ad blocking

The first ad blocker was Internet Fast Forward, a plugin for the Netscape Navigator browser, developed by PrivNet and released in 1996.{{Cite web |last=Claburn |first=Thomas |title=In conversation with Gene Hoffman, co-creator of the internet's first ad blocker |url=https://www.theregister.com/2021/07/08/interview_gene_hoffman/ |access-date=2023-02-03 |website=www.theregister.com |language=en}}{{Cite AV media |title=PrivNet's Internet Fast Forward (IFF) on CNBC, circa 1996 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvzR_bON9qM |via=YouTube |access-date=2023-02-03}} The AdBlock extension for Firefox was developed in 2002, with Adblock Plus being released in 2006.{{Cite web |last=O'Reilly |first=Lara |title=The inventor of Adblock tells us he wrote the code as a 'procrastination project' at university — and he's never made money from it |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/interview-with-the-inventor-of-the-ad-blocker-henrik-aasted-srensen-2015-7 |access-date=2023-02-03 |website=Business Insider |language=en-US}} uBlock Origin, originally called "uBlock", was first released in 2014.{{Cite web |title=uBlock Origin - Free, open-source ad content blocker. |url=https://ublockorigin.com/ |access-date=2023-10-04 |website=uBlock Origin |language=en}}

{{see also|Online advertising}}

{{Unreferenced section|date=April 2023}}

Online advertising exists in a variety of forms, including web banners, pictures, animations, embedded audio and video, text, or pop-up windows, and can even employ audio and video autoplay. Many browsers offer some ways to remove or alter advertisements: either by targeting technologies that are used to deliver ads (such as embedded content delivered through browser plug-ins or via HTML5), targeting URLs that are the source of ads, or targeting behaviors characteristic of ads (such as the use of HTML5 AutoPlay of both audio and video).

Use of mobile and desktop ad blocking software designed to remove traditional advertising grew by 41% worldwide and by 48% in the U.S. between Q2 2014 and Q2 2015.{{cite web|last=Elmer-DeWitt|first=Philip|date=21 September 2015|title=Look Who's Driving Adblock Growth|url=http://fortune.com/2015/09/21/apple-adblock-stats/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150927191336/http://fortune.com/2015/09/21/apple-adblock-stats/|archive-date=27 September 2015|access-date=23 March 2019|website=Fortune}} As of Q2 {{As of|2015|bare=yes}}, 45 million Americans were using ad blockers. In a survey research study released Q2 2016, Met Facts reported 72 million Americans, 12.8 million adults in the UK, and 13.2 million adults in France were using ad blockers on their PCs, smartphones, or tablet computers. In March 2016, the Internet Advertising Bureau reported that UK ad blocking was already at 22% among people over 18 years old.{{cite news|last=Sweney|first=Mark|date=1 March 2016|title=More than 9 million Britons now use adblockers|work=The Guardian|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2016/mar/01/more-than-nine-million-brits-now-use-adblockers|url-status=live|access-date=23 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160828190306/https://www.theguardian.com/media/2016/mar/01/more-than-nine-million-brits-now-use-adblockers|archive-date=28 August 2016}}{{cite news|last=Sweney|first=Mark|date=20 April 2016|title=Fears of adblocking 'epidemic' as report forecasts almost 15m UK users next year|newspaper=The Guardian|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2016/apr/20/adblocking-uk-web-users|url-status=live|access-date=23 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160425012441/http://www.theguardian.com/media/2016/apr/20/adblocking-uk-web-users|archive-date=25 April 2016|issn=0261-3077}}

{{As of|2021}}, 27% of US Internet users used ad blocking software, a trend that has been increasing since 2014.{{Cite web|title=Ad blocker usage in U.S.|url=https://www.statista.com/statistics/804008/ad-blocking-reach-usage-us/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201204233657/https://www.statista.com/statistics/804008/ad-blocking-reach-usage-us/|archive-date=4 December 2020|access-date=2020-11-23|website=Statista|language=en}}

Among technical audiences the rate of blocking reached 58% as of {{As of|2021|bare=yes}}.{{Cite web|last=Saric|first=Marko|date=2021-08-31|title=58% of Hacker News, Reddit and tech-savvy audiences block Google Analytics|url=https://plausible.io/blog/google-analytics-adblockers-missing-data|access-date=2021-08-31|website=Plausible Analytics|language=en}}

