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Half of Destructoid's readers block our ads. Now what?
The website on gaming has seen a significant increase in the percentage of visitors using ad blocking. After pleading with readers to whitelist ads from the site, the founder ponders how to keep the site alive. See also Slashdot thread.
Destructoid
March 9, 2013
Why Ad Blocking is devastating to the sites you love
An explanation of why ad-blocking is bad, and a description of an experiment where people using ad-blocking software were prohibited from accessing content on Ars Technica for 12 hours. See also Slashdot thread.
Ars Technica
March 7, 2010
An approach to fair ad blocking
The author of Adblock Plus contemplates allowing website owners to use <meta> tags to specify that frequent visitors to a site should be prompted by the ad blocking software about allowing ads through the blocker. See also Slashdot thread.
Adblock Plus Blog
May 11, 2009
A Meta Solution for AdBlocking Ethics
The author proposes a standard for using <meta> tags to allow website owners to specify ad networks used on the site, and whether or not ad blocking should be permitted.
theGoogleCache
April 20, 2009
Web ad blocking may not be (entirely) legal
The article looks at the possibile arguments for a lawsuit against ad blocking, precedent, and the likelihood of such a suit. It claims that 2.5 million people use Adblock Plus.
CNET
September 14, 2007
Who blocks the (ad) blockers?
The author argues that blocking ads on websites is theft of resources. It is worse than skipping TV ads because website operators incur expenses for users that don't generate revenue by viewing ads. See also Slashdot thread.
CNET
September 11, 2007
Browser makers warned against ad-blocking
An executive from DoubleClick warns that if browsers default to blocking ads it could be the end of free content. See also Slashdot thread.
ZDNet Australia
June 23, 2005
Say Goodbye (again) to Pop-Ups!
Developers of the Firefox browser are working to block the new generation of pop-up ads enabled by Flash and Java. See also Slashdot Thread.
Adot's Notblog
March 31, 2005
The Return Of The Pop-Up Ad
New techniques are managing to get pop-up ads around the pop-up blockers.
Slashdot
February 20, 2005
Tool Fights Pop-Up Ad Blockers
Falk eSolutions AG plans to offer software that detects pop-up/under ad blocking and serves ads in other formats to thwart blocking. See also Slashdot thread.
eWeek
April 27, 2004
Norton's Firewall Blocks Pay Per Click Search Engine Advertising
Norton Internet Security 2004 has ad-blocking enabled by default, which makes ads from Google unclickable.
Search Engine Journal
March 16, 2004
Pop-ups take new battering
Research shows that pop-up advertising can do serious harm to brands. 14% of online customers now use ad-blocking software to stop pop-ups.
netimperative
February 24, 2004
InterMute's AdSubtract Thwarts 25 Billionth Internet Ad
InterMute claims in this press release that its AdSubract software has blocked 25 billion ads.
Business Wire
February 23, 2004
As Consumers Revolt, a Rush to Block Pop-Up Online Ads
Estimates that 20-25% of users have pop-up blocking enabled. Doubleclick is developing technology that will enable pop-up ads to evade the blocking software. See also Slashdot thread.
New York Times
January 19, 2004
Judge Downs Pop-Ups in Contrary Decision
Due to trademark infringement, a judge granted a preliminary injunction against adware company WhenU from displaying pop-up ads for Vision Direct when users visit the 1-800 Contacts website.
InternetNews.com
December 23, 2003
Software tool smothers sponsored search
AdSubtract 3.0 will include a tool to suppress sponsored search results, in spite of the fact that a survey from Nielsen/NetRatings found that 24 percent of people think sponsored search results are more useful than regular search results, and about 51 percent thought they were just as useful as noncommercial listings.
CNET News.com
November 14, 2003
IE 6.05, Pop-Up Ad Blocking to Debut in Windows XP SP2
Internet Explorer with ad blocking to be released in first half of 2004.
Connected Home
November 7, 2003
Norton Antivirus 2004 Ad Blocking - Tough Call?
A website owner expresses concern about ad blocking impacting his business. Refers to ad blocking in Norton Antivirus but maybe it is actually Norton Internet Security.
Slashdot
November 5, 2003
Court says Gator-style ads are legal
A federal court ruled that pop-up ads for rivals of U-Haul placed atop the company's site by WhenU.com are legal. See also Slashdot thread.
