Having recently been told off by a mod for saying I used one on The Escapist and violated the CoC, I'd think that as long as we aren't saying 'using ad block specifically for The Escapist', we might be ok. So far this thread hasn't been closed 😁LordLundar said:
Ad Exec on Blockers: "Little Piss Ants" Threaten Freedom of Speech
- Thread starter PatrickJS
- Start date
Yeah, I'm pretty nonchalant about ads. Banners/sidebars, even in-video ads (assuming they aren't unskippable ads rivalling or exceeding the video itself) don't really bother me. Though the tendency to often repeat the same ad constantly on youtube/twitch/etc is annoying. Even moreso when its clearly miles off the demographic, or targeting the wrong country or something.
Pop ups, autoplayers, scripted (code, not writing) ads all need to go right away. I'm noticing on several sites now they pop-up a "Like this, please subscribe" ad for themselves over the bottom of the page, depending on zoom settings, sometimes covering up to 25% of their own content.
Then you have the broken ads that just make the site unusuable. Whether thats due to excessive loading times, constantly resetting your cursor, coding errors, or outright malware. I distinctly remember last year, Escapist itself had some ad that crashed on almost every page, and I couldn't even use the site to report it, because it made 90% of the site not function.
Pop ups, autoplayers, scripted (code, not writing) ads all need to go right away. I'm noticing on several sites now they pop-up a "Like this, please subscribe" ad for themselves over the bottom of the page, depending on zoom settings, sometimes covering up to 25% of their own content.
Then you have the broken ads that just make the site unusuable. Whether thats due to excessive loading times, constantly resetting your cursor, coding errors, or outright malware. I distinctly remember last year, Escapist itself had some ad that crashed on almost every page, and I couldn't even use the site to report it, because it made 90% of the site not function.
Best way to fire back at ad blockers is to make them unnecessary. The ad firms made their bed by making adverts so obnoxious that people could not browse without some or all of the following to occur.
Excessive pop up/pop under ads.
Tracking software that stalks you around the internet and targets ads based on your browsing (fucking creepy)
Long load times for all the underlying infrastructure to make these ads exist, at the expense of both the website host and the end user if they have a data cap.
Computer viruses and adware.
Any sound or video ad that starts on it's own (I'll allow for a reasonable exception for a short ad that starts when you click on a video)
This guy wants to make ad block irrelevant he needs to enact some standards on his cronies and start seriously cracking down on fraudulent ads, (fuck these make thousands a day sitting on your ass at home if you pay me money to find out how BS ads that even legit sites seem to love to host) start financially penalizing any ad body that uses any kind of malware and basically have some fucking ethics. This guy railing about this issue nearly as hypocritical as Hitler complaining about Stalin's human rights abuses. (Call me out for godwinning if you want, but I will not take ethical advice from someone who clearly has no idea what ethical means.)
Excessive pop up/pop under ads.
Tracking software that stalks you around the internet and targets ads based on your browsing (fucking creepy)
Long load times for all the underlying infrastructure to make these ads exist, at the expense of both the website host and the end user if they have a data cap.
Computer viruses and adware.
Any sound or video ad that starts on it's own (I'll allow for a reasonable exception for a short ad that starts when you click on a video)
This guy wants to make ad block irrelevant he needs to enact some standards on his cronies and start seriously cracking down on fraudulent ads, (fuck these make thousands a day sitting on your ass at home if you pay me money to find out how BS ads that even legit sites seem to love to host) start financially penalizing any ad body that uses any kind of malware and basically have some fucking ethics. This guy railing about this issue nearly as hypocritical as Hitler complaining about Stalin's human rights abuses. (Call me out for godwinning if you want, but I will not take ethical advice from someone who clearly has no idea what ethical means.)
From the code of conduct, under "Use Our Forums Appropriately":Superlative said:
Ad Blockers - Do not link to, advocate, or admit to using ad blockers.
So, under that, we can talk about them, just don't advocate them or admit to using them.
