Editing Ad blocking (section)

==Response from publishers==
[[File:Ad blocker warning example.svg|thumb|An example of a message users may come across if they have an ad blocker installed.]]

===Countermeasures===
Some websites have taken countermeasures against ad blocking software, such as attempting to detect the presence of ad blockers and informing users of their views, or outright preventing users from accessing the content unless they disable the ad blocking software, whitelist the website, or [[Paywall|buy an "ad-removal pass"]]. There have been several arguments supporting<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thegooglecache.com/white-hat-seo/ad-blocking-is-immoral/ |title=Ad Blocking is Immoral |publisher=The Google Cache |date=2 August 2007 |access-date=23 March 2019 |archive-date=4 October 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111004080920/http://www.thegooglecache.com/white-hat-seo/ad-blocking-is-immoral/ |url-status=live }}</ref> and opposing<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.networkperformancedaily.com/2007/09/adblock_adapt_or_die_1.html |title=Adblock: Adapt, or die. |date=5 September 2007 |access-date=23 March 2019 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120117134229/http://www.networkperformancedaily.com/2007/09/adblock_adapt_or_die_1.html |archive-date=17 January 2012}}</ref> the assertion that blocking ads is wrong.<ref>{{cite web |last=Kirk |first=Jeremy |url=https://www.infoworld.com/article/2648590/firefox-ad-blocker-extension-causes-angst.html |title=Firefox ad-blocker extension causes angst |publisher=InfoWorld |date=23 August 2007 |access-date=23 March 2019 |archive-date=23 March 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190323225449/https://www.infoworld.com/article/2648590/firefox-ad-blocker-extension-causes-angst.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Indeed, there is evidence to show that these countermeasures may hurt a website's [[SEO]] performance, as users unwilling to turn off their AdBlock may instead go to a competitor's website listed in the search results.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.techlaco.com/2016/06/websites-blocking-adblock-lose-their.html|title=Blocking "Adblock" is Proving Disastrous (e.g. Forbes)|website=Techlaco|first=Alex|last=Jankovic |date=10 March 2022 |access-date=29 March 2022}}</ref> Due to the little amount of time the user spends on the website, and the greater time spent on a competitor's, search engines may view the webpage less favourably and reduce its search ranking.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.semrush.com/blog/dwell-time/ |title=What Is Dwell Time & Why Does It Matter for SEO|website=Semrush|first=Amanda|last=Milligan|date=24 October 2020 |access-date=29 March 2022}}</ref> The back-and-forth elevation of technologies used for ad-blocking and countering ad-blocking have been equated to an "ad blocking war" or "arms race" between all parties.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/21/opinion/sunday/the-ad-blocking-wars.html|title=The Ad Blocking Wars|first=Kate|last=Murphy|date=20 February 2016|access-date=28 January 2020|work=[[The New York Times]]|archive-date=24 February 2016|archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20160224223849/http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/21/opinion/sunday/the-ad-blocking-wars.html?_r=0|url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|access-date=28 January 2020|archive-date=28 January 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200128192706/https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/where-will-the-ad-versus-ad-blocker-arms-race-end/|date=31 May 2018|first=Chris|last=Baraniuk|title=Where Will the Ad versus Ad Blocker Arms Race End?|url=https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/where-will-the-ad-versus-ad-blocker-arms-race-end/|url-status=live|work=[[Scientific American]]}}</ref>

