Why Ad Blocking is devastating to the sites you love. (from 2010)

Originally posted by prof-rabbit
I might point out (carefully so as not to offend) that I was a small cog in the many wheels that began the internet.

This was never a part of the plans, we tried VERY hard to keep commercialization out and freedom of thought and expression in. Our ideals were high, our hopes even higher, the proof is the many stories, videos, blogs etc. that have shown the world the reality that we live in, no one would know about Gaza or China or Tibet if it were not for the internet.

I was there, back "then" also. Managing one of the first few dial-up BBSs with more than 5,000 users, managing CompuServe forums, consulting on the Labyrinth at Georgetown U., and more.

Idealism is important, and the early Internet had plenty to go around... having been built by and initially used by intensely idealistic people. Society is rarely so pure, but once in a while, unlikely factors combine to create greatness, and in this case those factors are what commerce and advertising did to the Internet.

The core culture of online -- one of collaboration driven by the ethics of sharing -- is fundamentally unaffected by the rampant explosion of commerce and advertising that hit the Internet, really hard, in the mid 1990's. I was on Marc Andreessen's email distribution list for beta versions of Netscape. In the email that contained version 0.9b, there was excitement about the fully functioning "cookies" and the possibilities represented by keeping track of users so that one might send personalized advertising messages. However, the idealists of the day never once considered the technology might have nefarious uses.

But here's something very important to consider: "no one would know about Gaza or China or Tibet if it were not for" Internet advertising and commerce. The dot-com explosion of the late 1990's, fueled by arguably stupid high-dollar investments in often laughable business models, create the infrastructure and user demand for the massive and efficient global information network we now enjoy. And without the flawed but consistently growing market for Internet advertising, the network will crumble and the efficient flow of information will suffer.

I don't disagree that there's often much to dislike about a lot of online advertising... and many other forms of advertising as well. But it's a revenue source that has given society some undeniable gems; early radio news, Edward R. Murrow, Vietnam war reporting, All In The Family, The Simpsons, Laugh In, Johnny Carson, and much more in addition to this global network of the free exchange of ideas. (There's a great deal of crap, in fact more than the "gems," but that's the nature of things) It's not necessarily evil, but it is necessary.

[edit on 9-3-2010 by SkepticOverlord]

Originally posted by buttking
Also, from what I have seen of the ads on ATS, it is overrun with them

I just did a quick calculation and the typical content (thread) page has just slightly over 2% of available "real estate" devoted to advertising. You consider that "overrun?" Really?

Thanks for the heads-up! Not only do I want to see the ads (well sorta) but I have made it point to click through some daily. Let me know if there's anything else I can do to keep up my end of this!

Originally posted by rotorwing
...but I have made it point to click through some daily...

As we generally aren't paid on a per-click basis, there's no need to click on any ad other than those for which you have genuine interest.

Hi everyone.
I don't mind static ads. I treat them like really bad decor at a friend's house. I do have a problem with the profoundly obnoxious media.click.net message alert pop-under with the flashing warning sign. I'm hoping it's not supposed to be here so that I can take measures to banish it forever. If it's meant to be here, then I'll go curl up in a fetal position and cry my little heart out; (that or the epileptic fit, whichever comes first).
However, I do understand the need to get revenue from somewhere to finance a no-fee website, so I'll endure it if I have to.

PS: I apologise if this has already been addressed in the thread as I didn't read it from the start.

I see you guys are taking this one seriously.

I think you guys tried to upload a ad blocking detector on your site. I got a weird error yesterday that freaked me out.

Its good to see that you guys are protecting your investments.

although i do understand some users like ad block programs (yea some ads are annoying, and what-not) but hey as you said, it costs money to run this site, and you need to protect your advertisers & revenue to continue bringing us an awesome site.

Originally posted by seagull
I've been here on ATS since late 2005, and I spend what some might consider an inordinate amount of time here...meaning lot's and lot's...and I've never had anything malicious, other than that irritating mosquito ad, come at me from here, or from the ads...

I don't think SO is asking all that much really...

I first registered at these forums a mere two days after Simon Gray himself did (I'm lucky-number 13 in the Members' List! ) & I've never run across any kind of malware from this site. Although I seem to have lost the URL, SO has already posted a thread to the effect that ATS has a "complaint box" to point out the really annoying ads...And the ATS staff does take such things into consideration. The staff here has asked advertisers to change their ads, if particular ads really are that annoying.

All in all, It's my personal observation that the ATS staff really does bend over backwards to help keep this site as free as they possibly can, in many different ways...Really, the only things "banned" here are off-topic, hateful posting & ignorant hostility. From the way that ATS has (arguably) become the top-o-the-line forum in "alternative topic discussion" while being administered in such a positive way, I see no reason to deny ATS the primary source of income available...Especially since it's not coming out of my own pocket! ATS ain't like the government, ya' know!


Edited to add:
Of course, like much of anything else I've ever posted here, this is my personal opinion. But rest assured, it's an opinion based upon long-term, first-hand personal observation.

[edit on 9-3-2010 by MidnightDStroyer]

If the global economy is going to tank, as many here seem to think, won't advertising revenues take a similar dip ?

Is there a Plan B ?

Or is this Plan B ?