For users, benefits of ad blocking software include quicker loading and cleaner looking web pages with fewer distractions,{{cite book |title=Internet Marketing for Information Technology Companies: Proven Online Techniques to Increase Sales and Profits for Hardware, Software and Networking Companies |last=Silverstein |first=Barry |year=2001 |publisher=Maximum Press |isbn=1885068670 |page=[https://archive.org/details/internetmarketin0000silv/page/130 130] |url=https://archive.org/details/internetmarketin0000silv |url-access=registration |access-date=23 March 2019}}{{cite web |last1=Brinkman |first1=Martin |title=How to block web fonts to improve privacy |url=https://www.ghacks.net/2022/09/17/how-to-block-web-fonts-to-improve-privacy/ |website=Ghacks Technology News |access-date=22 December 2022 |date=17 September 2022}}{{cite web |last1=Williams |first1=James |title=Why It's OK to Block Ads |url=http://blog.practicalethics.ox.ac.uk/2015/10/why-its-ok-to-block-ads/ |website=Practical Ethics |access-date=22 December 2022 |date=16 October 2015}} protection from malvertising,{{cite web |last1=Whittaker |first1=Zack |title=Even the FBI says you should use an ad blocker |url=https://techcrunch.com/2022/12/22/fbi-ad-blocker/ |website=TechCrunch |access-date=22 December 2022 |date=22 December 2022}}{{cite news |url=https://www.technologyreview.com/s/601057/are-ad-blockers-needed-to-stay-safe-online/ |title=Are Ad Blockers Needed to Stay Safe Online? |last=Simonite |first=Tom |work=MIT Technology Review |access-date=23 March 2019 |archive-date=9 November 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181109152125/https://www.technologyreview.com/s/601057/are-ad-blockers-needed-to-stay-safe-online/ |url-status=live }}{{cite web |title=Cyber Criminals Impersonating Brands Using Search Engine Advertisement Services to Defraud Users |url=https://www.ic3.gov/Media/Y2022/PSA221221?=8324278624 |website=Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) |access-date=13 February 2023 |date=December 21, 2022}} stopping intrusive actions from ads,{{cite web |url=https://support.google.com/webtools/answer/7347327 |title=Abusive experiences |publisher=Google Inc. |access-date=23 March 2019 |archive-date=21 June 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190621091314/https://support.google.com/webtools/answer/7347327 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |title=Expanding user protections on the web |website=Chromium Blog |url=https://blog.chromium.org/2017/11/expanding-user-protections-on-web.html?m=1 |access-date=23 March 2019 |archive-date=1 February 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190201223855/https://blog.chromium.org/2017/11/expanding-user-protections-on-web.html?m=1 |url-status=live}} reducing the amount of data downloaded by the user,{{Cite web|title=Web bloat isn't a knowledge problem|website=Christian Heilmann|url=https://christianheilmann.com/2017/01/02/web-bloat-isnt-a-knowledge-problem/|date=2017-01-02|access-date=2021-08-31}}{{Cite web|title=The Website Obesity Crisis|website=Idle Words|url=https://idlewords.com/talks/website_obesity.htm|access-date=2021-08-31}} lower power consumption,{{cite web |url=http://www.sectheory.com/browser-power-consumption.htm |title=Browser Power Consumption |publisher=SecTheory |date=1 December 2008 |access-date=23 March 2019 |archive-date=11 November 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131111101843/http://www.sectheory.com/browser-power-consumption.htm |url-status=live }}{{cite web|url=https://www.cs.columbia.edu/~lierranli/coms6998-11Fall2012/papers/eprof_eurosys2012.pdf|title=Fine Grained Energy Accounting on Smartphones with Eprof|last1=Pathak|first1=Abhinav|last2=Hu|first2=Y. Charlie|publisher=Microsoft|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190323225452/https://www.cs.columbia.edu/~lierranli/coms6998-11Fall2012/papers/eprof_eurosys2012.pdf|archive-date=23 March 2019|access-date=23 March 2019|last3=Zhang|first3=Ming}} privacy benefits gained through the exclusion of web tracking,{{cite web |last1=Eddy |first1=Max |title=The Best Ad Blockers for 2022 |url=https://www.pcmag.com/picks/best-ad-blockers |website=PCMag |access-date=22 December 2022 |language=en |date=30 April 2022}} and preventing undesirable websites from making ad revenue out of the user's visit.{{Citation needed|date=July 2023}}

