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Google, Amazon, Microsoft Reportedly Paid AdBlock Plus To Unblock

Posted by timothy on from the backdoor-access dept.

RoccamOccam writes with the following news from The Register: Internet giants Google, Amazon, Microsoft and Taboola have reportedly paid AdBlock Plus to allow their ads to pass through its filter software. The confidential deals were confirmed by the Financial Times, the paper reported today [Paywalled]. From the Register's article: Eyeo GmbH, the German startup behind Adblock Plus, said it did not wish to comment. So far more than 300 million users have downloaded its software, it said. The add-on is free to download, with Eyeo generating revenue through its "whitelisting" programme. Companies can request their ads to be unblocked as long as they comply with AdBlock's "acceptable ads" policy. Large companies pay a fee for the service.

10 of 619 comments (clear)

  1. Things by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Some people get AdBlock to avoid intrusive adverts. I don't see this being a problem for them.

    However some, such as myself, use AdBlock as part of an anti-tracking solution. This concerns me more.

  2. Re:Company does exactly what it says it does... by Dins · · Score: 1, Interesting

    In the past the end user can still opt to not see any ads, even if they comply with the "acceptable ads" policy. This would be news if they are making a change so that the end user is forced to see a given ad that the advertiser pays extra for, regardless of their extension settings.

  3. I don't mind some ads... by MitchellThompson · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Its the ones that cover the whole screen, have someone who talks over the speakers, or force me to find a tiny hide button that I want blocked. So far, i have not found that Google, Microsoft, or Amazon do this. (SO FAR.....) Also, i run a site that uses Google Doubleclick for Publishing that houses some ads as part of the site's content. They are not obtrusive and you would mistake it for the site's content. Adblock will block them though, even though they are just in-house ads for my own content on the same site.

  4. Some alternatives... by snkhere · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Basic blocking: https://github.com/gorhill/uBl...
    More extensive blocking: https://github.com/gorhill/uMa...

    Extensions are available for Chrome/Chromium. It seems Firefox is (getting) supported as well.

  5. Adblock has never failed me. by Zeio · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I've been using it for years - from very early states - and I know within seconds if adblock is not installed on chrome, firefox and opera and android via adaway.

    If adblock leaks an ad, we get the ad and block it manually, and also there are lists that are not directly under adblock plus , adblock chrome's control. The lists are pulled from and maintained separately than the blockers so Im not sure how this can go on for very long. It would be glaringly obvious over time if ads get through and the lists will be updated.

    If any one of the adblockers "betrays" the community with exceptions in the code, we have plenty of places to defect to.

    --
    Legalize the constitution. Think for yourself question authority.
    1. Re:Adblock has never failed me. by meta-monkey · · Score: 5, Interesting

      I installed ABP and Ghostery on my grandfather's browser and left the little ghostery notification up so every time he browsed a site he'd see all the trackers. He was stunned. You go to cnn.com and there are 16 trackers. I hid the notification window later because it's annoying, but if you're not aware of this stuff, it's rather eye-opening. Browsing without a half-dozen blocking add-ons is like walking through the mall naked.

      I run:

      Adblock Plus
      Ghostery
      NoScript
      BetterPrivacy (deletes Flash 'Locally Shared Objects,' which are Flash cookies a regular cookie-blocker/deleter won't notice)
      Certificate Patrol
      HTTPS-Everywhere
      Flashblock
      Smart Referer

      And my default search engine is Startpage.

      Any other recommendations you've got, IT Pro?

      --
      We don't have a state-run media we have a media-run state.
  6. Switch to uBlock, it's better by Petronius · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Faster, better, hackable and free. https://github.com/gorhill/uBl...

    --
    there's no place like ~
  7. Extortion by cgfsd · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Correct me if I am wrong, but if someone creates a product that interferes with someone else’s business and then charges them a fee to stop interfering, isn’t that extortion?

  8. Re:Bound to happen by WCMI92 · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I'm not particularly interested in the 'sustainability' of the Internet. Google and a couple of other companies that have more money than the Catholic Church can worry about that. I'm interested in my privacy and peace of mind.

    I am not going to cry if the commercial ventures on the Internet die. IMHO, the Internet was better back in 1994-5 anyway when it largely was NOT commercial!

    Back in those days when you clicked on the DOWNLOAD button, (gasp) a file downloaded! Not prompt you through 6 more screens and clicks. Articles rendered as a single page instead of "click whoring" you through a dozen pages.

    If those lowbrow tactics quit yielding money they will stop.

    And sites like Amazon which I go to when I WANT to buy something will always be there.

    --
    Corporatism != Free Market
  9. Re:Adblock Edge by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Interesting

    uBlock

    Nice and lightweight.