AdBlock selling us out

[kimmer]

[attachment=3194:adblock_...e_pop_up.png]

Has anyone else seen this? EDITED TO CLARIFY: this alert is from AdBlock (not plus). Did you take time to read it all? I didn't at first, then it showed up in another browser. I'd just dumped AdBlock Plus due to this "acceptable ads" thing, and now we seem to have no choice. We'll view the ads others consider acceptable, or not spend time on the web.

[Xairbusdriver]

Well, if you can disable this 'feature', I'm not sure I see any problem. I know this is a "default" setting, but I'm not sure the average surfer even knows/cares about blocking ads.

I'm using v2.8 and it has plenty of options to block sites although I've not downloaded any of the third (fourth?) party lists. Frankly, I think it's fine to allow favorite sites to make some money by selling ads. I can still block those ads by dumping any emails from them. After all, there ain't no free lunch! It's great to have a site that doesn't force me to watch ads, I generally avoid those kinds of sites, anyway, but there are so few sites I visit that have ads, it shouldn't be too hard to use Adblock to still block those that I find annoying or distracting.

BTW, I still highly recommend Ghostery...

[jchuzi]

I got that too and I opted to click "disable this". I'm glad that I never made a contribution.

[Xairbusdriver]

Perhaps if more of us made 'contributions' we would not be seeing this change. Keeping a program current often takes as much time as creating it. Most continually useful apps deserve our support... one way or another.

[jchuzi]

Point well taken.

[kimmer]

A few points:

• I did make a donation to the couple who originally wrote AdBlock.
• How long before the new owner no longer gives us the choice to opt-out of "acceptable ads"?
• I do whitelist sites that I enjoy and visit on a regular basis, as long as their ads aren't obnoxious and don't freeze my browser. I think that's only fair.
• I also use Ghostery, but there are some sites where I have to shut it off in order for the site to work.
• I looked at the list of "acceptable ads" and companies. It's a 226 page pdf file (and I'll share it if anyone wants it). It includes doubleclick ads as acceptable.  

This is all part of a bigger push by many companies / web sites to force everyone to enjoy their obnoxious and obtrusive ads. Soon many sites will join in the paywall group, and then what will we do on the web? Why visit FB, that's what.

[Xairbusdriver]

First, I'm pretty sure you can still use a 'blacklist' for any domain you want to block.
Second, I think we may need to use the exact name of what we're using. I don't use AdBlock Plus, which is the one you posted about. I'm using AdBlock 2.18, created by Michael Gundlach (who claims to be an American, BTW) <linkText>. I think you are talking about AdBlock+ <linkText> which is a GitHub project.
Third, here's a bit of text from ABP:"Eyeo is the originator behind the Acceptable Ads initiative...
We encourage users to join the ongoing discussion to determine which ads qualify as acceptable ads..." Perhaps you might join their forums and express your displeasure. Apparently, you can also submit changes/recommendations to the "Acceptable" and other lists. "Eyeo" is a group in Germany, I think.
Fourth, I'm not sure which came first, so I don't know who got your contribution. I did find this at the AdBlock (no plus) site:"AdBlock was inspired by an extension created long ago for the older Firefox web browser called "Adblock Plus" (which was in turn named after a yet older Firefox "Adblock" project; yes, it's confusing), but it's not related to those."
Fifth, I don't think "paywall" is the same as "acceptable ads". To me, a "pay wall" excludes access to the features of a site. Consumers Report uses that method, along with many news sites.

I'm out of fingers on this hand, do I need to the other one to type, so I'll stop now.

[kimmer]

QUOTE(Xairbusdriver @ Oct 2 2015, 04:08 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Second, I think we may need to use the exact name of what we're using. I don't use AdBlock Plus, which is the one you posted about. I'm using AdBlock 2.18, created by Michael Gundlach (who claims to be an American, BTW) <linkText>. I think you are talking about AdBlock+ <linkText> which is a GitHub project.

No, I posted about plain ol' AdBlock (not plus), so I am using the exact name of the extension that I’m talking about—plain ol' AdBlock (not plus). The alert (which is the file I attached to my OP) is from AdBlock—and I’m running version 2.41.1 in Safari. AdBlock is no longer owned by Gundlach, it's now owned by:

QUOTE

Who is behind AdBlock?
We are a small team of developers who rely entirely on your support for AdBlock's maintenance and development. We’re enormously proud of what we've built and thankful for every user, and we take your feedback to heart with every new release of AdBlock. We are committed to ensuring it remains our best tool for filtering content on the Web.

The "Acceptable Ads program" was put together by the owners of AdBlock Plus, and AdBlock(not plus) is joining the same program. According to the information at the ABPLUS site, you can't block all ads any longer:

QUOTE

Will all "acceptable" ads be unblocked?

No. Unfortunately, it isn't technically possible to recognize ads that meet our Acceptable Ads criteria automatically. We have agreements with some websites and advertisers which stipulate that only advertising matching our criteria will be displayed when Adblock Plus users visit these particular sites. These ads will be unblocked, i.e. added to the Acceptable Ads exception list which is enabled per default.