Publishers and their representative trade bodies, on the other hand, argue that web ads provide revenue to website owners, which enable the website owners to create or otherwise purchase content for the website. Publishers state that the prevalent use of ad blocking software and devices could adversely affect website owner revenue.{{Cite web|last=Ghosh|first=Sudipto|date=2017-10-23|title=OnAudience Report Finds US Publishers Lose over $15.8 Billion Revenue Annually Due to Ad Blocking|url=https://martechseries.com/video/brand-safety/onaudience-report-finds-us-publishers-lose-15-8-billion-revenue-annually-due-ad-blocking/|access-date=2020-12-11|website=MarTech Series|language=en-US|archive-date=2 December 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201202031840/https://martechseries.com/video/brand-safety/onaudience-report-finds-us-publishers-lose-15-8-billion-revenue-annually-due-ad-blocking/|url-status=live}}

Ad blocking software may have other benefits to users' quality of life, as it decreases Internet users' exposure to advertising and marketing industries, which promote the purchase of numerous consumer products and services that are potentially harmful or unhealthy{{cite web |url=https://www.cheatsheet.com/money-career/7-advertising-tricks-you-should-stop-falling-for.html/ |title=7 Tricks Advertisers Use to Manipulate You into Spending More Money |first=Chloe |last=Della Costa |date=22 May 2017 |access-date=23 March 2019 |archive-date=23 March 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190323225452/https://www.cheatsheet.com/money-career/7-advertising-tricks-you-should-stop-falling-for.html/ |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=https://www.cheatsheet.com/money-career/why-kid-focused-fast-food-marketing-is-economically-toxic.html/ |title=Do You Know Who Spends All Day Thinking About Your Kids? |first=Sam |last=Becker |date=21 May 2015 |access-date=23 March 2019 |archive-date=23 March 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190323225448/https://www.cheatsheet.com/money-career/why-kid-focused-fast-food-marketing-is-economically-toxic.html/ |url-status=live }} and on creating the urge to buy immediately.{{cite web |url=https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/234410 |last=Templeman |first=Mike |title=10 Marketing Tricks From the Pros |date=3 June 2014 |access-date=23 March 2019 |archive-date=31 May 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160531074636/https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/234410 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=http://www.econtentmag.com/Articles/Editorial/Feature/Programmatic-Advertising-The-Tools-Tips-and-Tricks-of-the-Trade-109353.htm |title=Programmatic Advertising: The Tools, Tips, and Tricks of the Trade |last=Charski |first=Mindy |access-date=23 March 2019 |date=14 March 2016 |archive-date=10 June 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160610020256/http://www.econtentmag.com/Articles/Editorial/Feature/Programmatic-Advertising-The-Tools-Tips-and-Tricks-of-the-Trade-109353.htm |url-status=live }} The average person sees more than 5000 advertisements daily, many of which are from online sources.{{cite web |url=https://sjinsights.net/2014/09/29/new-research-sheds-light-on-daily-ad-exposures/ |title=New Research Sheds Light on Daily Ad Exposures |last=Johnson |first=Sheree |publisher=SJ Insights, LLC |access-date=29 August 2022 |date=29 September 2014}}

