Any advanced internet user knows that the best way to enjoy the pure Internet is to get an ad blocker. It zaps away all the excess and gives you the meaty good stuff. However, it looks like companies are figuring ways to circumvent ad blockers… by paying them off. Google is reportedly paying one of the most popular ad blockers, AdBlock Plus, to not block Google’s ads.
Basically, Google is getting Google ads white-listed from the ad blocking service. It’s unclear how much Google is paying AdBlock Plus and what other companies are doing the same but AdBlock Plus has always (since 2011, at least) maintained a white-list to allow ads that are non-intrusive to exist on the Internet. AdBlock Plus describes the white-list specifics:
White-listing is free for all small websites and blogs. However, managing this list requires significant effort on our side and this task cannot be completely taken over by volunteers as it happens with common filter lists. That’s why we are being paid by some larger properties that serve non-intrusive advertisements that want to participate in the Acceptable Ads initiative.
Maybe we need an ad blocker for the ad blocker now. [Horizon T via Salon via Verge, Image Credit: AP]