No applicant will be favored or treated differently, and no one can buy their way onto the whitelist. Everyone has to comply with the criteria and everyone has to go through the same process before the ads qualify as "acceptable."

You can read more about the sale of AdBlock and the acceptable ads program here:
http://www.zdnet.com/article/adblock-for-c...le-ads-program/

QUOTE

Fourth, I'm not sure which came first, so I don't know who got your contribution. I did find this at the AdBlock (no plus) site:"AdBlock was inspired by an extension created long ago for the older Firefox web browser called "Adblock Plus" (which was in turn named after a yet older Firefox "Adblock" project; yes, it's confusing), but it's not related to those."

My contribution went to Gundlach. I didn't try ABPLUS until a few weeks ago, and I gave it up a few days ago.

QUOTE

Fifth, I don't think "paywall" is the same as "acceptable ads". To me, a "pay wall" excludes access to the features of a site. Consumers Report uses that method, along with many news sites.

Correct, they are two different animals. My point was that the push for the "acceptable ads" has come from big name web sites that are irked by the loss of money from folks not viewing their ugly, obnoxious, obtrusive ads. Many of them went to "pay to view" (i.e.: paywall), and I think (and this is just my opinion which with a nickel won't buy a stick of gum) this is the beginning of more sites going to "pay to view". The local news (so called) paper in my area went behind a paywall and they charge $90 a year (might be higher now - they don't reveal the cost for things on their web site) for you to view their ad filled pieces of junk that come out on Wednesday and Friday—but not if there is a holiday on one of those days. I can get the same price, sometimes less, with a one year print subscription that is mailed to me. Now I'm off track.

I still feel that AdBlock has sold us out, but then the truth is that Gundlach sold us all out when he sold his company.

[Xairbusdriver]

OK. I never argue with a lady.

Can I start over (do we have "do overs" at TS? )?

My last post may appear to be quite harsh and even argumentative. That is absolutely not what I intended. I think part of my problem was/is my confusion about the two so similarly named extensions. One of the sites even mentions this in discussing the 'history' of the name(s).

My second mistake was assuming(!) that the extension I am using is not the one kimmer was talking about since I had not received any messages about its change in operation. I'm not sure there even was any communication from the devs. AdBlockPlus does have a link to the Accepted Ads information. I thus assumed that was the app being referred to. Apparently that was another bad assumption.

I'm not sure the extension I have installed (AdBlock) is actually doing anything! I just don't visit many sites that have ads, so I really don't have any experience concerning missing/broken sites because of ads being blocked.

I guess the final point is that we can only 'vote with our feet/wallet' in most cases like this. We don't really have any power to force a developer to continue supporting every app/extension they provide, even if we pay for it! :sad: I think it also says something about our relationship with our computers and how we see the commercialization of the Internet. Most of us have opinions about that as well as favorite apps/sites/developers/companies/etc.

Perhaps these links can shed some light on why some ad blocking developers are getting pressured by ad suppliers:
<Potential ad blocking on iOS9>TechFocus: "...Many sites and online publications rely most of their income on advertising. Considering Apple’s latest foray into the ad blocking industry, online advertisers will surely suffer major drawbacks in terms of monetizing the mobile industry..."
<WSJ: Apple’s Ad-Blocking Is Potential Nightmare for Publishers>
<Bloomberg: IOS 9 will let iPhone and iPad users install ad-blocking tools. That’s sufficient cause for a freakout at many media companies>

[kimmer]

Yes, let's do over. My apologies for barking back at you, Jim. I have had a couple of very rough days and I'm overly sensitive. If you want to know why, visit my blog and read my latest post. Still, that's no excuse for being rude, so my apologies. Now back to the subject at hand ....

AdBlock plus vs non-plus is VERY confusing.

As to Apple doing adblocking on the iPhone and iPad - HURRAY! Those ads on mobile sites have crashed my browser and screwed up my iPhone and iPad to the point that I no longer visit sites on either device. In fact, I removed the iPad from my phone plan, thus saving myself money.

In order to read one particular local online news site, I wound up installing a gif blocker in Chrome and I visit that site once per day and only on my iMac using Chrome. I simply couldn't take the dozens of blinking ads on both sides of the page and in the midst of articles.

If ads weren't so invasive (and perhaps dangerously filled with trojan horses and such), I'd play nice and let the ads run; but these days most of the ads destroy the layout of the page, interrupt my reading experience, etc. I simply do NOT click on those type of ads. There are a few sites that have very calm, relevant ads and I have whitelisted those sites and I do sometimes click and shop; but those are trusted sites (and I can count the number on all my fingers and have thumbs and more left over).

QUOTE

My second mistake was assuming(!) that the extension I am using is not the one kimmer was talking about since I had not received any messages about its change in operation.

That's strange, but if the version number you listed is correct, then you aren't running the latest version and that might explain the lack of notification.

BTW, lots of folks are now using uBlock, which is an open source adblock extension. I don't know anything about it, so be cautious if you try it.