Please ATS Members and Non-Members alike, STOP Blocking Ads- Or there may be NO ATS at ALL

a reply to: DupontDeux

Yeah. I can totally understand why you can see with your crystal ball what I see, yet you somehow fail to get a grip on that dead messenger I even dared to mention...
Of course it's criminally offensive to lable adblock users criminal, but that decision wasn't made on ATS. Was it? Isn't it actually the simple truth, that hurts, rather than somebody stating it? Just saying... and thanks for the reply!

originally posted by: glowdog
i dont block ads- i try to be always logged in and this site is very much worth it.
i post little but visit this site every day...every few hours and read as much as possible.

I want to cuddle you, I won't, but I want to!

So here's a question, one of the big costs mentioned was image hosting, ATS hosts it's own images. How do sites like imgur operate? They freely host images to everyone, I've never had a problem there from ad's, and rarely do I even go to their page, instead I just use their bandwidth and hosting space.

If they can viably run their business, how is ATS having so much trouble with a fraction of the images?

As to the point about adblock being illegal - it won't matter, IF the adblock companies get shut down, someone will just make a freeware/opensource version, which there probably already is.

So sad.....That the owner drives the narrative of threads. This is about the same as a Bible Thumpers site asking for a dollar. I use ad block and I will not cave and not use it to save ATS. Better management, better use of the profits site does generate, your problem will solve itself. It does reek of a preacher asking for cash so HE can have a better life.

originally posted by: Aazadan
So here's a question, one of the big costs mentioned was image hosting, ATS hosts it's own images. How do sites like imgur operate? They freely host images to everyone, I've never had a problem there from ad's, and rarely do I even go to their page, instead I just use their bandwidth and hosting space.

If they can viably run their business, how is ATS having so much trouble with a fraction of the images?

I think a site like Imgur, which is almost solely dedicated to one idea which generates its turnover, and is an absolute market leader, could go to basically any bank and say: Hey, I need money, lend it to me and I will pay the interest.

Imgur and how it makes money

a reply to: TrueAmerican

This issue is ENTIRELY about site usability.

The REASON I added Ad Blocking software, was because of the heavy use of and poor implementation of ads on ATS.

The site became UNUSABLE on my machines... an orgy of code conflicts and poor implementation of ads.

If the site still worked well with all the ads... I would create and add an exception for ATS. But alas... the ad serves were so heavy... that to try and consume content would just make me angry because I couldn't even casually read content, without fighting pop-ups and SLIDE-OVERS... if you must pull the plug on me... because of my response to the damage you had done to your own property... so be it.

I mean all of the above in good cheer and sincerity. You can only abuse your site visitors so much... then they will just leave, and not bother coming back.

Hope you guys get it worked out... you need to re-examine your own ad server strategy as it relates to site usability.

The image used in your avatar. Do you have permission from the copyright holder to be using it?

originally posted by: SkepticOverlord

originally posted by: Rabb420
that was pretty harsh equating ad block users with criminal thiefs....

Not really. Some additional clarity...

Back in 2002, an enterprising person was buying stacks of NYC newspapers, ripping out most of the ads and inserts, then reselling the "slimmed down" versions to people entering the subway. He was charging 50 cents more than the cover price.

He was arrested, and spent time in jail for criminal copyright violation.


There is caselaw in the US and Europe that specifies the HTML structure of a web page is a copyright protected asset of the publisher and/or creator.

In France, Germany and the UK, class action lawsuits are being started against the ad-blocking companies for criminal copyright violation. The case is relatively strong, the ad-blocking firms are profiting from modifying a copyright protected item without permission from the copyright holder.

There's rumors of similar class action suits in the US, but the IAB is trying to negotiate an alternative first.

The extortion of the ad-blocking firms have also recently caught the attention of district attorneys in the US. In NY, an investigation is supposed to be in progress.

There is strong evidence that much of what the ad-blockers do is in violation of more than one law.

It's not that harsh then, is it?

New resolution: I will click on one ad per day.

I don't use ad blocker anyway.

Ok if I log in I see very few ads, if I am not logged in I see a ton of ads, and it is distracting it takes away from the experience. Solution just log in, problem solved both ways, a few ads come up, ATS get their revenue, and we don't get flashed by stupidity.