It has been suggested that in the [[European Union]], the practice of websites scanning for ad blocking software may run afoul of the [[Directive on Privacy and Electronic Communications|E-Privacy Directive]].<ref name="thedrum-euprivacyadblock">{{cite web |title=Publishers snooping for ad blockers are breaking the law, claims privacy consultant |url=https://www.thedrum.com/news/2016/04/18/publishers-snooping-ad-blockers-are-breaking-law-claims-privacy-consultant |website=The Drum |first=Jessica |last=Goodfellow |date=18 April 2016 |access-date=23 March 2019 |archive-date=23 March 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190323225454/https://www.thedrum.com/news/2016/04/18/publishers-snooping-ad-blockers-are-breaking-law-claims-privacy-consultant |url-status=live }}</ref> This claim was further validated by IAB Europe's guidelines released in June 2016 stating that there indeed may be a legal issue in ad blocker detection.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.iabeurope.eu/all-news/press-releases/ad-blocking-detection-guidance/ |title=Ad Blocking Detection Guidance |website=IABEurope.eu |access-date=23 March 2019 |date=7 June 2016 |archive-date=23 March 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190323225450/https://www.iabeurope.eu/all-news/press-releases/ad-blocking-detection-guidance/ |url-status=live }}</ref> While some anti-blocking stakeholders have tried to refute this<ref name="euprivacyadblock-debunk">{{cite web |title=About that claim that detecting Adblock may be illegal |url=http://blockadblock.com/adblocking/claim-detecting-adblock-may-illegal/ |access-date=23 March 2019 |date=25 April 2016 |archive-date=29 April 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160429154848/http://blockadblock.com/adblocking/claim-detecting-adblock-may-illegal |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="euprivacyadblock-digiday">{{cite web |title=Is blocking ad blockers really illegal in Europe? |url=https://digiday.com/uk/blocking-ad-blockers-really-illegal-europe/ |date=29 April 2016 |first=Jessica |last=Davies |website=Digiday.com |access-date=23 March 2019 |archive-date=23 March 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190323225450/https://digiday.com/uk/blocking-ad-blockers-really-illegal-europe/ |url-status=live }}</ref> it seems safe to assume that Publishers should follow the guidelines provided by the main Publisher lobby IAB.

In August 2017, a vendor, Admiral, of such counter-measures issued a demand under section 1201 of the U.S. [[Digital Millennium Copyright Act]], to demand the removal of a [[domain name]] associated with their service from an ad-blocking filter list. The vendor argued that the domain constituted a component of a [[Technological protection measures|technological protection measure]] designed to protect a copyrighted work, and thus made it a violation of [[anti-circumvention]] law to frustrate access to it.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20170813/00092137987/how-dmcas-digital-locks-provision-allowed-company-to-delete-url-adblock-lists.shtml |title=How The DMCA's Digital Locks Provision Allowed A Company To Delete A URL From Adblock Lists |work=Techdirt |date=14 August 2017 |first=Mike |last=Masnick |access-date=23 March 2019 |archive-date=14 August 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170814174433/https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20170813/00092137987/how-dmcas-digital-locks-provision-allowed-company-to-delete-url-adblock-lists.shtml |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://gizmodo.com/a-copyright-claim-was-reportedly-used-to-stop-ad-blocki-1797767169 |title=A Copyright Claim Was Reportedly Used to Stop Ad Blocking, But It's Complicated |last=Jones |first=Rhett |date=12 August 2017 |website=[[Gizmodo]] |publisher=[[Gizmodo Media Group]] |access-date=23 March 2019 |archive-date=14 August 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170814180846/http://gizmodo.com/a-copyright-claim-was-reportedly-used-to-stop-ad-blocki-1797767169 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In September 2023, after a period of testing that began in May 2023, the American video hosting site [[YouTube]] began launching countermeasures at viewers with adblocker software running when viewing videos. A popup message appears warning the user is breaking the terms of service and may experience blocked viewing after three videos unless they whitelist the site, or purchase [[YouTube Premium]]. This sparked extreme controversy and backlash across the YouTube communities.<ref>{{cite web |last1=O'Flaherty |first1=Kate |title=YouTube's New Ad Blocker Crackdown—What You Need To Know |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/kateoflahertyuk/2023/10/18/youtubes-new-ad-blocker-crackdown-what-you-need-to-know/ |website=Forbes |access-date=18 October 2023 |language=en |date=18 October 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Shah |first1=Saqib |title=YouTube stops users with ad blockers from watching videos |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/tech/youtube-blocking-ad-blockers-watching-videos-b1080501.html |website=Evening Standard |access-date=18 October 2023 |language=en |date=2 November 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Niemeyer |first1=Kenneth |title=YouTube is using pop-ups to tell people to stop using ad blockers, frustrating users |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/youtube-is-cracking-down-on-ad-blockers-2023-10?r=US&IR=T |website=Business Insider |access-date=18 October 2023 |date=15 October 2023}}</ref> In October 2023, privacy advocate Alexander Hanff filed a criminal complaint against YouTube under Irish jurisdiction due to its ad blocking detection script, which is believed to violate [[European Union law|European Union privacy laws]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Claburn |first1=Thomas |title=Privacy advocate challenges YouTube's ad blocking detection |url=https://www.theregister.com/2023/10/26/privacy_advocate_challenges_youtube/ |website=[[The Register]] |access-date=15 November 2023 |language=en |date=26 October 2023}}</ref> In June 2024, YouTube began experimenting with [[server-side]] ad insertion,<ref>{{cite web |title=Server-Side Ad Insertion (SSAI) |url=https://aws.amazon.com/media/tech/what-server-side-ad-insertion-ssai/ |website=Amazon Web Services |publisher=Amazon.com |access-date=30 July 2024}}</ref> which consists of embedding ads directly into video streams, making automatic blocking significantly more difficult.<ref>{{cite news |title=YouTube's Ad Blocker Ban Just Got Even Bigger |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/kateoflahertyuk/2024/06/20/youtubes-ad-blocker-ban-just-got-even-bigger/ |access-date=30 July 2024 |work=Forbes |date=21 June 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=YouTube looks to be testing server-side ad injection to counter ad blockers |url=https://9to5google.com/2024/06/12/youtube-ad-injection/ |access-date=30 July 2024 |work=9to5Google |date=12 June 2024}}</ref>