Unwanted advertising can also harm the advertisers themselves if users become annoyed by the ads. Irritated users might make a conscious effort to avoid the goods and services of firms which are using annoying "pop-up" ads which block the Web content the user is trying to view.{{cite web |last1=Pujol |first1=Enric |first2=Oliver |last2=Hohlfeld |first3=Anja |last3=Feldmann |title=Annoyed Users: Ads and Ad-Block Usage in the Wild |publisher=ACM SigComm Conference |url=http://conferences.sigcomm.org/imc/2015/papers/p93.pdf |access-date=23 March 2019 |archive-date=30 June 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160630003216/http://conferences.sigcomm.org/imc/2015/papers/p93.pdf |url-status=live }} For users not interested in making purchases, the blocking of ads can also save time. Any ad that appears on a website exerts a toll on the user's "attention budget" since each ad enters the user's field of view and must either be consciously ignored or closed, or dealt with in some other way. A user who is strongly focused on reading solely the content that they are seeking likely has no desire to be diverted by advertisements that seek to sell unneeded or unwanted goods and services. In contrast, users who are actively seeking items to purchase might appreciate advertising, in particular targeted ads.{{cite web |last=Chapin |first=Andrew |title=Stop Annoying People: How to Create Ads People Want to See |publisher=SemRush Blog |url=https://www.semrush.com/blog/stop-annoying-people-how-to-create-ads-people-want-to-see/ |date=5 April 2016 |access-date=23 March 2019 |archive-date=23 March 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190323225450/https://www.semrush.com/blog/stop-annoying-people-how-to-create-ads-people-want-to-see/ |url-status=live }}

Another important aspect is improving security; online advertising subjects users to a higher risk of infecting their devices with computer viruses than surfing pornography websites.{{cite web |url=https://www.pcmag.com/news/307680/online-advertising-more-likely-to-spread-malware-than-porn |title=Online Advertising More Likely to Spread Malware Than Porn |work=PCMAG |first=Stephanie |last=Mlot |date=1 February 2013 |access-date=23 March 2019 |archive-date=11 November 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191111142534/https://www.pcmag.com/news/307680/online-advertising-more-likely-to-spread-malware-than-porn |url-status=live }} In a high-profile case, the malware was distributed through advertisements provided to YouTube by a malicious customer of Google's Doubleclick.{{cite web |url=https://www.heise.de/security/meldung/YouTube-angeblich-als-Virenschleuder-missbraucht-2125073.html |title=YouTube angeblich als Virenschleuder missbraucht |work=heise.de |first=Ronald |last=Eikenberg |date=26 February 2014 |access-date=23 March 2019 |language=de |archive-date=23 March 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190323225449/https://www.heise.de/security/meldung/YouTube-angeblich-als-Virenschleuder-missbraucht-2125073.html |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=http://labs.bromium.com/2014/02/21/the-wild-wild-web-youtube-ads-serving-malware/ |title=The Wild Wild Web: YouTube ads serving malware |work=Bromium Labs |date=21 February 2014 |first=McEnroe |last=Navaraj |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170323111707/http://labs.bromium.com/2014/02/21/the-wild-wild-web-youtube-ads-serving-malware/ |archive-date=23 March 2017 |access-date=23 March 2019}} In August 2015, a 0-day exploit in the Firefox browser was discovered in an advertisement on a website.{{cite web |url=https://blog.mozilla.org/security/2015/08/06/firefox-exploit-found-in-the-wild/ |title=Firefox exploit found in the wild |work=Mozilla Security Blog |first=Daniel |last=Veditz |date=6 August 2015 |access-date=23 March 2019 |archive-date=7 August 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150807111017/https://blog.mozilla.org/security/2015/08/06/firefox-exploit-found-in-the-wild/ |url-status=live }} When Forbes required users to disable ad blocking before viewing their website, those users were immediately served with pop-under malware.{{cite web |title=You say advertising, I say block that malware |publisher=Engadget |date=8 January 2016 |url=https://www.engadget.com/2016/01/08/you-say-advertising-i-say-block-that-malware/ |first=Violet |last=Blue |access-date=23 March 2019 |archive-date=25 August 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170825102009/https://www.engadget.com/2016/01/08/you-say-advertising-i-say-block-that-malware/ |url-status=live }} The Australian Signals Directorate recommends individuals and organizations block advertisements to improve their information security posture and mitigate potential malvertising attacks and machine compromise.{{cite web |author=Australian Signals Directorate |title=Strategies to Mitigate Cyber Security Incidents – Mitigation Details |url=https://acsc.gov.au/infosec/top-mitigations/mitigations-2017-details.htm |publisher=Commonwealth of Australia |access-date=23 March 2019 |quote=Block Internet advertisements using web browser software (and web content filtering in the gateway), due to the prevalent threat of adversaries using malicious advertising (malvertising) to compromise the integrity of legitimate websites to compromise visitors to such websites. Some organisations might choose to support selected websites that rely on advertising for revenue by enabling just their ads and potentially risking compromise. |archive-date=2 March 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190302012904/https://acsc.gov.au/infosec/top-mitigations/mitigations-2017-details.htm |url-status=live }} The information security firm Webroot also notes employing ad blockers provides effective countermeasures against malvertising campaigns for less technically sophisticated computer users.{{cite web |title=A Guide to Avoid Being a Crypto-Ransomware Victim |url=https://www-cdn.webroot.com/4515/0463/3759/SMB_Guide_to_Avoid_Being_Ransomware_Victim.pdf |publisher=Webroot Inc. |access-date=23 March 2019 |pages=6 |quote=While many websites need advertisements to stay online, we have seen more and more popular websites (i.e. millions of visitors a year) infecting customers due to 3rd party hosted adverts on their websites – malvertising. [...] Ad blocker plugins can be installed and left without any user input and are very useful for stopping less technical users from being infected. |archive-date=23 March 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190323225450/https://www-cdn.webroot.com/4515/0463/3759/SMB_Guide_to_Avoid_Being_Ransomware_Victim.pdf |url-status=live }} Ad blocking is recommended by the FBI to prevent online scams.{{cite news |last1=Shah |first1=Saqib |date=22 December 2022 |title=The FBI is advising people to use an ad blocker as part of an online scam warning |language=en |work=Evening Standard |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/tech/fbi-recommends-ad-blocker-online-scams-b1048998.html |access-date=25 February 2023}}

