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Update on Ad Blockers

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You are here: /commentary/update-on-ad-blockers/2024-10-25

In 2016/2018 Ad blocker usage was being reported as somewhere between 65% and 85%. This counted as a vote and Google implemented an ad blocker directly into its Chrome browser to mitigate concerns with browser plugins that might have questionable sources and even more questionable technology practices. The majority of ad blocker extensions or plugins were not found to have any defficient code nor were they found to emulate any adverse human behaviors such as non consensual behavior monitoring. Google, was in focus at the time because one of their biggest sources of revenue was ads. Currently ad blocker usage is being reported as approximately 20%. This is likely due to ad blockers now being integrated into Chromium based browsers and turned on by default as well as ad networks reformulating their business plans to obtain revenues through other means, or run advertisements and marketing using different techniques that are more acceptable to internet users. Updated data

Tech Jury comment: Non existent revenues are not neccessarily lost revenues. A more accurate statment might be publishers had a collective $35 billion expense in advertisements that did not reach the intended audience due to reorganization of how the internet works and new specifications on ad requirements that were being tested by early adopters. https://techjury.net/blog/ad-blocker-usage-stats/
Search Engine Journal comment: the use of ad blockers is not necessarily illegal, and websites that had "turn your ad blocker off or else" simply clicked off the website and added the website to their list of do not visit, do not route to, do not list in my search feed. This counts as a vote. Advertisements are often thought of as introductions, announcements, or invitations to try new products, updated products, or existing products at different prices. The correct way to go about this without a causing users to boycott or refrain visits to a website would be covered under business processes, patents and trade secrets. There are bound to be at least some idustry standards and best practices released shortly. https://www.searchenginejournal.com/global-ad-blocker-trends/398133/