===Alternatives===
{{As of|2015}}, advertisers and marketers look to involve their brands directly into the entertainment with [[native advertising]] and [[product placement]] (also known as brand integration or embedded marketing).<ref>{{cite web |title=How Apple's embrace of ad blocking will change native advertising |publisher=[[Digiday]] |url=https://digiday.com/publishers/apple-native-advertising/ |access-date=23 March 2019 |date=28 July 2015 |first=Emma |last=Geary |archive-date=1 October 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151001001909/https://digiday.com/publishers/apple-native-advertising/ |url-status=live }}</ref> An example of product placement would be for a soft drink manufacturer to pay a [[reality TV]] show producer to have the show's cast and host appear onscreen holding cans of the soft drink.{{Citation needed|date=December 2023}} Another common product placement is for an [[automotive industry|automotive manufacturer]] to give free cars to the producers of a [[TV show]], in return for the show's producer depicting characters using these vehicles during the show.{{Citation needed|date=December 2023}}

Some digital publications turned to their customers for help as a form of [[tip jar]].{{Citation needed|date=December 2023}} For example, ''[[The Guardian]]'' is asking its readers for donations to help offset falling advertising revenue. According to the newspaper's editor-in-chief, Katharine Viner, the newspaper gets about the same amount of money from membership and donations as it does from advertising.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Bond |first1=David |title=Guardian relies on readers' support to stave off crisis |url=https://www.ft.com/content/9044ff9a-358b-11e7-99bd-13beb0903fa3 |access-date=22 December 2023 |work=[[Financial Times]] |date=13 May 2017 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20170515132938/https://www.ft.com/content/9044ff9a-358b-11e7-99bd-13beb0903fa3 |archive-date=15 May 2017}}</ref> The newspaper considered preventing readers from accessing its content if usage of ad-blocking software becomes widespread,<ref>{{cite web |title=Guardian to consider preventing access to content if ad-blocking proliferates |work=[[The Guardian]] |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2016/apr/12/guardian-to-consider-preventing-access-to-content-if-ad-blocking-identified |first=Mark |last=Sweney |date=12 April 2016 |access-date=23 March 2019 |archive-date=5 January 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180105233721/https://www.theguardian.com/media/2016/apr/12/guardian-to-consider-preventing-access-to-content-if-ad-blocking-identified |url-status=live }}</ref> but so far it keeps the content accessible for readers who employ ad-blockers.{{Citation needed|date=December 2023}}

A new service called Scroll, launched in January 2020, worked with several leading website publishers to create a subscription model for ad-free browsing across all supported websites. Users would pay Scroll directly, and portions of the subscription fees are doled out to the websites based on proportional view count.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theverge.com/2020/1/28/21111865/scroll-ad-free-website-subscription-launches|title=Scroll makes hundreds of websites ad-free for $5 per month|first=Jacob|last=Kastrenakes|date=28 January 2020|access-date=28 January 2020|work=[[The Verge]]|archive-date=28 January 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200128191218/https://www.theverge.com/2020/1/28/21111865/scroll-ad-free-website-subscription-launches|url-status=live}}</ref>