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Poll: Ad blocking, yes or no?

September 18th, 2015

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A debate is raging inside of media circles now that iOS 9 allows content blocking in Safari. Gaming and technology sites, especially, are vulnerable to ad blockers because they tend to attract a savvier audience.

Ad blocking proponents say publishers must “adapt or die” because ads are now overly intrusive, especially on phones. Not only do they slow down the web, consume data plans, and drain battery life with trackers and scripts but the companies behind the ad engines gather too much information about individuals. It’s unethical to be tracked without consent thereby voiding the implied contract with publishers to view ads in exchange for so-called “free” content.

Opponents say publishers must "advertise or die" because paywalls don’t work. Ad-supported media sites use the money generated by ads to pay staff to create so-called "free" content. And since nobody wants to see ads unrelated to their interests, sophisticated networks are required to serve more engaging ads. It’s unethical for the makers of ad blockers to redirect a publisher’s revenue stream into their pockets, and for users of the ad blockers to effectively steal the content they crave.

What's your position?

Poll
To block or not to block?
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