So as I am reading this thread I looked over and see an ad for an adblocker.



Just thought that was ironic.

I went to tools and hit disable on abovetopsecret.com, If they need ads to maintain the site, so be it. Actually put more ads on and make a profit.

On the surface I would say that this is some sort of conspiracy. Shall we surely believe those that say no adblock or there will be "problems" no features...... or shall it be a mere free for all.... I can do what I want so get bent...... adblocking for all....
Therefore I must say to all, that it is what it is.... changing computing habits/using blockers is not something I will surrender...as I have tasted this honey and it is good.... and yes, I do have a drinking problem....

s

*TL;DR? RANT* Hi i am a long time lurker...i not sure what to say about all this but i am very annoyed i had to recover my password to write this LOL...
first off let me state off that i am sorry i have contributed nothing to this site but just reading and reading and reading comments...
and i have watched it flourish over the years and i remember this same problem not too long ago...i see how cable TV. have such problems...and radio stations etc...and i am absolutely SICK of it...growing up watching t.v. i have seen tons of parody's of commercial's and ads shoved right down our throat *BUY BUY BUY GET%%OFFGET%OFFFREEFREEFREEFREE*
..and i don't find it funny at damn all...and then to realize these very things effect my daily life and its real...there is such a negative nancy in this world were they just want to effect your life like change the shape,taste and color of your cereal to removing your favorite toons from a channel. or maby even a website because no one wants to buy their crap from TV even tho then can if then want.. -please excuse me with TV i literally have nothing else to do sometimes..-

I UNDERSTAND that ATS need to make money you all deserve it and so do people trying to sell...ton of people all effected.

now to i guess my point

radio, TV, internet and it feels like bombardment....listing to the same ad or commercial nonstop sometime 3 times in a row all day sometime just trying to make a dollar, enjoying it with a little tunes...or TV commercials blaring spam giving me headaches. brain dead epileptic click bait on internet NO!HNO!
here i am reading a thread about something that virtually takes some of the headaches away .....feeling put up against my will...not even sure what i want to do now...am i destined to the dreaded bin site? will i ever visit this website again? for i am sad that all this runs our lives to some degree....its very lame...i stop visiting or if the site gets taken down then so be it im not gonna sit around and live with ads , commercials how they are....its a real big hno from me this topic just got me right in the dander..

"I'M AS MAD AS HELL, AND I'M NOT GOING TO TAKE THIS ANYMORE!!"

in conclusion...i'm going back into my hole and this site can take whenever direction it wants...but it wont stop me from using some kinda ad block...and there are other means of getting dank conspiracy's or ad blocks..but until this "ads to spam make money" and "hackers" exist on the same planet...nobody gets a dime from this guy... maby i would pay a subscription if it got that bad i dont know..maby i guess...im sorry this is my first comment and this is how im kinda feeling...the world moves on... thanks for reading...

a reply to: blindmonkey

5 years strong and this is your first comment.

You deserve an applause because reading some of the garbage on this site I'd burst a blood vessel not replying.

Stick around.

originally posted by: Jonjonj
I think a site like Imgur, which is almost solely dedicated to one idea which generates its turnover, and is an absolute market leader, could go to basically any bank and say: Hey, I need money, lend it to me and I will pay the interest.

Imgur and how it makes money

Reading that small article it seems they sell demographic information. That's a route for ATS to go, provided they keep it anonymous such as "People who frequent 9/11 threads also frequent gun ownership threads" rather than "Aazadan is a potential political dissident".

That type of metadata can be valuable, and selling it (provided it's non identifying) is a lot more ethically sound.

a reply to: blindmonkey

TL;DR

Indeed.

I have no problem with the ads. I do however, have a problem with intrusive ads that redirect on mobile, making this site unusable. I also have a problem with the virus's we get from the ads. Since upgrading to Windows 10 it hasn't been a problem, but on my old Vista rig I constantly got malware from ATS's advertising.

Why would I want to be advertised to by Shiite brands like Tyson chicken? Chopping the beaks off live chickens?

And Dodge? Gimme a break. Screw Dodge. Buy anything but a Dodge.

I refuse to buy anything I see an ad for.