Adblock detected : Rise of Anti-Adblock software and what to do about it.

I DON'T LIKE POORLY DONE ADS.

Like most of you reading this, i don't like poorly done ads. I don't mind ads, but mostly the insensitive ones, racist ones or when there is just one too many on a page. (for example 88 in a page)

I hate ads which infringe on privacy, depend on hacks and use unethical methods to detect my location, segment me, and push completely unrelated products to me.

There are also the ones which assume things about me. Just because i am logging on from India and am a male, I must surely be interested in weight loss, becoming fairer in 2 weeks, growing parts of my anatomy or getting 6 pack abs without effort.

Also, the ones who feel that If all else fails, and a user is in incognito browsing mode and you can't make out anything about the user, let's push some harmless gambling.

Instead of understanding WHY or HOW lets force Ads on users with Anti-Adblock

For the longest time, I could avoid this unpleasantness of the web using Adblock or similar software.

But in search of ever-growing revenue, most of the publications have now started using Anti-Adblock tools or Adblock Blockers. This includes most of India's leading newspapers and magazines. Strangely, this practice is almost absent from US publications publishing in India or in US.

I am drawn to the conclusion that most of these leading Indian media houses have found an easy way to make a buck. Instead of looking for reasons to WHY their page ads are getting blocked by ad-block, they have chosen to rent out the property to the highest bidder, and then deploy a tool that holds the content ransom till Adblock is disabled.

It's worthwhile noting that Google search ads, banner ads and many publishers of the transparent variety don't get blocked by ad-block. The publishers suspected of click baiting and other nefarious means do get blocked.

In fact, if Adblock was detrimental to advertising, it would infringe on multiple EULA clauses on Chrome Webstore and as a result would be delisted.

If you think my worry is from paranoia, here is the latest proof that unethical ad publishers do exist and come in all shapes and sizes.

THERE ARE UNETHICAL AD-PUBLISHERS OUT THERE

Just look at the latest (Aug 17) legal battle between US agency Steelhouse and French Firm Criteo as an example. Criteo has dragged Steelhouse to court over what it calls is "click fraud" perpetrated by Steelhouse.

Apparently, Steelhouse was using a method to refresh user pages when it detected no activity on the browser, registering more views in a fraudulent manner.

As a result, Steelhouse was able to get more views/clicks and therefore bring down prices, hurting Criteo's reputation. Criteo's lawsuit is supported by on record statements from multiple ex-clients of Steelhouse, who have come out and spoken against the agency.

SOME SOLUTIONS HAVE COME UP

Some solutions against these Adblock killers have come up. So if you want to keep using Adblock, you might want to look at Anti-Adblock Killer project on GitHub. (Evaluate At your own risk, not an endorsement).

THE LAST POINT

Hopefully, as more content publishers deploy Adblock killer, more people will start building such solutions, or may be Adblock will update itself to avoid detection.

But the last point still remains that if you own a web property, are you making sure that you are being responsible.

Have you checked the source and content which your users see and are being led to? Are you making sure that your users are safe? Or are you shirking the responsibility and using the Roman adage "Caveat Emptor".

I also feel that content publishers should differentiate between users who subscribe to their magazines and newspapers vs. those who don't. If i am already a subscriber of the newspaper, why should i bear with different ads?

I suggest a rule of thumb. If you won't publish that advertisement in your print copy, don't publish it on the digital version either. There is no reason why the standard on digital journalism should be poorer than the print one.

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All views expressed here are my own and don't reflect on any of my present or past employers.