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German Publisher Axel Springer Bans Adblocking Users From Bild Website (axelspringer.de)

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the durft-nicht dept.

An anonymous reader writes: Major European publishing house Axel Springer has instituted countermeasures against users who employ adblocking software on its Bild news outlet, which represents a daily publication with a print circulation of 2.5 million. The website now presents readers with a request to either turn off the adblocking or pay a €2.99 monthly subscription fee. In a statement the company insists that online journalism must be funded by one of the 'two known revenue pillars' — advertising or sales.

2 of 474 comments (clear)

  1. Dear Advertisers, by Scutter · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Dear Advertisers,

    We had a social contract. In exchange for our attention, you agreed to fund our entertainment. But you squandered that agreement and broke our contract. Simply getting our attention wasn't enough for you. In your zeal to make your ads stand out over the others, you started using insecure technologies that exposed your customers to attack. When you realized that your customers were commodities to be bought and sold, you tried to monetize us. You started using tracking cookies. You sold us to your friends and partners. You violated our trust. And now you're asking us to trust you again but you haven't done a single thing to earn that trust back. Quite the contrary, in fact, you continue to abuse us over and over.

    Advertisers, you have asked us to return to the old model but have given us no reason to do so. I will continue to block your ads and your malignant tumors until you have proven without a shadow of a doubt that you have mended your ways. Until then, SCREW YOU.

    Sincerely,
    Your former customers

    --

    "Tell me doctor, with all of your defenses, are there any provisions for an attack by killer bees?"
  2. Re:The first domino has tipped by serviscope_minor · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I've been seeing more requests than ever recently to "please turn off Adblocker" while browsing.

    Funnily enough, I see them too. I don't run an adblocker, though. I do however run noscript. I have no objection to ads in principle. However, I'm not running scripts unless I have a compelling reason to do so. So, if you want to show me ads, serve them up without Javascript.

    If you want to hog my CPU and eat my battery... well, tough.

    --
    SJW n. One who posts facts.