Ad blocking reduces page load time and saves bandwidth for the users. Users who pay for total transferred bandwidth ("capped" or pay-for-usage connections), including most mobile users worldwide, have a direct financial benefit from filtering an ad before it is loaded. Using an ad blocker is a common method of improving internet speeds.{{Cite web|date=2018-07-16|title=37 Ways To Improve Internet Speed – How To Stop Buffering|url=https://broadbandsavvy.com/how-to-improve-internet-speed/|access-date=2020-11-23|website=Broadband Savvy|language=en-US|archive-date=3 December 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201203185233/https://broadbandsavvy.com/how-to-improve-internet-speed/|url-status=live}} Analysis of the 200 most popular news sites (as ranked by Alexa) in 2015 showed that Mozilla Firefox Tracking Protection led to a 39% reduction in data usage and a 44% median reduction in page load time.{{cite journal |last1=Kontaxis |first1=Georgios |last2=Chew |first2=Monica |date=2015 |title=Tracking Protection in Firefox For Privacy and Performance |url=https://www.ieee-security.org/TC/SPW2015/W2SP/papers/W2SP_2015_submission_32.pdf |journal=IEEE Computer Society's Technical Committee on Security and Privacy |arxiv=1506.04104 |access-date=23 March 2019 |archive-date=13 June 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190613095324/http://www.ieee-security.org/TC/SPW2015/W2SP/papers/W2SP_2015_submission_32.pdf |url-status=live }} According to research performed by The New York Times, ad blockers reduced data consumption and sped upload time by more than half on 50 news sites, including The New York Times itself. Journalists concluded that "visiting the home page of Boston.com (the site with most ad data in the study) every day for a month would cost the equivalent of about $9.50 in data usage just for the ads".{{cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2015/10/01/business/cost-of-mobile-ads.html?_r=1 |title=The Cost of Mobile Ads on 50 News Websites |last1=Aisch |first1=Gregor |last2=Andrews |first2=Wilson |last3=Keller |first3=Josh |date=1 October 2015 |website=The New York Times |access-date=23 March 2019 |archive-date=3 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190403190225/https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2015/10/01/business/cost-of-mobile-ads.html?_r=1 |url-status=live }}

