Don’t know about you guys, but I started seeing this in just the past few months. Went to Forbes.com just now via Google. It wouldn’t let me see the page until I turned off my ad blocker (I didn’t).
Recently, CBS.com wouldn’t let me watch a video because it couldn’t serve an ad from its sponsor.
To the companies that are now doing this, let me just say this: FUCK YOU!. I’m never turning off my ad blocker, and I will just do without your site if you try to make me. I don’t care if you’re Youtube, Facebook, whatever: I will not suck down your goddamn ads.
So what do you think, is this the start of a big trend, or will the sites that do this remain outliers?
Here are some additional thoughts. First, here’s a good article by a blogger I like who says:
20 is years is plenty–let’s stop waiting for online ads for mature.
He quotes another good article that describes advertising as
In general, online advertising seems to work pretty terribly. My only question is why it works at all. I’m not sure why Facebook advertising is successful; it seems like a terrible place to advertise. About the only thing I can comprehend is Google’s search-based advertising (not fucking Adwords).
I’m also not sure why anyone is still without an ad blocker at this late date. I believe I started back in 2008 or so, right around when I started using Facebook. I’ve never been troubled by ads on that site or Youtube.
Anyhow, feel free to offer your insights on any or all of the above!