Adblocker: harmless timesaver or content killer?

So you’re browsing the web, going about your usual business and out of nowhere you see a pop up. Maybe you want to watch a video on YouTube but are forced to sit through that movie trailer you’ve seen a dozen times. It’s no surprise then, that ad blockers have seen an increase in their install base.

Ad blockers are small browser extensions that can be downloaded freely by anyone. They execute code that prevents ads loading from a known database. For the end user, it simply means no ads. It’s a simple fix to an annoying problem.

One of the latest tech concerns is privacy. It’s come to light that ad networks collect data on their users to inform which ads are shown to them. Yet, no major networks allow easy access, if any, to control what data is being mined, who’s viewing it and how it’s being shared. Ad blockers take care of this too, as the ads just aren’t allowed to load. It’s actually an effective way to prevent data snooping and hands back control to the user.

So why do ads exist in the first place? The internet is full of content. Providing that content costs a lot of money. Especially if you have lots of traffic. In order to recoup the costs, companies can do one of two things:

1) Sell a product or service alongside their content for profit;

2) Sell advertising space.

The second has a lot more appeal as it means that the end user doesn’t have to spend money to access the site. Also, there is no guarantee that people will buy a company’s product. Selling ad space is more convenient for website owner. It also means that the content (largely) remains free. Companies buying ad space are betting that the large user base will see the ad, click on it, and in turn buy their product/service. Yet that’s where the issue lies. If people install ad blockers, they don’t view these ads and in turn do not buy said product. It means that websites are unable to command higher prices for the ad space which leads to a loss of revenue.

Perhaps this then is a sign; a signal to the ad industry to do better

Currently, the install base of top three ad blockers on Google Chrome is around 100 million. That’s 3.4% of the total number of internet users. Now that may not seem like much, but content providers have begun to notice. Channel 4 prevents viewers from watching content on All4 if they have ad blockers installed.

This tussle of users and content providers suggests a serious problem. Up until recently, this issue was only on the desktop. However, with the release of iOS 9, people can download content blockers from the app store for mobile Safari. Some analysts have suggested that this may be a sophisticated attack against Google, as Google currently owns the largest ad network. By encouraging users to disable ads on their devices, the Google ad network doesn’t have the impact it once had. This directly affects their bottom line. It’s a rather sneaky tactic to impact Android.

Should we really use Adblocker? Image: Sven Hartz / Wikimedia Commons

It’s no surprise then that some content providers have begun to find alternative ways to fund their content. The Guardian asks users using ad blockers to become supporters. Some have started to sell sponsored posts as a way of promoting products by writing reviews or featuring it in a video or podcast. These are indirect ways of achieving the same thing – selling space to allow content to be distributed freely.

Another new way to allow to free distribution of content is to use Patreon. Patreon is a website that allows artists and creators to earn recurring payments from their fans. Patreon is a subscription service for which, like Kick Starter, higher pledge amounts result to higher benefits. It’s a clever way of engaging with the audience.

Perhaps this then is a sign; a signal to the ad industry to do better. To do away with the annoying popups and flash videos. To remove the ugly links and skyscraper banners. To re-evaluate the data mining they do and give users control of what personal data is being collected. There’s no better time to propose reform then when you’re about to get knocked out. Instead focus on more curated content that is relevant and tailored to the site you’re on. Make the whole experience seamless. Who knows, people might even engage more if the content is relevant to them.