Are we being rob by firefox's plugin?

http://whyfirefoxisblocked.com/ (not mine)

The Mozilla Foundation and its Commercial arm, the Mozilla Corporation, has allowed and endorsed Ad Block Plus, a plug-in that blocks advertisement on web sites and also prevents site owners from blocking people using it. Software that blocks all advertisement is an infringement of the rights of web site owners and developers. Numerous web sites exist in order to provide quality content in exchange for displaying ads. Accessing the content while blocking the ads, therefore would be no less than stealing. Millions of hard working people are being robbed of their time and effort by this type of software. Many site owners therefore install scripts that prevent people using ad blocking software from accessing their site. That is their right as the site owner to insist that the use of their resources accompanies the presence of the ads.

 

I suppose we are being robbed, but I don't see any good way of stopping this. I will not tell my visitors to switch back to IE, because I won't do that myself. This might just mean we need to change the way we advertise. If the advertisement became part of the content of the site, it would make the site less valuable to those who blocked them. A good example would be the various programs out there now that advertise contextually within the content of the site, highlighting certain words and making them affliate links. Could they make it so these words showed up blank when an ad-blocker is used? Probably. It's something they should already be working on.

 

Actually is it possible for us publisher to sue Mozilla.

They are modifying our website without permission

 

Wow, What a predicament! I wonder how it knows what qualifies as an advertisement. Does it block non-advertising images as well?

 

they are not exactley modifying our pages, they are just modifying their display of the page. it doesn't affect the code of your site.

 

I'd consider what they're doing to be on par with people linking directly to a file on your site, as opposed to your page leading to it (like linking to a .pdf file instead of your site with your ads), therefore impeding on your ability to monetize and control your content. Wasn't there a case about that not too long ago? But hey... others may disagree.

I don't have the right to display someone's copyrighted materials in an altered form without their permission, and neither should Mozilla.

Pop-ups I can understand, b/c they're not site elements. I can even understand removing dynamic ads if they're a strain on resources for someone, but on-page ads shouldn't be able to be completely removed. Makes me glad I'm moving most of my ads over to text links though.

 

I doubt publishers are losing much money over the plugin. People who install the plugin to hide ads aren't the kind of people who click on ads to begin with. If anything, use of the plugin could result in a higher CTR since non-clickers aren't displaying ads.

 

But if we don't do something now, it might became standard feature in the future

 

Google promotes the use of firefox, but now I am confused as to why if you can install an ad blocker.

The search function in firefox will clearly save Google money as users of this will not be using the site search boxes on webmasters pages.

But to block the Ads will surely penalise google and Yahoo as well as the webmasters?

 

I know!

People have been using at my forums "FireFox with adplus"

One of them asked why there are ads on my site? One of them said, use fire fox with adblock ........and some said I already do



That is sick!

 

Yah I definitely don't support the feature. I mean freedom of choice and ll that, put it on if you want but I can see it becoming standard in the future and thas not something I'm looking forward to.

 

Its on the visitors site..
The visitor can block any ad, can block flash etc..

Nothing can happen or Mozilla can't be sued.

 

Despite however many people use the Adplus block on Firefox, there are billions more who don't, have never heard of it, and have no intentions of even bothering to learn to use it. I wouldn't worry, my friend. It's the same with Adsense. There are millions of Adsense publishers out there, and yet people are STILL clicking on Adsense ads. Why? Because the number of NEW Internet users are expanding EVERY DAY, and the number of people who knows about Adsense and about Adblock plus will never be more than a miniscule number.

 

No, we are not. Its just a snapshot of earnings at particluar times of the day. Since the stats are derived directly from adsense accounts, the stats are usually in line with what is in the acocunt itself. However, there are margins of error, which usually sorts out by the end of the day.

 

block the site in ad blocked firefox ........ just work on that right now

http://whyfirefoxisblocked.com/blockcode.html

 

i have no problem with people blocking popups. But blocking banner ads and adsense ads is just ridiculous.

You like that good content you read every day, you use their bandwidth, but if you don't like their ads, don't come to the site, simple as that.

Firefox blocking ads is like television companies blocking commercials. Firefox is a display device, not a filter, lets keep it that way.

 

unless you are in the tech sector, i wouldnt worry too much, most users aren't too savvy.

 

you're right but they don't display your content to other people. they are just seeing a diffrent version of your site. you can compare it to buying a dvd, editing the movie and watch it again. the main thing is that you don't sell it or show it in public.
as i know there is also a hardware/software ad blocking solution for tv - it's also legal.

i truely understand webmasters that are concerned about loosing money but i don't think adblock is that dangerous. it's more important to show people that ads keep the internet free (most of it).

 

Adblock filters out links that come to the site via hyperlink anchored addresses. As a standard feature the programmer sets it up to block a list of the most complained about hyperlinked ads and you have the option to block more addresses at will.

It will not block an image coming from your site (unless you are on the list), so if you are worried about losing potential customers then you would have to quit using the furnished anchor codes and save the banner pix to your site and link it from there. It will use more of your bandwidth but the banner will show.

For ads linked to Google AdSense, It may lose you a few cents, but as the other guy stated, those who use AdBlock are not the one's who will buy from a random ad anyway. For a tiny silver lining, at least if you don' have them showing on your browser, then you can't "accidentally" click your own ad and get punished for it.

There are alternative advertising companies out there other than "the Great God Google" that are not set up as a default block. Maybe you should investigate not putting all your eggs in one basket.