Jacob Lludkrab's Personal Weblog.

Mozilla Firefox blocked for AdBlock Plus

I just read a few good articles about Mozilla Firefox being blocked on certain website because some users of Firefox choose to install the add-on AdBlock Plus, — an advertisement extension or “add-on,” — here is why that’s wrong…

One: The user is allowed to see and not see any part of a website that is made publicly available. It shouldn’t be up to the Webmaster to decide. People also use Greasemonkey, which can achieve the same effect as AdBlock Plus, it’s just not automatic. And neither is just “AdBlock” you have to have “AdBlock Plus” but that is what most people have.

Two: People also use AdBlock Plus with Internet Explorer, too. I would have to guess, around the same number of people use it with IE, if not more.

Three: Think about it like this: When websites have advertisements, flashing, blinking, moving around, resizing, over lapping the page, etc., etc., etc., and I find them EXTREMELY ANNOYING! And it’s a product I’m not going to ever buy, or already have, like an iPod. I’m not going to click on those advertisements.

So why does it matter if I see them or not? When I don’t have to see them, I value the web site, talk about the web site, spread the word about the web site. To people who may not have AdBlock Plus, people who might be using Internet Explorer, people, who might buy those products, people who might click those advertisements. Instead you lock me out.

Blocking Firefox is wrong!