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

reply to post by oconnection


I receive nothing in the way of pay from ATS. Nor do any of the staff. We're strictly volunteer. I do it, 'cause, for the most part it's a lot of fun for me. The staff have become, in a very real sense, part of my family.

We do it, the modding, because we care about ATS, and want to see it succeed.

That's also why some of us, myself included, get a tad heated when topics such as this come up.

[edit on 3/8/2010 by seagull]

There is one ad that seriously making me consider turning on ad blocker. It's the second one that pops up, usually the page after netflix. I have to click on it three different times before it finally closes. I really don't like this, as it pops up an extra box of text asking if I want to exit. I NEVER click those, I'd rather close the browser and restart than click "ok to leave this page." Additionally, Ive got to say that I enjoy being able to pick and choose what media I choose to view, and this includes the exclusion of commercials and advertisements. Also, some ads are quite inappropriate, causing a need for the blocker in the first place, not to mention it poses a potential security risk.

Also, it might just be my paranoia, but I'm not very excited about the idea of third party anything on my comp when there is so much attention focused on conspiracy theorists. A lot of the things on the site, such as the pages myself and others look into simply because they are interesting , may be spun in a very negative light if things were ever to hit "witch hunt" levels. Not to mention some of the comments we make here and there when we get a little fired up.

Finally, I think the mods should get compensated, if we are making a deal about people getting what they are owed. Volunteer may mean nice, but nice doesn't mean people couldn't use some extra cash these days, especially those that do a good job.

edit for redundancy, caps. and again for redundancy (lol)

[edit on 8-3-2010 by ganja]

[edit on 8-3-2010 by ganja]

I was attracted to this thread after having the false warning pop up and I have two questions thus far; the first is why is it that only certain members who confessed to using an ad blocker were banned, and a couple who also did remain?

The second is at what level to ads get disabled for members? Is it a certain amount of points or flag contribution level or... ?

I appreciate that ATS is a business and people need to be paid so I have no problems with allowing ads (annoying as some are), perhaps another way around the problem without charging members directly is using the store/gear shop? A redeemable code could be given on purchase that allows members to disable ads or recieve points for ordering items that ATS profits from, a loyalty scheme as it were. Would this be workable?

Originally posted by ganja
It's the second one that pops up, usually the page after netflix.

As a member, if you're seeing pop-ups it's from a source other than us.

Originally posted by SkepticOverlord

Originally posted by ganja
It's the second one that pops up, usually the page after netflix.

As a member, if you're seeing pop-ups it's from a source other than us.

this is the main issue for me, even if i dont have any other website open
and only ATS i get pop ups as shown in my previous post.

for me its def coming from ATS.

reply to post by SkepticOverlord


Uhmm.. it's a brand new comp, and the ads are the EXACT same as they were on my last one...? Also, the ads only show up on this site and they are consistent.

Either way, thanks for the quick reply.

Originally posted by ganja

Also, I think the mods should get compensated, if we are making a deal about people getting what they are owed.

They do get compensated ... just not with benjamins.

I'm actually not joking. People find value, worth, virtue in many things, the most important of which cannot be purchased with money. My observation is that staff as in a great number of members embrace a mantra that many communicate but never apply; "It makes me so happy to do this that I would do it for free."

In short, many find the road to be its own reward.

Edit to add: They welcome foot rubs.

[edit on 8 Mar 2010 by schrodingers dog]

Originally posted by illusive man
this is the main issue for me, even if i dont have any other website open
and only ATS i get pop ups as shown in my previous post.

for me its def coming from ATS.

Then there is some type of adware on your computer that is launching sporadic pop-ups. This can come from numerous sources, and most-often is via email attachments and software downloads... very-rarely from simply viewing an ad online.

Ok ATS, I have turned off my Adblocker, just because it seems so important. The reason I don't like any ads anywhere on my interwebs is because they use your user statistics in order to ensnare you. I will definitely not turn off the scriptblocker though, so any ads that get through I will not block.

reply to post by SkepticOverlord


thats the Thing,

I clean my PC regulary as i mentioned before
and the only website that those pop ups appear on is ATS

they dont come up on any other website

if this happend if i had other websites open and didnt have ATS open at all i would agree with you there.

its Issue with ATS webpage. PC is clean

edit: if i did have adaware isnt it fishy that the only website it makes ad pop up on is this one?