CNET News.com
July 1, 2003
Landmark settlement prunes online ads
Lawsuit against Bonzi Software Inc. was settled. They agreed to no longer run ads that look deceptively like modal dialog boxes. See also Slashdot thread.
Toronto Star
May 28, 2003
Documentation of Gator Advertisements and Targeting
A Harvard researcher's analysis of Gator's ad targeting, which allows you to see what ads Gator is displaying as users browse various websites. See also CNET News.com article and Slashdot thread.
Benjamin Edelman
May 2003
Robach bill goes after spam
A bill proposed in NY to stop spam includes a requirement that users be able to disable pop-up ads.
Democrat & Chronicle
May 21, 2003
In Ads They Trust?
PlanetFeedback survey finds only 8% of consumers trust banner ads and only 2% trust pop-up ads (compare to 42% for TV). 83% find pop-up ads annoying.
BizReport
April 25, 2003
AOL Adds Pop-Up Ad Blocking
AOL follows EarthLink's lead by providing a pop-up blocker.
PC Magazine
March 13, 2003
Web Ad-venture; Internet sites pursue ways to stay free, make money
Statistics and trends related to online advertising.
Oakland Tribune
March 2, 2003
Web publishers settle with Gator
Seven publishers that sued Gator over pop-up ads that it displayed when users visited their site have settled out of court.
CNET News.com
February 7, 2003
Search and Destroy
A review of Gator's history and the legal cases against it.
Law.com
January 16, 2003
Gator takes bite out of search engines
Gator has begun displaying pop-under ads with results from Overture and other paid search results when a user enters a query on sites like Google and Yahoo.
ZDNet News
January 15, 2003
Ask Jeeves giving up banner ads
Ask Jeeves drops banner advertising in favor of paid search results, saying "I think banners have seen their day."
Contra Costa Times
January 4, 2003
Building a Better Pop-Up Ad
FPBA Group's technology displays ads in the browser window while the user waits for the next page to load.
AtNewYork.com
January 2, 2003
Pop-ups add new twist
New pop-ups feature "kick through," which takes the user to the advertisers site if they merely move the mouse over the ad.
CNET News.com
December 20, 2002
Are Pop-Ups Doomed?
A brief mention of Netscape Navigator 7.01 pop-up blocking plus various details on pop-up effectiveness and demand.
AtNewYork.com
December 17, 2002
Bonzi Class Action
A class action lawsuit was filed against Bonzi Software for fraudulent banner ads that impersonated computer error messages. Also see the Slashdot thread.
Lukins & Annis
November 25, 2002
Salon: Watch ad, read articles for free
Salon is allowing users to access its premium articles for free if they sit through a four-page commercial first.
CNET News.com
November 20, 2002
Locking Down the Pop-up Perps
The author argues that pop-up ads should be regulated by the same laws as computer viruses since they access the computer without authorization and cause damage.
BusinessWeek
November 20, 2002
Gator Hit With Another Lawsuit
Hotel-chain operator Six Continents is the latest company to sue Gator for serving pop-up advertisements of competitors that covered its Web site.
Internet Advertising Report
November 15, 2002
Reining in pop-ups
A review of companies that have eliminated pop-up ads due to user irritation.
Seattle Post Intelligencer
November 6, 2002
UPS sues Gator over pop-up delivery
UPS, like a group of newspaper publishers before it, filed a lawsuit to stop Gator from displaying ads when people visit the UPS website.
ZDNet
October 3, 2002
United Parcel Service sues Gator to stop 'pop-up' ads
UPS is suing Gator to stop it from displaying ads, sometimes for its largest competitors, when users visit the UPS website..
The Detroit News
October 2, 2002
New Software Quietly Diverts Sales Commissions
Money is being diverted from small websites by software that intercepts affiliate referrals and credits them to the software maker.
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NT Times
September 27, 2002
Pop-ups strike out with Internet advertisers
The usual survey of sites cutting down on pop-up ads. Says Amazon and BarnesandNoble.com are cutting down too. Claims some companies advertise with pop-ups because they have been "shut out of other avenues."
Washington Times
September 9, 2002
Pop, Pop, Pop Go Those Web Ads
Report from Nielsen//NetRatings shows 1.3 billion pop-up/unders during first 7 months of 2002, but only 9.2% of online advertisers using the format. Pop-Up Stopper claims 5 million downloads and Intermute thinks AdSubtract blocks a billion ads per month.
