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German Supreme Court Rules Ad Blockers Legal (faz.net)

Posted by BeauHD on from the open-for-business dept.

New submitter paai writes: The publishing company Axel Springer tried to ban the use of ad blockers in Germany because they endanger the digital publishing of news stories. The Oberlandesgericht Koln (Germany's Higher Regional Court of Cologne) followed this reasoning and forbade the use of ad blockers on the grounds that the use of white lists was an aggressive marketing technique. [The business model allows websites to pay a fee so that their "non aggressive" advertisements can bypass AdBlock Pro's filters. Larger companies like Google can afford to pay to have the ban lifted on their website.] The Bundesgerichtshof (Federal Court of Justice or BGH) destroyed this court ruling today and judged that users had a right to filter out advertisements in web pages.

5 of 134 comments (clear)

  1. It's so obvious.. by fluffernutter · · Score: 1, Funny

    We need ad blocker blockers! And ad blocker blocker blockers!

    --
    Laws are rules for the court, but merely a bottom bar to hit for life. Think beyond laws in your actions always.
  2. Something smells funny about this decision by squiggleslash · · Score: 5, Funny

    The Oberlandesgericht Koln (Germany's Higher Regional Court of Cologne)

    I'm guessing this is the perfect court to raise a stink about ad blockers.

    --
    You are not alone. This is not normal. None of this is normal.
    1. Re:Something smells funny about this decision by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

      eau ye of little humour

    2. Re:Something smells funny about this decision by squiggleslash · · Score: 3, Funny

      Does it issue damages proportional to the number of times the plaintiff got angry, or, I guess, to put it another way, per-fume?

      --
      You are not alone. This is not normal. None of this is normal.
  3. Re:why do we have comment subjects by aevan · · Score: 4, Funny

    This just in: East Texas Court rules blinking to be theft. Mandates lid speculum integration while using a browser.