It is a known problem with most web browsers, including Firefox, that restoring sessions often plays multiple embedded ads at once.{{cite web |url=https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/860098 |title=Upon startup multiple audio sources begin playing. I can't find the tab to kill them! |publisher=Support.mozilla.org |date=10 August 2011 |access-date=23 March 2019 |archive-date=29 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029191857/http://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/860098 |url-status=live }} However, this annoyance can easily be averted simply by setting the web browser to clear all cookies and browsing-history information each time the browser software is closed.{{Citation needed|date=April 2023}} Another preventive option is to use a script blocker, which enables the user to disable all scripts and then to selectively re-enable certain scripts as desired, in order to determine the role of each script.{{Citation needed|date=April 2023}} The user thus can very quickly learn which scripts are truly necessary (from the standpoint of webpage functionality) and consequently which sources of scripts are undesirable, and this insight is helpful in visiting other websites in general.{{Citation needed|date=April 2023}} Thus by precisely controlling which scripts are run in each webpage viewed, the user retains full control over what happens on their computer CPU and computer screen.{{Citation needed|date=April 2023}}

{{Unreferenced section|date=April 2023}}

File:EasyListAndFanboysAnnoyanceListInAdBlockClassicOnKMeleon.png

One method of filtering is simply to block (or prevent auto play of) Flash animation or image loading or Microsoft Windows audio and video files. This can be done in most browsers easily and also improves security and privacy. This crude technological method is refined by numerous browser extensions. Every web browser handles this task differently, but, in general, one alters the options, preferences or application extensions to filter specific media types. An additional add-on is usually required to differentiate between ads and non-ads using the same technology, or between wanted and unwanted ads or behaviors.

The more advanced ad-blocking filter software allows fine-grained control of advertisements through features such as blacklists, whitelists, and regular expression filters. Certain security features also have the effect of disabling some ads. Some antivirus software can act as an ad blocker. Filtering by intermediaries such as ISP providers or national governments is increasingly common.

{{As of|2015}}, many web browsers block unsolicited pop-up ads automatically. Current versions of Konqueror,{{cite web |url=https://konqueror.org/features/browser.php |title=Konqueror browser features |access-date=23 March 2019 |archive-date=10 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190410141201/https://konqueror.org/features/browser.php |url-status=live }} Microsoft Edge,{{cite web |url=https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/17288 |title=Use Do Not Track in Internet Explorer 11 |access-date=23 March 2019 |archive-date=1 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210501023526/https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/use-do-not-track-in-internet-explorer-11-ad61fa73-d533-ce96-3f64-2aa3a332e792 |url-status=live }}, and Firefox{{Cite web |website=support.mozilla.org |title=Enhanced Tracking Protection in Firefox for desktop |access-date=23 January 2021 |url=https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/enhanced-tracking-protection-firefox-desktop |archive-url=https://archive.today/20210123153639/https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/enhanced-tracking-protection-firefox-desktop |archive-date=23 January 2021 |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |title=Content blocking |archive-url=https://archive.today/20210123153755/https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/content-blocking |url=https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/content-blocking |archive-date=23 January 2021 |access-date=23 January 2021 |website=support.mozilla.org |url-status=live }} also include content filtering support out-of-the-box. Content filtering can be added to Firefox, Chromium-based browsers, Opera, Safari, and other browsers with extensions such as AdBlock, Adblock Plus, and uBlock Origin, and a number of sources provide regularly updated filter lists. Adblock Plus is included in the freeware browser Maxthon from the People's Republic of China by default.{{cite web |url=https://adblockplus.org/blog/adblock-plus-integrated-into-maxthon-browser |title=Adblock Plus integrated into Maxthon browser |first=Job |last=Plas |date=11 February 2015 |access-date=23 March 2019 |archive-date=2 February 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190202223035/https://adblockplus.org/blog/adblock-plus-integrated-into-maxthon-browser |url-status=live }}

Another method for filtering advertisements uses Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) rules to hide specific HTML and XHTML elements. This was once handled directly by a browser's user style sheet and custom CSS files. The CSS files employed regular expressions to describe a general advertisement profile. An example CSS selector from the once popular Floppy Moose (2003) style sheet is below.{{cite web |url=http://www.floppymoose.com/userContent.css |title=Archived copy |website=floppymoose.com |access-date=1 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20031007231436/http://www.floppymoose.com/userContent.css |archive-date=7 October 2003 |url-status=dead}} It simply hides anything with a link containing the characters "ad."{{cite web|url=https://digiwonk.gadgethacks.com/how-to/use-ad-blockers-stop-ads-from-displaying-your-web-browser-0126987/|title=How to Use Ad Blockers to Stop Ads from Displaying in Your Web Browser |date=23 April 2011 }}