Wired
September 6, 2002
Pop-ups are about to get a lot more offensive
Statistics from a Nielsen//NetRatings on pop-ups, and a USBancorp Piper Jaffray analyst says tolerance for pop-ups will increase.
Silicon.com
September 6, 2002
An Ad-Free Web Might Be a Barren Place
Experience with Earthlink's pop-up blocker. Why Internet advertising has had trouble, and what the Web will be like if advertising can't be made to succeed.
Washington Post
August 22, 2002
It's war on Web pop-up ads
Earthlink releases pop-up blocker. Says users are willing to tolerate 3 pop-ups per hour, so a balance must be found.
Pioneer Press
August 21, 2002
Pop-up ad blocker from Earthlink
Earthlink's latest upgrade, called TotalAccess 2003, includes pop-up blocking. The move targets unhappy AOL users.
Geek.com
August 20, 2002
EarthLink joins movement to kill pop-up ads
Earthlink now provides pop-up blocking. Also reviews other recent develpments in the trend away from pop-up ads.
USA Today
August 19, 2002
Dodging pop-ups with Mozilla
Netscape 7.0 will not include the pop-up ad blocking feature that has been so popular in Mozilla 1.0. Also see the Slashdot thread
CNET News.com
August 14, 2002
Are Pop-Up Advertisements on the Web Illegal?
A look at the lawsuit against Gator by a group of newspapers, and possible ramifications.
GigaLaw
August 2002
Web Ad Explosion
Sleazy online ad tactics, such as mouse-over downloads and homepage hijacking, and how some major corporations are supporting such advertising without even knowing it.
PC World
September 2002
interMute Expands 'Block' Party
interMute has partnered with application publisher and distributor ValueSoft to achieve wider distribution of its AdSubtract software.
Boston.Internet.com
August 8, 2002
Taking the air out of pop-ups
Websites that are eliminating or cutting back on pop-up ads: iVillage, AOL, InfoSpace's Webcrawler.
ZDNet
August 2, 2002
iVillage Drops Pop-up Ads
Does iVillage's removal of pop-up ads, in response to user complaints, hint at a new direction for the ad industry?
AdAge
July 30, 2002
Pop Go Those Blasted Pop-Up Ads, iVillage Decrees
iVillage will remove the majority of pop-up ads from its site after a survey showed that 92.5 percent of iVillage women found pop-up advertising to be the most frustrating feature of the Web.
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NY Times
July 29, 2002
Judge Clamps Down On Gator
A federal judge granted a temporary injunction prohibiting Gator from displaying pop-up ads on the complaining publishers' websites.
AtNewYork.com
July 12, 2002
Publishers Sue Gator Over Web Ad Tactics
A group of Web publishers filed a lawsuit against Gator for selling ads on their websites without permission. Weight Watchers won a similar case against DietWatch for using Gator to display DietWatch ads to visitors of the Weight Watchers site. Also see the Slashdot thread.
Washington Post
June 27, 2002
Puncturing Web Ads Before They Pop Up
Overview of the increasing intrusiveness of ads, and the options for blocking them (especially pop-ups)
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New York Times
June 27, 2002
Pop-ups slowly being tolerated by Web users
While some people click on pop-up ads, are such ads worth the negative sentiment they generate for other users?
The Orange County Register
June 24, 2002
Pop-under ads may hit publisher wallets
ExitExchange's patent application has been published. If it is approved, the company could collect royalties on pop-under ads.
CNET News.com
June 3, 2002
Less is More: ASCII Might Trump Rich Media in the World of Online Advertising
Plain text ads are being adopted by several sites instead of bulky graphical ads. Click-through rates are currently much higher than traditional banner ads.
EContent
May 2002
Ad blocking blocked
AfterDawn.com justifies the steps it is taking to prohibit users of ad-blocking software from accessing its site.
AfterDawn.com
May 15, 2002
eBay to serve up pop-ups
With ad revenue dropping from 13% of total revenue to 8% in one quarter, eBay will begin displaying pop-up ads.
CNET News.com
May 10, 2002
It's an Ad, Ad, Ad, Ad World
An overview of the evolution of online advertising and ad blocking, and a comparison of some ad-blocking software. The last page discusses whether or not it is ethical to block ads.
PC World
May 2002
Pittman faces hard-sell ad dilemma
AOL faces falling ad revenue as advertising contracts come up for renewal. In an effort to maintain customer loyalty, AOL may cut back on pop-up advertisements.