Edit: Or link to them, obviously.
this. sweet jesus. I even upgraded my rig recently so I know it's not the rig, and everything else runs smooth as butter besides the escapist when one of those ads pops up.WhiteTigerShiro said:
OH also: -loud video ad that runs 25 minutes later in the background while I'm playing games/doing something else (your video ads are extremely guilty of this escapist)
escapist, I like to give you that ad money, but holy fuck that shit is annoying and it's going to push me to not come here anymore.
Advertisement and sponsored content is a fickle, tempestuous business, albeit the latter less so. There's a point when persistance and presence have a negative impact on the experience, nowhere is that more true than on the internet. I've been a pub club member on the Escapist for a few years now and honestly it's worth the removal of ads alone, because watching and reading things anywhere else is a task. Youtube ads sporadically jump from skippable to forced 2 minute viewings, meanwhile some sites are so laden with ads that I found myself opening windows all the time.
But by far the worst of all, I can't even look for a job without almost half of the page being "Sponsored Results" for jobs that aren't in my county, region or in some cases even in my country. Jobs with vague descriptions, nationwide recruitment areas and big company names listed.
But by far the worst of all, I can't even look for a job without almost half of the page being "Sponsored Results" for jobs that aren't in my county, region or in some cases even in my country. Jobs with vague descriptions, nationwide recruitment areas and big company names listed.
this. sweet jesus. I even upgraded my rig recently so I know it's not the rig, and everything else runs smooth as butter besides the escapist when one of those ads pops up.[/quote]Yeah, I initially thought it might have been my machine back when it first started happening on GameFAQs, but the problem would persist even on new machines. Heck, I can be listening to YouTube videos in the background while I play a fullscreen game and experience absolutely no problems. Meanwhile I could be running just Chrome with [/i]only[/i] one tab on GameFAQs or Escapist on that same machine and it'll chug like hell to run those ads.gmaverick019 said:
I don't watch TV and part of the reason is adverts, a few years ago adverts on my favorite websites became downright aggressive, i couldn't look at gametrailers anymore because of extremely loud flash ads blaring music at me on the sides of the pages, for awhile now the ads on youtube videos have severely interrupted my use of the site, they know it too as they now have a paid service to remove them.
I'm an advanced PC user and am extremely careful about what i'm clicking on, which internet links i'm using, so having adverts open up web pages that i never asked for is absolutely intolerable, i remember watching a program on internet security about the dangers present in pop-ups and i've definitely had anti virus hits on pop-ups before.
If there are advertisers out there doing this in a legit and safe way, then it's getting hard to see them through the money hungry operators who just don't care about the end user.
I'm an advanced PC user and am extremely careful about what i'm clicking on, which internet links i'm using, so having adverts open up web pages that i never asked for is absolutely intolerable, i remember watching a program on internet security about the dangers present in pop-ups and i've definitely had anti virus hits on pop-ups before.
If there are advertisers out there doing this in a legit and safe way, then it's getting hard to see them through the money hungry operators who just don't care about the end user.
Saying something may be free, but you better be paying for me to listen or you can go back to whatever commie country you come from where people give you their bandwidth for free. I'll support content creators, but the moment you force things on me without asking is the moment I don't give any more shits.
I'm not even "blocking" or "removing" ads, I just don't give ad servers permission to do anything, so maybe I'll be a bit more generous when you stop hosting services to pipe sewage into my computer.
As an aside...if you're looking for silly titles:
I'm not even "blocking" or "removing" ads, I just don't give ad servers permission to do anything, so maybe I'll be a bit more generous when you stop hosting services to pipe sewage into my computer.
As an aside...if you're looking for silly titles:
My problem with ads is that they use Flash player, and flash player is GARBAGE, but I still need it to watch Twitch. Once Twitch stops needing Flash though? I don't need flash player for literally anything ever again and my browser will run SO MUCH FASTER.
