The web is already a distracting enough place; it is easy to glue ourselves to a YouTube marathon, swallow greasy, unhealthy portions of Facebook feeds, and further cause inattention, impulsiveness, and disorganization. And even when we are trying to consume information or work in a healthy manner, well-meaning websites still make it difficult to focus with a barrage of colorful, dizzying ad placements that make consumption unbearable. For those not already introduced to ad-blockers, you are missing out on a leaner and more bearable web.
There is some criticism against using ad-blockers. Website owners using third-party hosted online advertising for funding have argued that the use of ad-blocking software risks cutting off their revenue stream. While some have successfully implemented subscription and membership-based paywall systems for revenue, many websites today rely on third-party hosted online advertising to function.
But the truth is, ads are always a distraction, and the key to a successful business in the long-term is to have amazing usability and purpose. If the content is not good enough to survive without ads, then its meaning is simply transient. This website will never have ads, except for the ones WordPress puts on here while I use free hosting. But, if you use an ad-block software, you should only see clean walls of text to focus on.
Kill Ads
Install Adblock Plus. Remove the checkmark for “allow some non-intrusive advertising”.
Kill Adblock-blockers
Sites like Forbes.com have mechanisms to detect ad-blockers. Ameliorate this by installing uBlock Origin.
