The rise of ad blockers has begun to make a dent in the advertising revenue earned by content creators and providers. Ad blockers identify and eliminate content based on its IP address, functioning much like a firewall. The most common ad blocker, AdBlock Plus, is offered as an extension to all major web browsers, and about 30% of Internet users currently use an ad blocker. AdBlock is free to use in its basic iteration, extremely simple, and highly effective, making it an online advertiser's worst nightmare.

Ad blockers often make websites look nicer and more streamlined while reducing battery usage and data consumption. They also stop the tracking cookies that many Internet usersfinddistasteful-advertisers use these to keep comprehensive information on you and your activities online. These are the benefits to web users. The drawbacks? If too many people use ad blockers, your favorite sites on the Internet won't be able to provide the free content you enjoy most. Many websites have begun making direct appeals to visitors to turn off their ad blockers, including Wired, The Guardian, and OKCupid.

Others have dramatically altered the types of advertising they are willing to accept. However, the perception of advertising as an unwanted and unnecessary intrusion does not help these sites to change the way their visitors view ads.

Content consumers often forget that the free content they enjoy is actually paid for by advertising dollars. However, we haven't explicitly agreed to this arrangement, or even been asked about it. Viewing advertising that doesn't pertain to your interests feels like work during moments that are supposed to be leisure time, and most people bristle at the imposition.

As the video describes, advertisers hope that the

ads you view will be about things you'd like to know more about, but it more often feels like ads are about things you aren't interested in and that the advertisers want you to like against your will.

what is the ethical ad blocker described ?

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where do you stand on the use of ad blockers?