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Web site fights Adblock by blocking Firefox
As long as most computer users don't make use of these plugins, the internet economy marches on. But just as some television networks are worried that PVRs will kill their entire business model, some web publishers are taking action to fight Adblock Plus.
Web designer and author Jack Lewis has taken the extreme step of preventing Firefox users from viewing his website. If you follow that link using Firefox, you'll be redirected to a "Why Firefox is Blocked" page. If you use Internet Explorer (or the IE Tab plugin for Firefox), you'll see Lewis's blog.
Lewis says he would have blocked Adblock Plus, but since there's no way to do that, he's prevented all Firefox users from reading his site. While this will probably result in a huge boost in short term traffic, we're not convinced it's worth the effort in the long run. We're guessing only a small portion of Firefox users actually use ad blocking software. So he's just shut the door on an enormous potential audience.
Lewis equates your decision to skip over the ads as "stealing" content by viewing the original material without the ads. You know, because when you get up to go to the bathroom during a TV commercial break, you're also stealing.
[via InfoWorld]
Comments
46
Subscribe to commentschristenAug 27th 2007 5:41PM
It is sad when people intentionally break the internet for others. I certainly would not consider for a moment to browse with anything except than FireFox and certainly not if someone withheld content until I did. That being said - I don't use Ad-Block... and I don't visit any site daily for content. I use an RSS reader.
DCDUDEAug 28th 2007 6:52PM
Actually, his blog looks great and ad free on IE7 + IE7Pro. For the sake of defending his right to advertise, maybe he should block IE users too since he can't block only IE7Pro users. If people using IE and Firefox can't see his site, I don't think ads will be an issue for long as advertisers will leave very soon
b.Sep 1st 2007 8:03AM
I don't block all ads... only the blinking / popping / flashing ones that hurt my eyes. Even with TV program, I don't mind and even like to watch some ads -- even often times rewind to watch the ones I enjoy.
diego.reyes.c@gmail.comSep 18th 2007 4:01PM
I wouldn´t visit that web with or without adblock.
I prefer to be blocked from websites "antiadblock" rather that turn off AB, or even open IE to see that sites.
Sure this sites are worthless anyway
strommSep 25th 2007 10:44AM
I remember the days of NO ads on websites. I freaking hate them. If this arrogant fool thinks his stuff is so important that people will bow down to his rules, then he's also crazy.
I think of it this way. I pay good money to my ISP for my internet connection, I don't want my bandwidth wasted and my page loading time extended because of pointless ads I don't care about anyways.
On top of that, I should be allowed to control what shows up on my system. The fact that I can't universally disable these crappy and noisy video ads really ticks me off.
The US has reached the point where it's politically and socially acceptable for someone to force their views and product placements on me. They don't have the right, but somehow no one in power gives a crap cause they get kickbacks.
Billy BillOct 6th 2007 2:01AM
I can't block text ads, why don't use more of those instead of flashy/moving/annoying images which have driven me to install adblocker. The google ads don't bother me a bit