In his blog post “To block or not to block? That is the question”, Douglas explores the recent debate surrounding the use of Ad-blocking software on technology platforms. With the announcement that Apple and Google will be allowing these kinds of extensions to be installed on their products raises obvious concerns for companies that require ad revenue to survive, but also ethical ones for consumer. So what are consumers of online content and advertisers actively doing to combat this dilemma?
The use of Adblocking software can be tempting for many consumers. As Douglas stated, ads are often seen as “disruptive, annoying and manipulative”. Adblockers can also save battery, load pages more quickly, and generally improves the user experience. However, there are definite ethical concerns over the use of these programs as much online content is primarily ad supported. Websites like The Onion or Vox News are funded primarily by promising advertisers the presence of viewers on their site. The ethical problem with Adblocking software is that by viewing content while blocking the presence of these advertisers, consumers are effectively stealing.
Currently alternatives to these services are scarce. One possibility is the emergence of the “Ethical Adblocker” which effectively blocks advertisements by blocking websites that are ad supported. Obviously, this program would not appeal to individuals who are accustomed to consuming ad supported content, but it acts as a reminder of the truism that free content isn’t really free.
The continued use of these services in spite of the ethical issues surrounding them have indicated that a fundamental shift in how advertising is performed is needed. One shift that is becoming ever more prevalent is the movement toward native advertising. This method of advertisement subverts Adblocking software because it fits natively into the editorial content stream. This may come in the form of weekly “thank you notes” from authors or ads that included in a websites content. Another method of getting around Adblocking software is to direct more ads to iOS or Android apps where the user experience is more controlled than on web browsers. Facebook already is planning to roll out ““Instant Articles”, articles that can only be viewed within the Facebook app, immune to current Adblocking software. Both alternatives are viable options.
Ultimately it appears that currently consumers have little other than ethical principles to keep them from blocking advertisements online, but given the numerous alternatives advertisers have in the realm of digital media, it seems mobile advertising is here to stay.
References:
Douglas’ Blog : http://blogs.ubc.ca/douglaszhu/2015/10/03/to-block-of-not-to-block-that-is-the-question
Image 1: http://www.niemanlab.org/images/voxlogo.jpg
Image 2: http://www.politicspa.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/onion.jpg
Image 3: http://www.presse-citron.net/wordpress_prod/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Ethical-Ad-BLocker.png
