Ask Slashdot: To AdBlock Or Not To AdBlock?

Is there an acceptable compromise to behavioral targeting? On the one hand, I don't want to be profiled by unscrupulous advertisers. On the other hand, I feel that the advertiser is the middleman between the things I care about (content) and the dollars that support those things. My compromise is to take a page out of BF Skinner's book, Walden Two, and view the situation as a sort of absurd behaviorist experiment. Basically, I Adblock everything, but whitelist the sites I support. Is this too much? Not enough? What should individuals do protect themselves, if anything at all?

Comments

Re:Just block all ads and don't worry about it

[bartosek]

This, exactly this.

Blocking ads is hypocritical

[massysett]

It means you want something for nothing. You want to look at websites that cost money to operate, but you do not want to support them.

It's not stealing. It's not a crime. But it is childish and hypocritical.

"But I want to see the content." waa, waa. The grown up, principled thing to do would be to avoid websites that have annoying advertisements.

That's okay though. Everybody wants something for nothing. But the old "unscrupulous advertisers" or "I don't want to be profiled" or "I'm doing them a favor, I've been online since 1997 and I've never clicked on an advertisement, I'm saving them bandwidth" is just unprincipled crap. Just admit you want something for nothing rather than coming up with ridiculous rationalizations.

Re:Blocking ads is hypocritical

[NoMaster]

It means you want to provide something for nothing. You want to run a website that costs money to operate, but you do not want to pay for it.

It's not stealing. It's not a crime. But it is childish and hypocritical.

"But I want them to see my content." waa, waa. The grown up, principled thing to do would be to stop expecting people to pay for your wants.

That's okay though. Everybody wants someone else to pay. But the old "I can't afford it" or "I'm providing a benefit, I shouldn't have to pay" or "my content is important, and a little ad or 2 saves having to restrict it to people who will pay me directly" is just unprincipled crap. Just admit you want to don't want to pay for your actions rather than coming up with ridiculous rationalizations.

Re:I just block

[Anonymous Coward]

This is a bullshit response, and attitude. Given that response then you must also believe that you must get and use a credit card because that's the way banks make money.... Utter bullshit. How about just block the ads and watch the creative people at company A come up with another way to make money or be gone....same for the web sites that use it.

Wake pawned person!

Re:Just block all ads and don't worry about it

[epyT-R]

well the problem is most 'user sponsored' public radio is biased center left because it gets a lot of its funding from the federal government. Smart listening requires one to assume that ALL outlets are biased to their self interests at the very least, and are also likely using their pulpits to push their brand of politics.

Re:Just block all ads and don't worry about it

[dontmakemethink]

Lemme get this straight, you were seriously looking to buy a diesel Beetle, and you found out they were making one from an ad?! The only reason they decided to market a diesel Beetle is because people like you got off their asses and demanded it. You speak like the ads brought your diesel Beetle to you. That's just so un-Fahrvergnügen.

I've long been a defender that the next generation Beetles aren't gayer than a treeful of chickadees, but I'm not sure I can extend my persuasive powers to include the diesel model after what I've read here. Not that there's anything wrong with that.