# Do you click on ads? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 15, 2009, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-click-on-ads/481357 "2009-01-15T01:30:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![EpicNonsense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c37758/32.png) [@EpicNonsense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EpicNonsense)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-click-on-ads/481357/1 "2009-01-15T01:30:28Z")
Are you the type that clicks on ads (relevant or not, just to check em out) or the type that tries to avoid them at any cost including installing loads of pop-up/flash/image blockers and pays no attention to them at all?.. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-click-on-ads/481357/2 "2009-01-15T01:34:09Z")
I don’t even notice them. So, no. ---
**Author:** ![Karyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/fbc32d/32.png) [@Karyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Karyn)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-click-on-ads/481357/3 "2009-01-15T01:45:24Z")
I have an add-on that blocks all of them but before that I never clicked on them. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-click-on-ads/481357/4 "2009-01-15T01:55:41Z")
Avoid them with an array of pop-up blockers/ad blockers, etc. I’m never interested in them and I don’t feel like watching a site hang because [awesome-adproviders.com](http://awesome-adproviders.com) is having troubles. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-click-on-ads/481357/5 "2009-01-15T02:00:19Z")
That is a great question. I have been on the Internet for 15 or 16 years and have NEVER clicked on an ad EVER. I don’t really notice them for one, and for two Firefox now blocks a lot of them. If I can digress, I never pay much attention to TV ads either. I am a customer of a couple of on-line polling companies. I get surveys to answer all the time where I’m supposed to rate products by advertising campaigns and the like; I draw a complete blank on most of the surveys. “Have you seen an ad for xxxx blah, blah, blah?” Uhhhh… no. And therefore I have no freakin’ idea how to answer the rest of the survey. Sometimes they prompt me with examples of the ad, and I think “Oh, yeah, maybe I saw that?” Then they start asking questions about how likely I am to buy the product after seeing the ad. I’m thinking, “I barely even remember seeing the ad let alone jump at buying the stupid product?” Truthfully, I am one customer for whom advertising has zero impact. I buy store brand or no-name whenever possible, that is when my wife doesn’t specify Tide, Bounce, Coke, and the like. ---
**Author:** ![Marconi\_Schmeese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ea666f/32.png) [@Marconi\_Schmeese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marconi_Schmeese)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-click-on-ads/481357/6 "2009-01-15T02:22:25Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > I have been on the Internet for 15 or 16 years and have NEVER clicked on an ad EVER. I don’t really notice them for one, and for two Firefox now blocks a lot of them. This. ---
**Author:** ![Jragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jragon)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-click-on-ads/481357/7 "2009-01-15T03:07:45Z")
I’ll click on ads as shortcuts sometimes, for instance I already knew about Snorg Tees and their ads appear (or at least used to appear) on Cracked a lot, so sometimes if I wanted to browse new shirts I’ll click on the ad. I think the only time I ever clicked a link that wasn’t immediately relevant/I wasn’t familiar with where it led was once on Questionable Content because I liked the art in the ad, and it led me to the Dungeons and Discourse Dresden Codak comic, so I’m happy I found that one. But, generally, no, I don’t click on ads. ---
**Author:** ![Lakai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de0a6/32.png) [@Lakai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lakai)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-click-on-ads/481357/8 "2009-01-15T03:12:01Z")
I think I clicked on two ad in my browsing career. One was for [The Mojave Experiment.](http://www.mojaveexperiment.com/?fbid=BorD8c6BsW8) I wanted to know what the hell they were talking about. Another was for a free Sony Playstation. I wanted to see where these things actually went. The first ad was a hulu ad. Which is why I consider hulu a major accomplishment, because I actually watch the ads they put up. ---
**Author:** ![Elyanna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b5ac83/32.png) [@Elyanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elyanna)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-click-on-ads/481357/9 "2009-01-15T03:13:28Z")
Only on accident. On my own computers I’ve got them blocked. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-click-on-ads/481357/10 "2009-01-15T03:45:27Z")
If it is an unobtrusive ad that appears to be relevant to something I’m interested in at the time, yes. I don’t buy it via an ad, though, I only go to get more information, as I am more likely to buy it locally than online, if possible. But I also employ an ad-blocker so the majority of the time I don’t see any ads. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-click-on-ads/481357/11 "2009-01-15T04:12:02Z")
Hell, no. I suspect that’s one way my users attract all that spam. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Vox\_Imperatoris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Vox\_Imperatoris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vox_Imperatoris)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-click-on-ads/481357/12 "2009-01-15T05:47:16Z")
No, almost never. By the way, the Google ads are advertising ad services. 😛 Valete, Vox Imperatoris ---
**Author:** ![fifty-six](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@fifty-six](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fifty-six)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 6:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-click-on-ads/481357/13 "2009-01-15T06:46:10Z")
Only if I hate the advertising company and or like the site selling the ad space. The clicks cost the company with the ads money and raise money for the site i like. Evey now and again I will go click happy to do my part. ---
**Author:** ![SurrenderDorothy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/surrenderdorothy/32/1221_2.png) [@SurrenderDorothy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SurrenderDorothy)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 10:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-click-on-ads/481357/14 "2009-01-15T10:42:07Z")
Sometimes. I’ve clicked ads before for online stores. Stuff that sells cute/girly/t-shirt/jewelry type stuff. And if I’m doing a free click to donate type thing I go look at the ads and click to see what they are. And a few times long ago when I was too little to really know much better, I clicked those ads that pretend to be games- like “punch the monkey to get a prize” and such. I don’t click on fakeout type ads, though, and never on google ads. If it’s something that looks interesting presented in a straightforward way, I’ll click. Otherwise, no. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-click-on-ads/481357/15 "2009-01-15T14:18:37Z")
What **Leaffan** said. I block all I can and ignore the rest. I have never, and probably will never, click on one. ---
**Author:** ![Canadjun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/76d3ee/32.png) [@Canadjun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Canadjun)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-click-on-ads/481357/16 "2009-01-15T14:44:53Z")
I block them. ---
**Author:** ![Crowbar\_of\_Irony\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f08c70/32.png) [@Crowbar\_of\_Irony\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crowbar_of_Irony_3)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-click-on-ads/481357/17 "2009-01-15T14:53:03Z")
Surprise. I do, when the ad is really something that catches my attention. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-click-on-ads/481357/18 "2009-01-15T15:27:48Z")
> [@CrazyChop](#): > > Surprise. I do, when the ad is really something that catches my attention. Thereby proving what the advertisers know – 98% of the people ignore them, but occasionally someone clicks through. ---
**Author:** ![MacTech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MacTech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacTech)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-click-on-ads/481357/19 "2009-01-15T15:42:09Z")
Nope, hate ads, so I therefore don’t click on them, they’re a waste of my bandwidth Thank Og for edited Hosts files! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-click-on-ads/481357/20 "2009-01-15T15:51:50Z")
Maybe 6 times in the last 10 years. I liked messing with that stupid punch the monkey ad, I kept missing the monkey on purpose, dozens of times. I was hoping they tracked the “miss” clicks and wondered WTF was wrong with people. 😉 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-click-on-ads/481357.md?page=2)