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# System prepended metadata

title: Ad Blocking

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# Ad Blocking

Why did the internet break up with online ads? Because they had commitment issues – always showed up uninvited! Ads are everywhere now. According to [Marti](https://zgp.org/targeted-advertising-considered-harmful/), Digital advertisements also hold significantly less value compared to print ads, and the prevalence of ad blockers is further diminishing the worth of online ads (2017).  I have employed an ad blocker for a couple of years now. However, there are instances where websites prompt me to whitelist them for access, and the majority of my web browsing experience remains ad-free. For this assignment, I used the ad blocker 'uBlock Origin' and the website 'BuzzFeed' to showcase the before and after of ad blockers. 

![Buzzfeed- Before Ad Blocker](https://imgur.com/oEZDJRc.jpeg)

![Buzzfeed- After Ad blocker](https://imgur.com/Djzp6X9.jpeg)

As one could tell, all of the ads were blocked out by the ad blocker. The header meant for ads was taken out and the page started nicely at the top. 

Presently, certain ad blockers are allowing what they refer to as "acceptable ads." While these ads may be less intrusive, they are still advertisements. “A handful of ad blocker companies are earning big bucks for not blocking ads from hundreds of advertisers, including big names like LinkedIn, Reddit, Amazon, and even Google [(Taylor, 2022)](https://restoreprivacy.com/report-ad-blockers-allowing-acceptable-ads/)." This shows that even with Adblocker, one may not truly escape the grasp of getting their data sold. In the case of uBlock Origin, they did not let any of the ads pass through which makes me trust the ad blocker more. I will continue to use the ad blocker.