a:link[href*="ad."] img

Stylesheets are still used to block ads today. However they are almost always used by an ad-blocking extension that combines CSS with other techniques. AdBlock Plus syntax includes CSS selectors which they call "element hiding" rules.{{cite web|url=https://help.eyeo.com/en/adblockplus/how-to-write-filters#element-hiding|title=How to write filters | Adblock Plus Help Center }} The newer uBlock Origin even allows "cosmetic filters" which inject custom CSS declarations.{{cite web|url=https://portswigger.net/research/ublock-i-exfiltrate-exploiting-ad-blockers-with-css|title=uBlock, I exfiltrate: Exploiting ad blockers with CSS|date=6 December 2021}} Due to changes in advertising techniques, modern ad-blockers use more specific selectors, more frequently updated selectors, and a greater quantity of selectors. For example, the Floppy Moose style sheet originally contained 40 lines of CSS. In 2022, Easylist contains thousands of CSS selectors. In contrast to the general example above, below is one of the many specific CSS selectors from Easylist (2022).{{cite web |url=https://easylist.to/easylist/easylist.txt |title=EasyList |access-date=18 September 2022 |date=18 September 2022 |last=The EasyList authors |website=EasyList.to |editor=MontzA}}

a[href^="https://topoffers.com/"][href*="/?pid="]

In January 2016, Brave, a free, ad-blocking browser for Mac, PC, Android, and iOS devices was launched. Brave users can optionally enable Brave's own ad network to earn Basic Attention Tokens (BATs), a type of cryptocurrency, which can be sent as micro-payments to publishers.{{Cite web|date=2018-07-24|title=The Brave browser basics – what it does, how it differs from rivals|url=https://www.computerworld.com/article/3292619/the-brave-browser-basics-what-it-does-how-it-differs-from-rivals.html|access-date=2020-11-23|website=Computerworld|language=en|archive-url=https://archive.today/20200529204354/https://www.computerworld.com/article/3292619/the-brave-browser-basics-what-it-does-how-it-differs-from-rivals.html|archive-date=29 May 2020|last1=Keizer|first1=Gregg|url-status=live}}

At the beginning of 2018, Google confirmed that the built-in ad blocker for the Chrome/Chromium browsers would go live on 15 February:{{cite web |url=https://www.blog.google/products/chrome/browser-web-worth-protecting/ |title=The browser for a web worth protecting |first=Rahul |last=Roy-Chowdhury |date=13 February 2018 |access-date=23 March 2019 |archive-date=6 June 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190606030419/https://blog.google/products/chrome/browser-web-worth-protecting/ |url-status=live }} this ad blocker only blocks certain ads as specified by the Better Ads Standard{{cite web |url=https://blog.chromium.org/2018/02/how-chromes-ad-filtering-works.html |title=Under the hood: How Chrome's ad filtering works |date=14 February 2018 |access-date=23 March 2019 |archive-date=18 June 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190618160145/https://blog.chromium.org/2018/02/how-chromes-ad-filtering-works.html |url-status=live }} (defined by the Coalition for Better Ads, in which Google itself is a board member{{cite web |url=https://www.betterads.org/members/ |title=Members |publisher=Coalition for Better Ads |access-date=23 March 2019 |archive-date=10 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190510191350/https://www.betterads.org/members/ |url-status=live }}). This built-in ad blocking mechanism is disputed because it could unfairly benefit Google's advertising itself.{{cite web |url=http://fortune.com/2018/02/15/google-chrome-ad-blocking-2/ |title=Why Google's Ad-Blocking in Chrome Might Prove Awkward For the Company |date=15 February 2018 |first=David |last=Meyer |access-date=23 March 2019 |archive-date=28 October 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181028101922/http://fortune.com/2018/02/15/google-chrome-ad-blocking-2/ |url-status=live }}

