stop Adblock being detected

Various discussions related to Adblock Plus development
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Ozfer
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Jun 01, 2016 5:32 am

stop Adblock being detected

Post by Ozfer »

Okay so we all know sites are really starting to go nuts over detecting adblock and denying us access to websites, forbes and other websites come to mind where they block you even when your not using adblock. Since most of these detection methods work by seeing if content is loaded onto the browser I think we need to change the fundamental way adblock works. It was great back when we could just block ad servers for bandwidth saving but now that they can tell what we block, I think we need to allow the ads through so they cant tell if the ads loaded or not, and then either cover over the ads, or change them white, or just make them render off screen or something, or change code to make them think the ads are there. Whatever we can do to fool them dang sites into letting us view their content without letting them know we use adblock even if it requires loading the ads. If it had to be updated on a per-site basis maybe this could take a wiki community approach to ad blocking...

Altogether I for one am sick of ads. We are blasted by them 1/3 of the time we watch TV (more if you include subliminal ads and product placement) and about as much on the radio, even more so on the internet where every site uses ads, youtube and spotify are non-tolerable without adblock, they pop the things up in your face, make them play loud noises, and waste much more then 1/3 of your time... I am so sick of ads altogether, even more just going down the highway or walking down the street, they are everywherrreeeee, most of them I can put up with except these obnoxious internet ads.... I have never bought anything from a ad and normally avoid companies when I see adds, even I host many websites and products myself, but I feel like if people like my service enough they will donate to me or purchase from me, I don't need to shove ads down their throat for a fraction of a penny. Even if I did, I would not punish the minority of people who do use adblock. The whole thing makes me sick that I have less control over my computer then mega corporations... since forbes started doing their crazy anti-adblock campaign I have not been back...
lewisje
Posts: 2743
Joined: Mon Jun 14, 2010 12:07 pm

Re: stop Adblock being detected

Post by lewisje »

As has been said numerous times here and elsewhere, allowing the ads to be loaded but not shown amounts to view-fraud, and it also exposes the users to the same malvertising threat as having no ad-blocker at all; you're far from the first person to propose such a ~revolutionary idea~ and unfortunately you won't be the last.
There's a buzzin' in my brain I really can't explain; I think about it before they make me go to bed.
Ozfer
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Jun 01, 2016 5:32 am

Re: stop Adblock being detected

Post by Ozfer »

If you cant see the add and cant click on it there is no real big malware threat. Idk what "view fraud" is since I certainly know its not a crime that will end up in court but idc about it and I doubt most any adblock users would, plus the sites would still be getting revenue... works for me... I never suggested I was the first person to come up with this, or that it was revolutionary so your reply is somewhat rude...
lewisje
Posts: 2743
Joined: Mon Jun 14, 2010 12:07 pm

Re: stop Adblock being detected

Post by lewisje »

Based on the fact that you still thought your idea was a good one, I presumed that you hadn't heard of anyone else suggesting it, because if you had, you would have also learned why it was a bad idea.

View-fraud is making advertisers believe that an ad was visible to a user when it wasn't, thereby triggering payment (if it's pay-per-impression); it's not a crime, but it is even worse than outright blocking, because it will lead advertisers to blacklist sites where view-fraud is happening, thereby accelerating the demise of a Web that is free to the end user.

Most importantly, malvertising does not require the user to view or interact with the ad; it can deploy its destructive payload just by being loaded: https://www.wired.com/2015/12/hacker-le ... t-a-click/
(In fact, it was realizing this fact that led me to be interested in ad-blocking to begin with, about 6 years ago.)
There's a buzzin' in my brain I really can't explain; I think about it before they make me go to bed.
Ozfer
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Jun 01, 2016 5:32 am

Re: stop Adblock being detected

Post by Ozfer »

Your link is ridiculous once again pointing to another site that blocks users even if they turn off adblocker. 99% of these "malware" problems are people that have flash installed. Turn off flash player and boom your computer is instantly 500% more safe. We learned this like 10 years ago... most exploits should not be able to do anything unless your are running a potato on IE 6 or something... malvertising is a almost non existant threat without flash. Most ad networks will ban people that even try this, and the cases where this has actually infected people are very slim especially cases where its not the people that click on a link and run the exe :roll: . If you look at the wikipedia page over half of whats even considered "malvertising" would be blocked by my suggestion anyways...

Trust me this is the best solution around to the current problem at hand. There is no such thing as "view fraud", and if everyone starts doing it on all websites they cant just stop all together. Actually since they cant tell if we were blocking them it would be physically impossible to tell and then all sites would be paid for all views and it would help the free web. It would be a plus plus, more money for them, and less adds for us....
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mapx
Posts: 21940
Joined: Thu Jan 06, 2011 2:01 pm

Re: stop Adblock being detected

Post by mapx »

Very old idea, already rejected, see this post from 2010 (from ABP creator, W. Palant):
forum/viewtopic.php?p=32444#p32444
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