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Topic: Some thoughts on ad-blockers and adblock blockers (Read 634 times) previous topic - next topic
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Re: Some thoughts on ad-blockers and adblock blockers

Reply #1

 Looked couple of minutes from the video. The problem with ads is malvertising and persistent tracking thru super cookies in order to gather as much info to use and sell for the higher bidder.

More often exploits sneak thru this 'innocent' advertising which may still exist but of course not that innocent in real world. For me it's simply doesn't worth to take that much risks just for the 3 folx receive 4 cents or pennies in whatever country. Anyway people know in general what they need so when they need they simply go and buy online or physically.

I'm not loosing any sleep blocking ads. I've seen websites news sites in general that detect you use adblock and injects some crypto miner java code which is not that easy to detect as the guys always mutate the code.


Re: Some thoughts on ad-blockers and adblock blockers

Reply #2
Googletube keeps most of that revenue for themselves too:

To apply for membership in YPP, channels must meet eligibility thresholds related to watch time and subscribers. Following application, YouTube's review team ensures that the channel has not gone against YouTube's monetisation, content and copyright policies. Only channels that meet eligibility thresholds and follow all of our guidelines will be admitted to the programme, which makes them eligible to receive access to ads and other monetisation products.

1. Get 1,000 subscribers with 4,000 valid public watch hours in the last 12 months, or
2. Get 1,000 subscribers with 10 million valid public Shorts views in the last 90 days.

If you look at the viewing figures, most content from ordinary people doesn't qualify, but there are still loads of them rushing around like little googleslaves in what must be many hours of work trying to qualify for the meagre few cents or dollars a year they might get from ads if they could only meet the thresholds. There are other video platforms that don't have this kind of limitation but youtube is so ubiquitous it's even built into many devices as standard and can also be promoted by google search and google browser so they don't get much traffic in comparison.

Re: Some thoughts on ad-blockers and adblock blockers

Reply #3
The problem with ads is malvertising and persistent tracking thru super cookies in order to gather as much info to use and sell for the higher bidder.
There is that for sure but also most media type sites just overdo the ads so much that the actual content gets buried.
Occasionally I seem to forget this and think I'm overdoing it with my hyper locked down browsing, where few pages display correctly (as the designer intended), but then on the rare occasions that I really want to see the content of a page that refuses to load at all I pop the URL into a vanilla settings browser and am quickly reminded that the locked down way is vastly preferable.

I didn't watch the whole video but the youtube mirror mentioned near the start was an invidious instance (or fork).
Imho its worth setting up a private instance for ones self as it prevents both the ad's and the algorithm trying to suck you down the rabbit hole. "10 disasters at sea you won't believe!!" etc


Re: Some thoughts on ad-blockers and adblock blockers

Reply #5
As someone who had watched the whole video, it seemed to me the author of the video was thoughtful and considered things i wouldnt have.  i appreciate the insights and may need to watch it again a couple more times.  I found the cobra effect arguements compelling.
Cat Herders of Linux

Re: Some thoughts on ad-blockers and adblock blockers

Reply #6
The worst thing IMO is that no authority or standard board managing the web has thought of creating an actual rule for ad quality, so it's up to the sites how to deliver them.
Now, on the plus site, some self respecting sites have indeed better ad quality than 10 years ago, and I do turn off the blocklists once in a while for them. Even with the one or two cookie trackers remaining, because those are blocked anyway in other ways :)
When an actual advertizing standard will be done I will stop blocking them altogether. You know, just like that guy said it some ads are fun and give you a good mood. It's just the "Annoyances" (as uBlock likes to name them) that stay the problem.
PS. what youtube does in north america is sick, in europe at least they have the decency to put one 15s unskippable ad / two ads skippable after 5s...

Re: Some thoughts on ad-blockers and adblock blockers

Reply #7

 I think it's the user's right to control what goes in and what not. In the end, it's user's machine and he pays for his internet/energy bill and he is responsible for the safety of his own data.

Those that make ads being better accepted are the brave browser team as they share a tiny bit of add revenue with users who opt to see ads.

I would ban advertising even on tv channels as they take plenty of $$$ from cable companies and from advertisers. The advertisers get their money from the narrative creators, deep state, lobbyists and whatnot then they sell you whatever vaccine or some other baloney product they need to sell like fresh bread using their influence that they gathered on the govs.

I would allow ads only at the commercial physical spot and banners on the roads/streets as some of the $$$ will go at the city hall in the community.


On websites should be a switch where user can turn on or off ads same as we are asked about cookies. They should also be kept accountable if some malvertising sneaks thru and they should pay reparations if something goes horribly wrong.


Re: Some thoughts on ad-blockers and adblock blockers

Reply #8
This video might not be what it seems - the voice sounds quite electronic, it might be computer generated, although it might have been very carefully scripted, recorded and edited to remove human imperfections. The cobra effect isn't well known, not round here anyway - perhaps this was made by someone with Indian connections? Despite talking about legal issues, there are numerous copyright infringements in the video, unless the maker somehow got permission to use pictures of Spiderman and Spongebob Squarepants & co. and so forth. Why is this video, which is purportedly critical of YouTube being pushed by YouTube and had 1.5m views yesterday, 1.6m today? That's more than some big movie trailers and chart hit singles that put out a lot of publicity. At one point they show an image saying TikTok shows dangerous ads, there could be some subliminal messaging or hidden agenda here.