Do you consider FF adblocking to be theft?

StrongInTheArm · 08-22-2007, 11:02 AM

Apparently there is a guy in the US who considers FF's adblocking functionality to be tantamount to theft, presumably of his advertising revenue. Consequently he attempts to block all users with the FF browser from accessing his site.

He strikes me as being a bit of a loon, but I'm wondering if there is anybody else who sees a user blocking an ad. in this way as cheating them in any way.

I got this story from Jack Schofield who writes for the Guardian on techie issues and I'm wondering what a community of web designers think.

http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/technolo...d_updated.html

chicgeek · 08-22-2007, 11:08 AM

Pfft. Not theft.

*hugs her adblock*

Ferre · 08-22-2007, 11:23 AM

That dude is an idiot. Does he really believe that people who don't want to see any ads and block them are the audience that would click on his ads if they do see them?

Domestic Diva · 08-22-2007, 11:25 AM

I don't think it's theft, per se - but I suppose it could be considered a bit unfair on some levels. Do I care? No way!

Pop-up ads, among other things, are very irritating. But, it's likely those persistent ad people will always be finding new and improved ways of getting around the blocking programs, so they can continue to assault us with their products.

Sort of like TV advertisers. Ever since the whole VOD and DVR wave came about, I've noticed a ton more "product placements" in movies and TV shows. I'm guessing that's because they know their viewers will be fast forwarding past their commercials. So, it's only logical that they reinvent their ways of advertising.

I didn't mean to tangent - I was just trying to make a point.

Ferre · 08-22-2007, 11:28 AM

Just had a look at that article, and indeed...

Quote:

Danny Carlton, aka (to himself, for reasons I can't fathom) Jack Lewis, who is - judging by his site - a gun-owning home-schooling evolution-dissing Christian

A totally retarded fruitcake.

Domestic Diva · 08-22-2007, 11:29 AM

rut roh. . .

Here we go. . .

*bracing myself*

chicgeek · 08-22-2007, 11:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ferre

That dude is an idiot. Does he really believe that people who don't want to see any ads and block them are the audience that would click on his ads if they do see them?

I'd green if I could!

More of my thoughts, however idealistic:
http://www.v7n.com/forums/webmaster-...e-profits.html

Deejay Dan · 08-22-2007, 11:41 AM

I don't consider it theft one bit. Just like I choose which websites to visit, I choose which content I see on my screen. On sites I regularly visit like v7n, wtf, etc ad blocking is turned off.

I really only started ad blocking for 2 reasons:

1) News sites that throw big animated adverts right in the middle of a story. It's annoying and distracting. I don't know why people click on them, it on encourages the fools more.

2) MFA sites. I don't want to see 3 adsense blocks, stacked on top of each other before I see the content. Thank you very much. :p

I also block all flash using Flash Block, that takes care of those stupid sweep in advertisement overlays.

Ferre · 08-22-2007, 11:44 AM

Funny thing is, I read his announcement on blocking those ads and he's even more retarded than I first thought he was. He really believes (is convinced) that people who block ads would click them if they could see them.

(Google cashe)
http://64.233.183.104/search?q=cache...n&ct=clnk&cd=5

Quote:

Originally Posted by FireFox blocking nutter on his own site

Quote:

Originally Posted by Comment on his blog

first of all, ignoring the fact that people who use adblock wouldn't click ads anyway,

Wrong. People block ads because they find some annoying and have decided to steal content rather than avoid going to those sites with annoying ads. People who block ads do click on ads when they appear.