Consumer Rights Wiki

Ad block: Difference between revisions

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Moved content from ad block page proposal. Rewrote intro paragraphs for more appopriate voice. Added info on challenges to adblock.
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Reworked the general overview of the problem into what the word means and not what laymen will see as Star Trek technobabble
 
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'''Ad blocking''' is the practice of blocking advertisements, typically through automated means. Typical goals for doing this are reducing distractions, lowering the extent of data collection, decreasing resource usage (battery, network traffic, memory) and avoiding security threats that leverage advertising networks<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kan |first=Michael |date=2022-12-22 |title=FBI Recommends Installing An Ad Blocker To Dodge Scammers |url=https://www.pcmag.com/news/fbi-recommends-installing-an-ad-blocker-to-dodge-scammers |url-status=live}}</ref>.


[[Wikipedia:ad blocking|wikipedia:ad blocking]][[Ad block]] Is a form of user customization of information presentation.  For instance, to selectively not display information of little interest to the user, or content the user deems harmful or offensive, or to conserve resources by not processing some information. Blocking ads can increase security, can improve accessibility, It can also speed up devices and make them more reliable (decrease network traffic, decrease processor/memory usage).
==Consumer impact summary==
Ad blocking is the crux of one of the most prominent conflicts around [[Right to own|right of ownership]], where users feel justified in deciding what their devices do or don't, while platforms that rely on advertising, especially those that offer free services to users, argue that advertisements sustain the platform and must remain untouched. Some platforms [[Ad block#Ad block Countermeasures|even actively detect ad blocking]] in order to display a relevant notice or to degrade functions of a service. This has turned into an arms race between advertisers and consumers.


Advertising is pervasive online, and increasingly showing up in devices (refrigerators, cars, televisions).  Many sources, including US government agencies, suggest ad block as a way of enhancing security.  Ad block can help consumers own their own devices by controlling what they do.  There are efforts to use copyright law (e.g., DMCA/spotify/revanced, and German court case) to force you to play ads or other programs on your device.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Claburn |first=Thomas |date=08/15/25 |title=No more Blocktoberfest? German court throws book at ad blockers |url=https://www.theregister.com/2025/08/15/german_court_ruling_ad_blocking/ |website=The Register}}</ref>
Advertisements are increasingly showing up in devices (e.g., [[Samsung ads in refrigerators|refrigerators]], [[Stellantis in-car advertisements|cars]], televisions) built right into their system software, making ad blocking difficult.


== Examples ==
There are efforts to use copyright law (e.g., DMCA/spotify/revanced, and German court case) to force consumers to play ads or run other programs on devices.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Claburn |first=Thomas |date=2025-08-15 |title=No more Blocktoberfest? German court throws book at ad blockers |url=https://www.theregister.com/2025/08/15/german_court_ruling_ad_blocking/ |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260113010801/https://www.theregister.com/2025/08/15/german_court_ruling_ad_blocking/ |archive-date=13 Jan 2026|website=The Register}}</ref>
 
==Ad Blocker Examples==
Some of the add-ons / extensions / plug-ins below are not necessarily ad-blocking software but do contribute to blocking advertisements or reduce or eliminate the amount of data you share online.
Some of the add-ons / extensions / plug-ins below are not necessarily ad-blocking software but do contribute to blocking advertisements or reduce or eliminate the amount of data you share online.


=== <big>Internet Browsers</big> ===
===<big>Internet Browsers</big>===
A for Android, i for iOS, L for Linux, W for Windows
A for Android, i for iOS, L for Linux, W for Windows


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![https://privacybadger.org/ Privacy Badger]
![https://privacybadger.org/ Privacy Badger]
![https://ublockorigin.com/ uBlock Origin]
![https://ublockorigin.com/ uBlock Origin]
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|'''[https://brave.com/ Brave]'''
|'''[https://brave.com/ Brave]'''
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|'''[https://www.firefox.com/an/channel/desktop/developer/ Firefox Developer Edition]'''
|'''[https://www.firefox.com/an/channel/desktop/developer/ Firefox Developer Edition]'''
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|[https://mullvad.net/en/browser Mullvad Browser]
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|'''[https://vivaldi.com/ Vivaldi]'''
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== Further Reading ==
==Ad block Countermeasures==
 
===Dishonest countermeasures===
 
====1. Purposefully taking longer to load/not loading CSS portions of a website to shift the blame onto the ad blocker====


* [[Advertising overload]]
====2. Utilizing pop-ups & overlays to deter ad block usage====
Owners & developers of domains & websites can detect ad blockers & make it significantly harder to access content by putting in countermeasures such as Pop-Ups & Overlays. Sometimes they go as far as using techniques that somewhat resemble the [[Consent-or-pay]] method in order to encourage others to disable their ad filtering tool. 
[[File:3840px-Ad blocker warning example.svg.png|thumb|Example of an anti ad block pop up resembling the "Consent-or-pay" tactic]]


== References ==
==See also==
*[[Bloatware]]
 
==Further Reading==
 
*[[Advertising overload]]
*[[wikipedia:Ad_blocking|Ad blocking]] on Wikipedia
 
==References==
<references />
<references />


 
[[Category:Common terms]]
[[:Category:Common terms]]
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