this post was submitted on 20 Jul 2025
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They call it "dark traffic" - ads that are not seen by tech-savvy users who have excellent ad blockers.

Not surprised that its growing. The web is unusable without an ad blocker and its only getting worse, and will continue to get worse every month.

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[–] b3an@lemmy.world 31 points 2 days ago

Maybe the problem is the advertisers and not the consumers. Jeeeesus.

[–] solrize@lemmy.ml 114 points 2 days ago (2 children)
[–] Lemminary@lemmy.world 38 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (1 children)
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[–] melsaskca@lemmy.ca 13 points 1 day ago

AdBlocker is the one who should get the Nobel Peace prize.

[–] CileTheSane@lemmy.ca 7 points 1 day ago (2 children)

This is easily solved by not using 3rd parties and tracking data for ads. If the ad was just part of the page (similar to an ad in the newspaper) then ad blockers would not be able to detect them at all. A YouTuber saying "before we get started, this video is sponsored by [relevant related company]" does not get blocked by ad blockers.

However, in order to do that websites would be responsible for the ads they display. If they don't do their due diligence they won't be able to pass it off as "we're not responsible for it, it's our ad company that put it there." They don't want to be responsible for the ads they show, but they want you to be responsible for the ads you don't watch.

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[–] forwhomthecattolls@sh.itjust.works 40 points 2 days ago (5 children)

gasp you mean to tell me you DON'T like 20 million videos playing over the top of the recipe that you're trying to read while trying not to burn dinner? unbelievable.

smh these motherfuckers are so brazen

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[–] besselj@lemmy.ca 91 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (4 children)

Raw-dogging the internet without an adblocker is about as irresponsible as not using contraception

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[–] uss_entrepreneur@startrek.website 35 points 2 days ago (1 children)

People don’t mind ads for the most part it’s the fact that they take over 3/4 of the screen and generally try to be as obnoxious as possible.

If we stuck with banner ads no one would care, but they just had to make ads as shitty as possible.

[–] MalReynolds@aussie.zone 18 points 2 days ago

I absolutely do mind.

[–] MoonRaven 17 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I didn't mind having a couple of static ads on a page. But now it's so much. So many dynamic ads, autoplaying videos, popups asking you to sign up to a newsletter, etc. No thanks.

[–] Jason2357@lemmy.ca 8 points 1 day ago

I wouldn't mind unobtrusive ads targeted to the content of the page being viewed -but that doesn't happen. Modern ad networks all work on surveillance, and are indistinguishable from what we used to call "spyware". I have avoided spyware since the 90s.

I honestly wouldn't care if you put your mattress ad on a web page I'm reading about mattresses. I might even click on it!

[–] orca@orcas.enjoying.yachts 39 points 2 days ago (1 children)

The ad industry is an abusive ex that complains when you defend yourself.

[–] napkin2020@sh.itjust.works 35 points 2 days ago

They're not ex. They're serial rapist.

[–] Bebopalouie@lemmy.ca 61 points 2 days ago (16 children)

Almost 70. Spent way too many years watching cable shit tv. I hate ads. I fucking hate ads with a nuclear passion. I have ad blockers, pirated shit and some services that do not show ads so far. If there are ads I find an alternative or read a book. Our teen son screams ad every time he sees one that sneaks through ad just to get me going.

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[–] umbrella@lemmy.ml 10 points 1 day ago

GOOD. most people wouldn't care about blocking ads if they werent so keen on shoving them down your throat ever harder.

[–] JimVanDeventer@lemmy.world 26 points 2 days ago (6 children)

Using an ad blocker makes me tech savvy? Oh, la, la. Hand me my monocle and glass of schardonayegh.

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[–] shortwavesurfer@lemmy.zip 37 points 2 days ago (16 children)

I have my entire network running with a DNS that blocks all advertising by default. And then, just to make absolutely certain, I run browsers with UBlock Origin on them.

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[–] Delusion6903@discuss.online 40 points 2 days ago (3 children)

“The growth of dark traffic undermines the ability of publishers to fund the production of quality content, or even operate as a business. We must recognise users are not the main driver causing this.”

"It’s demonetising publisher content at scale without user consent."

They act like we don't know what we are doing and want the ads. People who block ads in browsers like ddg and brave choose those browsers for that reason.

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[–] MITM0@lemmy.world 8 points 1 day ago (6 children)

I'm wondering if Gopher should make a comeback ? Gemini is a thing so, well you know.....

For those who don't know, they're alternative internet protocols similar to HTTP

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[–] stoy@lemmy.zip 45 points 2 days ago (2 children)

I have said it before and I'll say it again.

Adblockers are a critical part of any modern computer's security suit, and everyone should use them.

I won't even consider removing mine unless the owners of a site with ads take full responsibility for any dammage to my computer coming from visiting their site with out an adblocker.

This is due to the fact that ads can be hijacked and infect your computer with malware just by accessing the site.

I have also experienced my browser being hijacked by clicking a link that was compromized, it redirected my browser in a loop, then opened a javascript password popup box that took all focus from the browser window and refused to go away, while the page below displayed a message that I needed to call tech support.

It was very annoying to resolve, Firefox would by default restore any pages that was open in a tab if the browser crashed, and since the password prompt was stealing focus from the browser window, I had to kill it through the Task manager, which restored the page on start up....

I had to create a new profile, then it it solved it

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[–] rottingleaf@lemmy.world 8 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I actually like how people are again on the wave of understanding that anarchism is right even if you've voluntarily consented to hierarchy. And other similar things.

Sometimes you need to break rules. Entropy and life are more important.

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