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Sen. Ron Wyden calls for an investigation of the ad-blocking industry:
On Tuesday, one of the Senate's fiercest tech critics, Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR), called on regulators requesting that they investigate the ad-blocking industry for anti-competitive behavior.
For years now, some of the largest tech firms have paid ad-blocking companies like Eyeo, which owns Adblock Plus, to avoid the software's restrictions and have their ads displayed on devices. In 2015, a report from the Financial Times showed that companies like Microsoft, Amazon, and Google were paying out ad blockers so that they could be added to a whitelist to avoid the software's filters.
In a letter to the Federal Trade Commission, Wyden outlined this behavior and asked Chairman Joseph Simons to open an investigation into the entire ad-blocking industry as a response. Wyden argued that any company that accepts payment to be whitelisted should be "far more transparent" about the process with its users.
In the case of Adblock Plus, the company announced in 2016 that it would be accepting some ads that weren't "intrusive or annoying." The company whitelists these acceptable ads and allows them to run on devices, but Wyden argues that this behavior is "anti-competitive.
The FTC confirmed that it had received the letter.
(Score: 2) by PinkyGigglebrain on Thursday January 16 2020, @08:50PM (3 children)
I use NoScript. which is not an "ad blocker". Yes, it blocks adds but that is not it's main purpose.
it is intended to prevent any JavaScript from running in my browser that I don't expressly approve, nothing more.
Too bad for the advertisers that all their adds require javascript, if they served up static jpgs I'd probably actually see more of their stuff just fine.
"Beware those who would deny you Knowledge, For in their hearts they dream themselves your Master."
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday January 20 2020, @12:24PM (2 children)
Stop living in 2012 and replace NoScript with uBlock Origin. It does what NoScript does but with a lot more functions and control.
It amazes me how people still brag on about Adblock, Adblock Plus, NoScript and Ghostery like they are so smart. Get with the times people!
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday January 20 2020, @12:27PM (1 child)
Woops I meant replace it with uMatrix. Both uBlock Origin and uMatrix work well together and are made by the same author.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday January 26 2020, @04:56AM
I was about to say.. NoScript functionality is just part of what uMatrix does.
Until Chrome blocks this kind of extension that is.