[edit on 8-3-2010 by illusive man]

I'm a bit confused why people are offering alternatives to viewing ads, such as options to buy out of them? There is already an option in place. Increase one's contribution to site and at the point one reaches a certain post/star/flag level, the site automatically blocks the ads...

Voila, problem solved. Get to posting!

Well i was using it, i'm not now though.

I didn't actually even realise it would be a violation of the t&c's

Do i owe you any money lol

But seriously, they say it only takes 1 bad apple to ruin a barrel, this could easily be applied to the internet add industry! So is revenue going to be the ultimate downfall of free speech and info on the net?

For those using Firefox.....

In case you have this problem I found the (temporary) fix. What happens is that the 3rd party ads are what is blocked - not the ATS ad frames. The easiest way to fix this is simple.

1. In Linux/Mac (I think) Click Edit>Preferences>content and uncheck "block pop up windows" and restart (without saving) the browser.
In Windows this menu is located in Tools>Options>content but is similar in the rest of iit's workings.

2.re-enable and click exceptions and add www.abovetopsecret.com AND abovetopsecret.com to the list of allowed sites. Then restart the browser again.

These two steps worked for me although I already had www.abovetopsecret.com added, so you may find that to be the case also. In that case, delete the entry and restart, then re-add BOTH entries. It must be a bug in FF with the recent update.

Well I got the message I was using an add blocker, but I'm not...
I use a popup blocker and Norton Internet keeps a redirect script from taking me to harmful sites...
I admit I don't see many ad's on ATS while I'm signed in but if I'm not...
Oh Boy do I get ads...

Originally posted by Goathief

The second is at what level to ads get disabled for members? Is it a certain amount of points or flag contribution level or... ?

For all members who have at least 250 posts, have received at least 250 flags for their threads, and at least 250 stars for their posts... advertising on the discussion board area will be automatically disabled.

www.abovetopsecret.com...

Hope this helps.

reply to post by ziggystar60


Hey there, I think that has changed... it kicked in at 300 for me...

www.abovetopsecret.com...

Cheers

Originally posted by LadySkadi
I'm a bit confused why people are offering alternatives to viewing ads, such as options to buy out of them? There is already an option in place. Increase one's contribution to site and at the point one reaches a certain post/star/flag level, the site automatically blocks the ads...

Voila, problem solved. Get to posting!

Nobody seems to know which level this happens, do you? If it was clearly stated then I don't think anyone would be asking.

So what level does this happen and is it related to points, star, flag, contribution and/or all of the previous?

I also don't see why it's so hard to understand that people wish to offer money to ATS to improve their experience, not everyone can waste all day-every day on here to improve their 'score' like some kind of game.

reply to post by Goathief


Go to your profile and double click on your level status bar. It will redirect you to the post that explains all of it.


_______________________
ETA: www.abovetopsecret.com...



[edit on 8-3-2010 by LadySkadi]

I know this site is privately owned and you can do whatever you wish, if the ads revenue is not enough to keep this site afloat i would start cutting features like video hosting and the news videos. I would ask members to host the videos somewhere else so it doesn't cost ATS so much money.

Switching to subscription model would open a big can of worms for ATS and it would drive users away.

I just got that big text message from you at the top of the screen and clicked for "more information" and came to this thread.

I have some questions!

I have never installed any (what I know of) additional add-blocker software, beside my ordinary Anti-virus programs.

Before, with the same Anti virus program as I still have know, I saw ads - but in recent times they are gone - so I thought, well I remembered SO talked about that members who had certain points didn't have to see ads.

So when my ads disappeared I thought, hey! I'm probably there now!

Well! while I understand that you guys need to show ads, I'm now having some problem finding out why my computer suddenly have stopped showing the ads on your "home" frontpage which I was able to see back in the fall of 2009

So I maybe need some time to solve this! so I hope I don't get banned before I have sorted that out?

Man! I hate to mess with my Internet security and anti-virus! Is there any possibility to pay you something to have access instead?


[edit on 8-3-2010 by Chevalerous]