CNET News.com
April 19, 2002
The Internet sells its soul
A typical review of more aggressive advertising, pay for placement in search engines, and subscription fees. Mentions a pop-up ad that runs away when the user tries to close it.
Economist
April 16, 2002
Pardon Me, Would You Care to View This Ad?
In contrast to increasingly intrusive advertising that attempts to prod the user into immediate action, experiments with Banner Console from iLOR show that users are very responsive to ads that give them flexibility to respond at their convenience.
ClickZ
April 15, 2002
Web surfers brace for pop-up downloads
Pop-up downloads are an aggressive new form of advertising that attempts to download and install software onto your computer. Users may mistake the download for a plug-in that is necessary to use the site that is running the ad, when they are actually downloading something like Gator. These ads are being run by the L90 ad network. Also see the Slashdot thread.
CNET News.com
April 8, 2002
New online ads float, flash and can't be clicked off
New ad formats such as "floating" ads obscure the page the user is trying to view for a period of time. Opinions on the format from advertisers and site owners.
SF Gate
April 2, 2002
Made You Look
A brief look at new ad formats like "floating ads" and "cursor ads" that can be hard for blocking software to detect.
Kiplinger's
April 2002
Pop-Up Ads, Part 2: Usage Guidelines for Legitimate Marketers
Advice on using pop-ups in light of their negative reputation. Notes that animated pop-ups may perform worse than static ones.
ClickZ
March 21, 2002
Pop-Up Ads, Part 1: Good? Bad? Ugly?
A study by Dynamic Logic shows that users are more tolerant of pop-ups than previously thought.
ClickZ
March 14, 2002
Brought to you by....
The evolution and future of online advertising, its effectiveness, and the need for better targeting.
Computer User
March 2002
In Search Engine Arms Race, Google Raises User Experience Bar
Google is troubled by users thinking scumware pop-ups are from its site. Also, comments on badly implemented pop-up and pop-under ads. Gator identifies itself on ads.
ClickZ
February 1, 2002
Is it an ad, or is it editorial?
Ineffective banner ads and a tough economy have caused some online publishers to blurr the line between content and advertising.
Associated Press
January 31, 2002
Software blocks deluge of pop-ups
The rising popularity of software for blocking pop-up ads. Options for pop-up blocking in the Opera Browser. Gator response rates.
USA Today
January 28, 2002
Rise of WhenU, like it or not
SaveNow, a program that monitors your web surfing and pops up advertisements served by WhenU.com for competing products, comes bundled with music-swapping software BearShare. WhenU.com ranked number 25 according to Nielsen//NetRatings for the week ending Dec. 9.
Media Life
December 17, 2001
Competition spawns pushier Web advertising
Falling revenues have opened the door for more aggressive advertising formats. Claims the cost of online advertising is less than half what it was in the spring.
The Business Journal of Kansas City
December 14, 2001
Gator.com agrees to halt sales of online ads that block out ads at other Web sites
Gator will put its lawsuit against the IAB on hold and will stop selling ads that are superimposed over ads on other websites while it tries to resolve complaints from the IAB.
SignOnSanDiego.com
November 29, 2001
Study: Pop-Ups Not So Hated
A survey of Web surfers compares preferences for various online ad formats to traditional ads and finds that pop-up ads rank similar to TV ads and direct mail. Attitudes are more positive toward banners than some of the newer ad sizes.
atnewyork.com
November 14, 2001
Why Online Media Should Sell for Less than a Buck. And Why It Doesn't.
Suggests that online ad prices should be lowered to sell a higher percentage of space by taking advertisers away from traditional media. Claims that ad serving costs are prohibitive.
ClickZ
November 9, 2001
Stormy Weather: Raising The Dead
Trends in online advertising. Claims that there are concerns about increasing numbers of corporations and universities using ad-blocking software to reduce bandwidth costs and speed networks.
Dotcom Scoop
November 8, 2001
Web users tired of ads popping up online
Irritation with banner ads, predictions by Jupiter Media Metrix for growth in online advertising, and a possible shift toward sponsorships.
San Antonio Express-News
October 27, 2001
mediaBEAM Dismisses Hack Threat
MediaBEAM responds to claims that a programmer has managed to circumvent their AdKey software for detecting use of ad-blocking software. MediaBEAM claims the hole has been removed and outlines plans for the evolution of AdKey.