TBH I have a bigger problem with websites demanding that I sign up for their newsletter that, that makes me angry beyond words, beyond what can be reasonably expressed inside of the physical universe. Because I use my email for things other than newsletters and if I signed up every time for those POS newsletters I would be getting more newsletters than spam(but that's mostly semantics at this point)
TBH I have a bigger problem with websites demanding that I sign up for their newsletter that, that makes me angry beyond words, beyond what can be reasonably expressed inside of the physical universe. Because I use my email for things other than newsletters and if I signed up every time for those POS newsletters I would be getting more newsletters than spam(but that's mostly semantics at this point)
Over a hundred posts in and not one warning or ban? Maybe the Escapist finally learned something from the last time they had a video on this subject and then spontaneously decided they didn't want people talking about it.
As for this executive? Get bent. You're free to peddle your advertisements all you want, but there's nothing in the law that says I have to give you a platform to stand on when you try and inflict your 'free speech' on me. And guess what? My web browser is MY platform. You're not welcome here.
As for this executive? Get bent. You're free to peddle your advertisements all you want, but there's nothing in the law that says I have to give you a platform to stand on when you try and inflict your 'free speech' on me. And guess what? My web browser is MY platform. You're not welcome here.
Take one (1) oily marketer
Add one (1) firebrand techie
Combine with Internet and stir.
Anyone surprised you get a flame war?
Add one (1) firebrand techie
Combine with Internet and stir.
Anyone surprised you get a flame war?
I really don't get how using an adblocker can be morally justified.
I keep reading things in this thread like "Ads are intrusive and are infringing on my enjoyment of the website I am visiting, make my browser lag, ec. ec."
So you don't like how the website you are using is running their business and don't want to support it. That I get, perfectly, and you are absolutely entitled to do that as the responsible consumer you are.
But how can you now go on and say: "I am not supporting your business, because I don't like your ads, but I still feel entitled to consume your content, because ... it is my god given right as internet denizen?"
To me this looks like stealing. A very mild form of stealing, admittedly, but stealing nonetheless.
I keep reading things in this thread like "Ads are intrusive and are infringing on my enjoyment of the website I am visiting, make my browser lag, ec. ec."
So you don't like how the website you are using is running their business and don't want to support it. That I get, perfectly, and you are absolutely entitled to do that as the responsible consumer you are.
But how can you now go on and say: "I am not supporting your business, because I don't like your ads, but I still feel entitled to consume your content, because ... it is my god given right as internet denizen?"
To me this looks like stealing. A very mild form of stealing, admittedly, but stealing nonetheless.
I've underlined the bit there that's become.. shall we say, slightly problematic in this thread.Katherine Kerensky said:
And here's why:
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/jump/7.933572.23493937
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/jump/7.933572.23494268EndlessSporadic said:
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/jump/7.933572.23494652Baresark said:
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/jump/7.933572.23494666Sheo_Dagana said:
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/jump/7.933572.23495315Saltyk said:
BlackJesus said:
You've already GOT people admitting to adblock, and this becomes a bit of a problem because according to a moderator (you) these people are in breach of the forum rules, even though they're literally only posting their online experiences and views, and are on-topic.
Sorry, not meaning to have a go at you, Katherine Kerensky, (and apologies if my post comes across that way), but I've always held the opinion that the adblock rule is by far the absolute dumbest rule we have here, illustrated by how it hampers perfectly legit on-topic discussions (such as in this thread).
You could just as easily argue that ADS hamper freedom of expression because they discourage people from consuming the actual content they are looking for, which is a lot more entitled to 1st amendment protection than those obnoxious browser game ads that steal screenshots from other games or just the straight up scams that will totally guarantee you to pull in 5 grand a week working from home, and that's not even mentioning the ads that are just straight-up offensive, whether it be due to the content or because whover designed it thinks people are dumb enough to fall for that crap.
Oh for heaven's sake. Just call it what it it is: theft. It's selfish and causes problems for content creators who have to sell more ad space to compensate, and users without adblock who have to put up with all the extra ads because some people are too self important to cope with a couple of ads. We are visitors to other people's sites, and we should be abiding by their rules.