In response to SO a few pages back as to why I didn't report them. When my system was taken down a year ago, I cared more about getting the stuff off my system than worrying about which ad it came from. To be honest, I usually don't know which ad the malicious IP's come from. A year ago, I wasn't even aware of the complaint box for reporting trojans and the like, but even if I did, I wouldn't have known which ad it came from. As for the malicious IP's from MalwareBytes, all I can say is I could be browsing through some of the threads and maybe on page three of that thread, I'll get a malicious IP notification and will immediately close that tab and view another thread. I don't even mess around with that stuff here anymore. For the record, I have green lighted this site in ABP, but if I start having more problems, I might put it back on. If I can narrow down where something comes from, I will definitely notify you. I would hope that you guys reinstate the accounts of the people who were hastily banned earlier in this thread. That was a little counterproductive to your cause here IMO.

As for the comment about never have (and never will) ask for money from us, I would counter that by saying that on this thread, what I've seen is that we are asking YOU to allow us to donate money. Is it really that big of a problem to allow us to help you and this site by having the option to donate? Going by this thread, this is something that would be well received without you having to ask for anything. It's us that are asking you, so why is that still a problem? No extra rewards should be given for donating. The reward is that this site stays up and you guys get paid what you deserve to be paid. I think that's more than enough of a reward for us.

To the person who said this site is "overrun with ads", that is a load of crap. There really aren't that many ads here, but at the same time, all it takes is one bad one to cause problems. Hardly overrun, though. I have only rarely gotten a pop-up from here and that's only when I have to log in which is rare since I keep my computer on 24/7. Easier on the components, you know.

[edit on 9-3-2010 by Kratos1220]

reply to post by SkepticOverlord


I think all this thread has done is teach more people how to use ad blocking.

The passion with which people are responding is kinda strange.

You either charge us for hosting the site via membership fees or you give it to us free via ads.
Sounds like you have chosen the latter, Everyone is just pimping their own personal angst here, over nothing quite frankly.


Yawn.

S.O.,

Can you please address my post along with your carefully picked ones?

Thanks

Originally posted by zazzafrazz
Yawn.

I think your post would have been so much more succinct and meaningful if you had kept it to just that.

Perhaps retitling the thread to something that stipulates the concept as an abstract and moving it away from "Board Business" to let people vents their "angst" might be in order to let this play out (if it still needs to).

-m0r

Originally posted by m0r1arty

Originally posted by zazzafrazz
Yawn.

I think your post would have been so much more succinct and meaningful if you had kept it to just that.

Perhaps retitling the thread to something that stipulates the concept as an abstract and moving it away from "Board Business" to let people vents their "angst" might be in order to let this play out (if it still needs to).

-m0r

LOL

Anyway, what exactly do you want to play out ? Hmmm??? Peopel seem to think they are owners of ATS rather than members.
Do you own this site?
What exactly do you all want? that the owners become socialists and redistribute the wealth?
Or that they get rid of ads so we have to pay fees to keep it going?

Pray tell, what else should be played out on a site that you have no financial ownership in whatsoever.

reply to post by zazzafrazz


I'm willing to play :p - but I feel that I've said what I felt I've had to say on the matter and whilst I'm open to detailing nuances or extrapolating on trends I don't think doing so in the boards business section is very polite of me.

The guys that run this place take a lot of flak from every angle (sometimes deservedly, mostly not so much) and I don't wish to personalise it any further by discussing 'ATS' whilst I'm actually discussing internet, content and adverts in general.

Perhaps in a week or 2 when this has fizzled out an abstract discussion thread on the matter in general might be in order. As it is with the polarity of posturing, details which cannot be discussed openly for decorum as well as legal matters and the personalisation people are having with the issues brought up in this thread I think it'd be better to accept that advertising for here is an important matter (as well as included in the T&Cs here) and leave it at that.

But please feel free to either start an abstract discussion thread or wait until it's a more appropriate time for one and I'll give you my full thoughts on the subject zazzafrazz.

Let's keep the black and white thinking out of this and stick to being critical.

-m0r

reply to post by m0r1arty


I'll keep it succinct this time in my response, as requested

YAWN.

I am a skeptic as well Bill.

How about posting your numbers?

Your costs.

Your Income from Ads.

Originally posted by Bahb3
I am a skeptic as well Bill.

How about posting your numbers?

Your costs.

Your Income from Ads.

I cannot believe the rudeness!!!

It's not your business Bahb3.

You have 2 choices:

Stick with the mainstream, heavily censored. Or...

Visit alternative sites like ATS, and take 3rd party advertising over censored content.

...As it's already been explained, for various reasons subscriptions just don't work.

Moi? I choose the Free Web.

reply to post by Bahb3


How about, no?

Springer...

reply to post by SkepticOverlord


I am curious.......

Does blocking 3rd party cookies cause problems with the ads on this site?
I only ask because I have certain advertiser's cookies blocked because they are known to, or have in the past, collected "personally identifiable information" which I personally refuse to subscribe to. However, MOST cookies are allowed and I do believe supporting this site by what ever means I am allowed is a fair trade for the use of this resource.

Just to add, I think that a donate link or something to that effect is a good idea. I would happily donate even with the ads. Is there still a way to get T-shirts, bumper-stickers or (my favorite) coffee mugs?