Adblock Plus is only one of many web browser add-ons that consumers use to make online ads disappear. Yet Adblock Plus does allow some ads to be visible, if they meet its guidelines and pay for the privilege of being whitelisted (except for small advertisers).
If consumers don't see ads, advertisers won't reach their target audiences--and sites that rely on being paid for advertising may be hurt financially. So the Irish tech firm Pagefair is now offering websites the ability to install software that prevents ad blocking software from, well, blocking ads.
'Ad blocking costs websites money' is the headline on Pagefair's home page. Hundreds of websites use Pagefair to counter the blocking, and the company also aims to educate consumers about how ad blockers affect sites.
Pagefair's research suggests 20% of visitors to its clients' websites have ad blockers installed to prevent ads from being visible. Pagefair provides clients with analytics to evaluate the situation on their sites and the option to display ads requesting that consumers turn off the ad blocker and make ads visible.
Are ubiquitous or annoying ads necessary to keep the financial balance of the Internet? Should consumers care about the effect ad blockers have on websites' bottom line? How can advertisers encourage consumers to allow ads, through better targeting and better content and format? What are the ethical considerations for advertisers and for consumers?