This is true, but there are times when even on perfectly legitimate websites (such as the Escapist) an ad has made you vulnerable to Malware... more than once. At which point it is understandable why some people why use an adblockone squirrel said:
I'll give you one of my recent experiences with a site I do normally use Adblockers for, though I disable them for places like here. I decide that I'm going to download a file uploaded to this site, for free. Now, the usual 20Kb/s max download speed, 30 second wait, one download of max 200Mb every 4 hours shit applies, and I'm cool with that. Encourage your business. I'm cool with you putting a few ads up too to try and make some money. However...kekkres said:
There are 5 download links. 1 of them is for the file, the other 4 are spam ads. Before the page finishes loading, another page with a video and loud noise opens, without me asking it to. It tries its damned hardest not to let me close it, and I have to use task manager to finish the job. I click on the page to scroll to the download link, and another page opens. I didn't even click on anything on the page, just the scrollbar. But interacting with the page at all launches an ad. And then 3 more the next few attempts. After 10 minutes of attempting to even get to the download button, I realise Adblock is off, so I enable it, and manage to get the download started in 10 seconds.
Other examples including pictures that take up the whole damn screen and stop you from even interacting with the content, loud, blaring sound video ads that can't be closed, endless popups - and this happens even when avoiding the less safe parts of the internet. To be honest, navigating the internet without adblock these days is just asking for trouble, unless you only visit one or two sites who happen to be responsible with their ads.
As another user said, not all ads are intrusive, but the ones that are intrusive are why adblock was created. I can put up with a bunch of pictures all over my screen. I can't put up with not being able to use the damn webpage because there's that many of them.
For an idea of the intrusive nature, lets take McDonalds drive through if they started doing ads.
You get to McDonalds and see advertisements for the latest Iphone. Cool, you think, and head to the drive through. You go to look at the menu to see what you'd like to order, but a company has paid to have the menu covered up by an add for an obvious pyramid scheme. You have to talk to the person on the speakers for 5 minutes to even figure out what they're selling. Whilst talking to them though, a loud voiceover for a Toyota ad is playing, louder than they're talking. You eventually get past this and move to the pay booth to pay for your meal. You turn to pay, and there's a screen there that says "Please watch this compulsory ad to continue". SO you sit there for 30 seconds watching the damn ad, and pay to get your meal. Before you can continue driving, a huge banner is lowered completely covering the windscreen of your car advertising McDonald's all day breakfast. You ask the person to remove it so you can keep going, and they ask if you're sure you want it removed, there's a limited time offer for you if you don't keep going. You say no, you want it removed, and they spend a minute searching for the button to raise it, which is hidden on the other end of the shop. As you near the booth to collect your food, a barricade pops up and an alternate route opens to the Blockbuster next door, and your car radio starts blaring loud music at you telling you how great renting movies is. There is a button to open the barricade and let you through, but its in such a position that you almost won't be able to drive back through McDonalds if you do so. You finally get your food, and go to leave, but one of the staff runs out infront of you and asks if you'd really like to leave now, there is a limited time deal from one of their partners to learn how to pick up chicks easy, and that you can't get if you leave now.
And the kicker? You say no, drive out, go home, and turn around to find a McDonalds employee in your car who's been sitting there informing the company of where you drive, where you live, what you have in your car, your favourite radio station, your family size, ect.
Ads can be intrusive as fuck. Sometimes, they're done ok. Other times...
Standards need to be enforced by this body if they want people to view ads, rather than block them all as its too damn hard to separate the good ones from the bad ones, though some adblockers are starting to implement features where non-intrusive advertisers are exempt from their blocking. Its getting to the point where its almost not safe to browse the damn internet these days because of all the ads, half of which [Yes, hyperbole, but more than there should be] install something on your computer because the company selling the space doesn't care what's there, just that they get money. That is very intrusive.
Sure, don't browse the internet, you might say. Only visit the 3 sites you like that don't have intrusive ads. However, that doesn't work if you want to find something new, which is what most people on the internet are trying to do.
Until ads start to police themselves, others are going to do that job for them.
So long as malware can be imbedded in advertising, the use of blockers is both justified and sensible.