To block or not to block? That is the question. Not since the invention of the mute button has humanity wielded such a powerful tool against the relentless barrage of “You won’t believe what happens next” and “Local singles in your area – click here!” adverts.
I’ve been using ad-blocking software for years to keep pop-ups and autoplaying videos at bay. The internet, once a minefield of flashing banners and “before you go!” pop-ups, suddenly became a serene, distraction-free paradise thanks to ad-blocking.
Ad blockers don’t just clear the clutter from websites, they offer a layer of privacy protection. Many ads are really just tracking devices in disguise, gathering data about your every move online. With an ad blocker, you’re not just blocking ads – you’re erasing the digital footprints that advertising networks use to target you with more adverts.
Some ad blockers even protect against malware and crypto-jacking, so you can browse safely without your computer secretly mining bitcoin for some shady website. Then there’s the speed. Websites load faster, your battery lasts longer, and your sanity remains intact.
So far, so good. But here’s the other side of ad blocking – the website you love visiting may well depend on those annoying adverts to serve up the content you keep coming back for. As Google, Meta, TikTok and others have claimed the lion’s share of digital advertising, independent site owners have had to resort to clickbait advertising tactics to yield results.
When you block ads, you’re essentially freeloading, like sneaking into a movie theatre and then complaining about the lack of popcorn. The result? Paywalls are popping up across the internet. A bewildering array of subscription models has appeared. The dreaded “You’ve reached your free article limit for the month” message, which is the internet’s way of saying, “Pay up or get out”, now greets you on news websites.
This is creating a digital divide between those who can afford subscriptions and those who can’t, limiting access to information and knowledge for many. Suddenly, the free internet isn’t so free any more.
Recently, a rumour went viral that YouTube, which makes most of its revenue from selling advertising, was slowing down its website for users employing ad blockers to strip the ads from its videos. Its owner Google denied the charge. But the internet giant has waged a decades-long war on ad blockers, arguing that they harm the video makers who publish on YouTube and receive a share of advertising revenue for their efforts.
YouTube has a point and offers an imperfect solution. As a YouTube Premium subscriber, I pay a monthly fee to have the adverts stripped from videos. Occasionally when I use the site without being logged into my account, I see what the ad-supported version of YouTube is like – an unwatchable mess of adverts interrupting the videos.
The answer is for website owners to offer the option of paying for an ad-free experience. That doesn’t help the people who can’t afford to pay. But in the interests of a decent internet, everyone has to do their bit – even if that bit is occasionally watching a banner ad for “amazing deals on socks you didn’t know you needed”.
Here’s the best way for website owners to avoid that category of users resorting to ad blockers – quit showing terrible, disruptive adverts. Not all ads are bad. Some of them are entertaining and serve up things we actually want. A more thoughtful approach to what web designers call the “user experience” would encourage better integration of ads and give us ways to support great websites.
In the meantime, I’m blocking obnoxious, intrusive ads, but whitelisting sites I love and trust. Occasionally I’ll also shell out for the ad-free experience.