InternetNews
October 12, 2001
Un-free the Web: Why new anti-ad blocking software won't work
Claims that few sites will use AdKey to block users of ad-blocking software. Presenting the user with a choice between viewing ads and paying for content isn't practical because there is no good micropayments system yet.
AnchorDesk
October 11, 2001
Ad filters may spring leaks
More on MediaBeam's AdKey product for detecting the use of ad blockers. MediaBeam estimates that 10-20% of people visiting their DirectBox web site use WebWasher. Other estimates say 2-5% of Net surfers use ad-blocking software.
CNET News.com
October 10, 2001
ZoneAlarm Pro Update Blasts Ads, Cookies
ZoneAlarm Pro 3.0 will have the ability to selectively block ads based on how long they will take to download.
PC World
October 9, 2001
Ad-killing software blocks pop-ups but spawns controversy
The usual annoyance with pop-ups vs. need for advertising dollars to support content. Claims WebWasher is up to 5M users.
Taipei Times
October 6, 2001
Web advertisers strike back at ad filters
Describes MediaBEAM's AdKey software that allows Apache and Microsoft IIS servers to detect the use of ad-blocking software. Includes response by a WebWasher representative.
InfoWorld
October 2, 2001
Software Put Down for Nasty Pop-ups
Increased demand for ad blockers due to pop-up/under ads, how advertising will evolve, and how far ad blocking will spread.
MicroTimes
October 1, 2001
German Firm Battles Banner-Free Web Content
MediaBEAM has developed Web server software named "AdKEY" that can detect use of ad-blocking software and prohibit the user from accessing web pages.
Newsbytes
September 28, 2001
The Sneakiest Link
Talks about how TopText, Surf+, and Gator work and how they are distributed. Says that Surf+ can insert links to porn into pages from other web sites.
ICON
September 22, 2001
Ad-Blocking Software Moving to Mainstream
The usual talk about bundling deals. Mentions that McAfee sells ad-blocking tools (apparently referring to their "Internet Privacy Service"). Compares WebWasher and AdSubtract from user's point of view.
Washington Post
September 20, 2001
Why I Love Gator
In spite of IAB criticism, advertisers are flocking to Gator. The author argues that Gator is similar to ad-blocking software, which has been tolerated, so why pick on Gator?
ChannelSeven.com
September 7, 2001
Forget Smart Tags; TopText Is Doing What You Feared
Compares TopText to Microsoft's Smart Tags, which were abandoned after public outcry. Says that the KaZaA installer is now clear about installing TopText. Includes several links to related material.
Search Engine Report
September 4, 2001
Gator, Accused Of Playing Dirty, Sues IAB
Includes links to several sites battling Gator, TopText, etc. Also quotes from the FTC indicating that they may look into Gator for unfair and deceptive practices.
Wahmpreneur
September 3, 2001
New Free Tool for Web Publishers Fighting "Scumware" Programs that Poach Ad Revenues
Talks about Jim Wilson's Scumware.com web site and the battle against programs like TopText, Surf+, and Gator. Also talks about a JavaScript program for detecting TopText or Surf+, and a survey that shows 90% of users don't know they have such software installed.
ContentBiz
August 30, 2001
Shooting Back At Gator's 'Ambush Ads'
Overview of Gator and the lawsuit. Says the Online Publishers Association has joined the IAB in criticizing Gator. Gives examples of companies placing ads over competitors' web pages.
Washingtonpost.com
August 30, 2001
Gator rushes to court over ad technology
Gator files a case against the IAB for saying that Gator's advertising practices are illegal.
CNET News.com
August 28, 2001
Ad Bureau Mulls Suit Against Promo-Hiding Software Maker
The IAB board is considering action against Gator. Includes opinion from Gator's CEO on why the IAB doesn't have a case.
BizReport
August 21, 2001
IAB Lawyers to Recommend Action Against Gator.com
Lawyers for the Interactive Advertising Bureau plan to recommend that the IAB take legal action against Gator because of its plan to place its own ads on top of websites' ads.
InternetNews
August 20, 2001
Software replaces banner ads on top sites
A new version of Gator (a password management browser plug-in) is in the works that will display its own ads over top of the banner ads on the web sites you visit (see also Slashdot thread).
CNET News.com
August 17, 2001
Pop go the weasels
Criticizes web advertisers for using pop-ups and pop-unders.
U.S. News
August 13, 2001
How Do You Price an Ad, By Performance or Placement?
