Internet Ads
Internet ads have gotten absolutely ridiculous. A lot of websites have become unusable because they're about 75% advertisements and 25% actually useful content. This is the reason why ad blockers (e.g. AdBlock) have become so popular, although my reason for installing and using an ad blocker is completely different. If you weren't already aware of this, some ads are really just links to scams or malicious websites that will attempt to download malicious software (malware) onto your devices. In fact, some ads are themselves outright malicious programs that will attempt to inject malicious extensions into your web browser and/or download unwanted attachments. I made the decision to install an ad blocker when I nearly lost my laptop to one such "advertisement", and I now refuse to surf the web without it.
Even with that point aside, how is anyone supposed to enjoy their favorite website with these deluges of ads? YouTube is probably the worst (or best) example of this. Click on a video, and you can get 1-2 ads before seeing the first frame of the video, and then you can see ads every few minutes. Imagine if TV shows worked that way. Sure, you have commercial breaks, but they're about every 10 minutes and are usually seen as an opportunity to implement cliffhangers. Instead, imagine if the TV show just went to commercial break in the middle of a line. For example, "I think we just solved the–" "Did you know that our product is the best thing you'll ever own?" These awkward, abrupt, and incoherent pauses are just annoying and detract from the experience. Few people will want to buy a product or service associated with an ad that just ruined the experience they were actually looking to enjoy.
In fact, before I installed AdBlock, I remember getting an ad for a song about marijuana when attempting to watch a YouTube video (the song title, which was displayed on screen, even contained a slang term for marijuana). I personally don't have an issue with songs about marijuana (I don't use marijuana or marijuana products), but there are people who do take issue with this and probably don't want their kids learning about songs that are centered around marijuana. I have no idea what I clicked on to bring about this ad; it just randomly popped up one morning. By the way, YouTube has made an attempt to become "kid friendly", which expectedly has problems, and, like the rest of the Internet, cannot be fully trusted.
As if all that weren't bad enough, some websites now demand that you turn off ad blockers. If you're going to force me to decide between protecting my computer and using your website, that's a pretty easy decision. Like I already said, some ads are bad because they're either scams or attempts to compromise your computer in some way. It seems like these websites and advertising services are not properly vetting what they're publishing; as long as the advertising fee is paid, it gets disseminated to "potentially interested parties".
Now, I understand that hosting a website is not free, and many websites rely on ad revenue in order to be profitable. However, it is possible to make those ads less intrusive, less annoying, and less dangerous. The worst ads are the ones that randomly appear and consume the entire screen, which you might unintentionally click on as you're about to click on something else. But, you also have the scam ads that contain messaging intended to make people instinctively click on the ad, and then they're at the mercy of whatever scam or malicious website they just got suckered into. And that's another difference between TV ads and Internet ads; the worst thing a TV add will do is make you cringe or feel uncomfortable. The worst thing an Internet ad could do is wreck your device and make it unusable.
Some of the Internet advertising agencies have also found ways to circumvent ad blockers, but fortunately most ad blockers give you the option of clicking on a website feature that you want permanently blocked, and it will also attempt to block anything similar that shows up elsewhere.
Even worse, many websites are now pushing for a subscription based service in which you pay a monthly fee to eliminate all of the ads and financially support the website. This business model works great if it's a voluntary donation, but charging money for using a website isn't a realistic business model. Most people only visit websites on an every-now-and-then basis, and so it's difficult to justify paying a monthly subscription fee. There are only a few websites that anyone visits on a regular basis, and most people have gotten used to using those websites without having to pay for them. This would be akin to entering a mall and having to pay the mall owners $20 per month to prevent pushy strangers from constantly jumping in front of your path as you're trying to shop.
Fortunately, there are websites that don't participate in this shameful and greedy behavior. From this point on, any website that demands the deactivation of my ad blocker is a website I won't be visiting anymore. Instead, I'll seek out a competitor that doesn't engage in this behavior and use them instead. In fact, some of the best websites out there are supported by voluntary donations instead of ad revenue. Usually, this is a sign that the first priority is a good website and not money, and such websites usually don't last unless their users believe they're actually worth paying for.
There's a big difference between forcing someone to pay a subscription fee and asking for a donation. Or, put another way, you catch more flies with honey than vinegar. If your website is really worth paying for, most of your customers will be happy to donate some of their hard earned money. If you twist their arm and make it confrontational, eventually people will get sick of the greed and will seek out alternatives.
Now, I know some independent content creators on social media platforms also take issue with ad blockers. However, the issue is more to do with the website's ownership than the ad blocker. Websites like YouTube do give their popular content creators a share of the ad revenue that is tied to their videos. However, that "share" is mostly a rip off. YouTube will take about 70%-90% of the ad money and then you'll get the remaining 10%-30%. Ever notice that many content creators have been doing their own ad reads as part of their videos? The reason why is because YouTube takes a grossly unfair slice of the pie.
As an aside, any website that is supersaturated with ads while prohibiting ad blockers is probably struggling financially. Otherwise, they wouldn't be so desperate for ad revenue. So, if such a website becomes an issue for you, the website's days are probably numbered anyway.
If there are any prospective website developers out there, this could be a golden opportunity for you. Many people would prefer websites that are ad free, so, if you're willing to commit the time and money, you have the opportunity to make something that people will genuinely like by providing alternatives to these greedy and annoying websites.