatkills
Member
So the user who isn't providing them with any revenue in return for taking content won't come back? How distressing!
I guess whether that's an issue depends on when an advert is classed as served. If a blocker blocks an advert, does it still count as an impression?
ClosingADoor
Member
It does not, since the tracking script is being blocked.
That would require hosting ads on site and not relying on external ads.
PetriP-TNT
Member
Yeah and every pirated video game is a loss of sale.
Internet doesn't work like that. Visitor that doesn't contribute to ad revenue is always better than no visitor at all, unless the visitor somehow consumes insane amounts of bandwidth or is pain in the ass in some other way. Page views many times are driven by things like word of mouth.
No.
Not to mention ads tracking you and whatnot.
But that is the same reason why I use AdBlock. If I use a site constantly and it doesn't have annoying ads I disable it for that website.
Stereogatari
Banned
I'm fine with ads. Just don't fucking crash my browser and don't be instrusive.
people are driven to it over time
I held out on adblocking stuff for years but eventually came to realize just how many of my problems ads were the cause of
when I first tried out an adblocker I noticed many things among them a significant decrease in viruses and a significant decrease in page loading times
and once you come to that realization,why would you ever go back?
I held out on adblocking stuff for years but eventually came to realize just how many of my problems ads were the cause of
when I first tried out an adblocker I noticed many things among them a significant decrease in viruses and a significant decrease in page loading times
and once you come to that realization,why would you ever go back?
PetriP-TNT
Member
Well, some are, some aren't. For example if you consider your generic phishing emails, there's your nigerian prince-type of scams which are certainly targeted to those less computer savvy. Then again there are much more elaborate ones that aim to spoof real websites with 1:1 accuracies.
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