Projections for the online ad market. Is the increase in pay-for-performance bad and will it depress prices?
The Industry Standard
August 8, 2001
Web sites prey on rivals' stores
Gator, a browser plug-in for managing passwords, launches pop-up ads triggered by keywords on sites visited, allowing companies to target their competitors' visitors. The article also talks about ads targeted to trademarked keywords on search engines.
CNET News.com
August 7, 2001
Net ads: Size does matter
New IAB standards for rich media (interactive) ads, which include limitations on download size. Comments on more intrusive advertising.
CNET News.com
August 6, 2001
Mystery links: New Web advertising tool gets results, draws criticism
TopText (being distributed with KaZaa) turns keywords on sites you visit into advertising links without the site owners' permission (see also Slashdot thread).
San Francisco Chronicle
July 30, 2001
Relaxation, Not Motion, The Key To Online Ads
The author thinks that motion and noise won't solve online advertising's problems. The problem lies in the way that people use the medium.
Interactive Week
July 30, 2001
Pop-under ads fail to catch buyers
Jupiter Media Metrix report says that 73% of users quickly kill X10's pop-under ad window.
CNET News.com
July 26, 2001
Survey: Internet, Wireless Ads Meeting Positive Consumer Reaction
Reports on Datamonitor's survey in Europe that finds consumers react well to web and wireless ads relative to most other media.
allNetDevices
July 20, 2001
What Pops Up Must Come Down
Irritation with pop-ups has created demand for the many programs to block them. Such ads cause special problems for the visually impaired that inspire W3C efforts to establish standards for blocking pop-ups.
Wired
July 20, 2001
X10: What Counts, Though You Might Not Like It
Provides statistics on X10's advertising campaign and argues that pop-ups are effective (for now).
ClickZ
July 20, 2001
Are Clicks Through?
Reports that advertisers are increasingly realizing that click-throughs are not a good metric to measure ad effectiveness.
eMarketer
July 19, 2001
Web studies rate bigger ad formats
Study shows larger ad sizes are more effective than banner ads in increasing message association and brand awareness.
CNET News.com
July 18, 2001
Is the click-through history?
Reports on the decision by CBS MarketWatch to no longer provide click-through data and discusses ad performance measurement.
ZDNet News
July 13, 2001
'Pop-Under' Ads Click Off Web Surfers
User irritation with X10's ads and the difficulties of the dotcoms that have caused a lowering of ad standards. Predicts that pop-ups will eventually die out.
FOX News
July 6, 2001
New ads unpopular, but foot online bill
Says that users should stop whining about pop-under ads. There are worse online alternatives and also more intrusive ads in traditional media.
Chicago Tribune
July 2, 2001
Compaq preps Presario line for XP upgrade
Mentions that Compaq's new Presarios will come with Norton Internet Security (which does ad blocking) installed.
ITworld.com
June 28, 2001
AdSubtract has a solution
Blames the demand for ad-blocking software on X10's ads.
The Boston Globe
June 28, 2001
Ad Blocking Software
The author gives arguments in favor of ad blocking and a list of available programs.
Straight Goods
June 26, 2001
Should Publishers Worry About Ad Blocking Software? SaveTheFreeWeb.com's Bill Dimm Explains Reality
Thoughts on the growth of ad blocking.
ContentBiz
June 14, 2001
If You Hate Web Ads, You Can 'Just Say No'
Article talks about the possibility of more aggressive advertising increasing demand for ad blockers. Says only 500k people have "downloaded and used" AdSubtract.
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New York Times
June 13, 2001
Pop Goes the Interstitial
Argues that pop-up ads are too intrusive. Cites statistics from the study by Statistical Research.
eMarketer
June 7, 2001
The Bright Future of Web Advertising
Online advertising is actually doing quite well, especially when you look at the downturn in other media. Includes a look at why advertisers have been slow to go beyond the banner, brand building, and new ad formats.
eCompany Now
June 1, 2000
Fire Your Ad Agency
Larger ads will only give a temporary boost to click-throughs. Better ads are needed.
Web Techniques
June 2001
Brill's Content Joins Brain-damaged Parade
The author takes Brill's Content to task for publishing an article that assigns too much importance to the impact of ad-blocking software.
Iconocast
May 31, 2001
New 'pop-under' Web advertising earns attention
A look at pop-under ads, pop-ups that move themselves underneath the browser window. Can they be effective and less intrusive?
Saint Paul Pioneer Press
May 31, 2001
Kill Ad-Blockers with Better Advertising
Advocates making online ads more useful and less irritating to stem the demand for ad blockers.
adsGuide
May 24, 2001
Why you hate ads, pop-ups, and cookies
A summary of reader feedback on ad blocking.
AnchorDesk
May 21, 2001
Web Users Slowly Turning On to Ad-Blocking Software
Interview (audio) with Cathy Taylor, an editor at Advertising Age. Overview of the current state of advertising and ad blocking with comments that advertisers aren't worried about it.
National Public Radio
May 17, 2001
The free Net is dying! Here's how you can save it
To keep content freely available, the author argues against the use of ad-blocking software.
AnchorDesk
May 17, 2001
Study: Pop-ups can sully a brand's image
Study by Statistical Research compares pop-ups to banner ads. While pop-ups are more often noticed, users' attitudes toward them are more negative.
Media Life
May 9, 2001
Ad Blockers May Spell Doom
Points out that the highest CPM rates are for B2B but such users are also the most likely to become ad-blocking software users.
Newmedia
May 9, 2001
Another Hurdle: Ad-Blocking Software
People dislike advertising and it is getting more intrusive. Ads are being viewed as akin to viruses. We need an advertising model that users won't want to block.
ClickZ
May 9, 2001
Despite Wide Usage, Firms Say Ad-Blocking Software Lacks Impact
Makers of ad-blocking software claim increasing distribution, with 3 of the top 10 PC manufacturers to include ad blocking, and efforts to bring ISPs onboard. Advertisers claim negligible impact, but the IAB is looking into legal aspects.
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DM News
May 7, 2001
Crashing The Party
A look at how ad-blocking software works, its potential impact, and the declining faith in online advertising. Claims AdSubtract will ship with 70% of modems retailed in North America.
ChannelSeven.com
May 3, 2001
Ad-blocking software gains traction
Users frustrated with more intrusive ads increasingly turn to blockers. 20M copies of AdSubtract will be bundled with other products by the end of the year. Guidescope pushes a voluntary e-mail marketing program.
SiliconValley.com
May 1, 2001
The Great Portal Payoff
This article argues that large portals have evolved from being gateways into being destinations themselves. Accordingly, the authors think the proper goal for advertising on a portal should be brand building instead of click-throughs.
Strategy + Business
Q2 2001
Jocko Homo
People are claiming that online advertising is dead because of declining click-through rates, but click-throughs shouldn't be the goal. The medium isn't the problem. Advertisers need to use it better.
Suck.com
April 24, 2001
Disappearing Act
Online advertising's troubles could get worse as makers of ad-blocking software pursue deals with PC and modem makers to include the software with their products. New, bigger ad formats contribute to demand. Claims over 4M downloads of WebWasher and 2M for AdSubtract.
The Industry Standard
April 23, 2001
The Dilemma of Ad-Blocking Software
A publisher's perspective on ad-blocking. He calls for publishers to keep page download times in mind when selling ads but also scorns users for turning to blockers.
ClickZ
April 19, 2001
What TiVo Teaches Us About the Internet
The author thinks that as online ads become more intrusive, publishers should consider offering a paid ad-free alternative like Salon has done. He draws parallels with TiVo where people pay for the convenience of ad-free TV.
Editor & Publisher Online
April 18, 2001
Our Biggest Mistake: The Banner Ad
Jason McCabe Calacanis' editorial claims that banner ads are a failure and the only way to solve the problem is full-page ads.
silicon alley daily.com
April 18, 2001
InterMute Inc.'s software to silence Web ads
The CEO of InterMute thinks the larger ads approved by the IAB will cause a backlash. His company hopes to add multimedia and streaming video to their list of ad blocking capabilities.
Mass High Tech
March 19, 2001
Ads that just don't click--no, literally
New ad sizes from the Internet Advertising Bureau will only provide temporary relief for a troubled industry. Big-budget advertisers must make more use of the medium before there will be a meaningful turn-around. Includes a look at some newer ad technologies.
U.S. News
March 12, 2001
Spedia Launches Ad-Blocking Service
Pay-for-surf company Spedia will add pop-up blocking to their Surf+ browser add-on. They may make exceptions for pop-ups coming from their own advertising partners. A company that depends on advertising for revenue stomping out the ads on other people's sites. Hmmm...
InternetNews
February 27, 2001
Consumers Tolerate Online Ads More Than Expected
Results from a new IDC study on the types of online advertising consumers are willing to tolerate. Ads on wireless phones meet the most resistance.
internet.com
February 13, 2001
Ad Zapper
Guidescope combats efforts by advertisers to disguise where ads come from in order to render ad-blocking useless. They use user-feedback to identify ads that their filter needs to block.
Darwin
February 2001
Banner ads: the good, the bad, and the ugly
Even though click-throughs are falling, the Stanford Poynter Project shows people do notice ads. It is hard to quantify the value of the resulting brand awareness. Advertisers need to make better use of the medium for branding, targeting, and interactivity.
ComputerUser
January 2001
Block Online Advertisers
A review of several ad-blocking programs. People are increasingly using such programs to protect their privacy in addition to the older attraction of faster page loading.
Smart Computing
December 2000
Control Geeks
Bannerama allows users to replace blocked banner ads with other content, and founder Dion Lim intends to substitute his own ads for some of the stripped-out ads. Utok is a program that allows users to attach messages to other sites without the owner's knowledge (want to sell a product on Ebay without paying the auction fee?). The war between the sites and their abusers...
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Forbes
November 27, 2000
I refuse to punch the monkey
Banner ads are failing and online advertisers need to adapt. Smaller ads and better targeting are needed.
Network World
November 20, 2000
Taking the Opt-out Option
Claims that privacy concerns have increased the demand for ad-blocking software.
TheStreet.com
September 12, 2000
Shoot 'Em Down
A review of AdSubtract with an emphasis on its ability to block advertising cookies.
Kiplinger's
September 2000
A Billion Fewer Ads: Is This a Good Thing?
Various opinions on ad-blocking software. Steve Nelson of Clear Ink thinks ad-blockers won't gain critical mass unless integrated into the browser and improved ad targeting will decrease demand for blockers.
Office.com
August 8, 2000
Now You See 'Em...
In this review of AdSubtract the author outlines the motivation for using ad-blocking software by highlighting the problems with online ads as compared to print advertising.
Smart Money
June 15, 2000
Blocking software firms to release new programs
Consumer privacy fears, intensified by DoubleClick's profiling efforts, have provide a marketing opportunity for makers of blocking software.
CNET News.com
February 8, 2000
Will Banner Blocking Software Kill Internet Marketing?
Suggests various non-banner advertising methods. Doesn't like banning users using ad-blocking software.
iBoost Journal
November 1999
DargonZine Editorial
Ornoth D.A. Liscomb criticizes Mind's Eye's actions against ad-blockers and questions the viability of pay-for-content on the web.
DargonZine
July 24, 1999
Writers' block: Fiction site won't let Web surfers view content if they use ad-blocking software
Mind's Eye uses JavaScript to keep users employing ad-blocking software from reading story endings for free. Is it overkill?
Computerworld
July 8, 1999
Web Ads: Friend or Foe?
Blames increase in ad-blocking on parents wanting to protect their children from ads, privacy concerns, and pop-ups etc. that can crash the browser. If web sites don't want to go against the wishes of their customers by banning ad-blocking, can they survive?
High Technology Careers
July 1999
Software Ad Blockers Challenge Web Industry
A comprehensive look at the arguments for and against ad-blocking. Siemens estimates 1M users of its WebWasher.
New York Times
June 7, 1999
A Real Dilemma for Webcasters
RealNetworks upsets its clients by promoting AtGuard which could affect webcasting sites' ability to generate revenue. ChannelSeek takes steps to combat ad-blocking on its site.
Wired
May 12, 1999
Banner Busters
Portal site Bomis.com releases its own browser with pop-up ad blocking built in. Says that 15% of users are annoyed by pop-ups while only 7% are annoyed by banners.
Ad Resource
March 15, 1999
Are banner ads' banner days over?
Will ad-blocking software become popular?
MSNBC
March 10, 1999
Firm pulls ad blocking software
ClearWay Technologies terminates its AdScreen software product amidst protests over potential damage to the free web.
CNET News.com
December 4, 1998
Ad filtering catching on?
Internet Fast Forward, one of the first ad-blocking programs, was discontinued due to a fear of lawsuits. Solid Oak, however, is not afraid of the suits and has added ad-blocking to its Cybersitter product. The prescient quote: "Revenue on the Internet is not going to be as stable as people think it is."
CNET News.com
February 13, 1998
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