In 2019, both Apple and Google began to make changes to their web browsers' extension systems which encourage the use of declarative content blocking using pre-determined filters processed by the web browser, rather than filters processed at runtime by the extension. Both vendors have imposed limits on the number of entries that may be included in these lists, which have led to (especially in the case of Chrome) allegations that these changes are being made to inhibit the effectiveness of ad blockers.{{Cite web|url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/google-promises-to-play-nice-with-ad-blockers-again/|title=Google promises to play nice with ad blockers (again)|last=Cimpanu|first=Catalin|website=ZDNet|language=en|access-date=13 June 2019|archive-date=7 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201107233236/https://www.zdnet.com/article/google-promises-to-play-nice-with-ad-blockers-again/|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/google-chrome-could-soon-kill-off-most-ad-blocker-extensions/|title=Google Chrome could soon kill off most ad-blocker extensions|last=Tung|first=Liam|website=ZDNet|language=en|access-date=13 June 2019|archive-date=19 December 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201219125215/https://www.zdnet.com/article/google-chrome-could-soon-kill-off-most-ad-blocker-extensions/|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnet.com/news/google-says-chrome-isnt-killing-ad-blockers-its-making-them-safer/|title=Google says Chrome isn't killing ad blockers|last=Mihalcik|first=Carrie|website=CNET|language=en|access-date=13 June 2019|archive-date=13 June 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190613172004/https://www.cnet.com/news/google-says-chrome-isnt-killing-ad-blockers-its-making-them-safer/|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/apple-neutered-ad-blockers-in-safari-but-unlike-chrome-users-didnt-say-a-thing/|title=Apple neutered ad blockers in Safari, but unlike Chrome, users didn't say a thing|last=Cimpanu|first=Catalin|website=ZDNet|language=en|access-date=23 September 2019|archive-date=23 September 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190923012641/https://www.zdnet.com/article/apple-neutered-ad-blockers-in-safari-but-unlike-chrome-users-didnt-say-a-thing/|url-status=live}}

{{Unreferenced section|date=April 2023}}

A number of external software applications offer ad filtering as a primary or additional feature. A traditional solution is to customize an HTTP proxy (or web proxy) to filter content. These programs work by caching and filtering content before it is displayed in a user's browser. This provides an opportunity to remove not only ads but also content that may be offensive, inappropriate, or even malicious (Drive-by download). Popular proxy software which blocks content effectively include Netnanny, Privoxy, Squid, and some content-control software. The main advantage of the method is freedom from implementation limitations (browser, working techniques) and centralization of control (the proxy can be used by many users). Proxies are very good at filtering ads, but they have several limitations compared to browser-based solutions. For proxies, it is difficult to filter Transport Layer Security (TLS) (https://) traffic and full webpage context is not available to the filter. As well, proxies find it difficult to filter JavaScript-generated ad content.

{{Further|Hosts (file)#Extended applications}}

{{Unreferenced section|date=April 2023}}

Most operating systems, even those which are aware of the Domain Name System (DNS), still offer backward compatibility with a locally administered list of foreign hosts. This configuration, for historical reasons, is stored in a flat text file that by default contains very few hostnames and their associated IP addresses. Editing this hosts file is simple and effective because most DNS clients will read the local hosts file before querying a remote DNS server. Storing black-hole entries in the hosts file prevents the browser from accessing an ad server by manipulating the name resolution of the ad server to a local or nonexistent IP address (127.0.0.1 or 0.0.0.0 are typically used for IPv4 addresses). While simple to implement, these methods can be circumvented by advertisers, either by hard-coding, the IP address of the server that hosts the ads (this, in its turn, can be worked around by changing the local routing table by using for example iptables or other blocking firewalls), or by loading the advertisements from the same server that serves the main content; blocking name resolution of this server would also block the useful content of the site.

Using a DNS sinkhole by manipulating the hosts file exploits the fact that most operating systems store a file with IP address, domain name pairs which is consulted by most browsers before using a DNS server to look up a domain name. By assigning the loopback address to each known ad server, the user directs traffic intended to reach each ad server to the local machine or to a virtual black hole of /dev/null or bit bucket.

Advertising can be blocked by using a DNS server which is configured to block access to domains or hostnames which are known to serve ads by spoofing the address.{{cite web |url=http://www.deer-run.com/~hal/sysadmin/dns-advert.html |title=A Simple DNS-Based Approach for Blocking Web Advertising |publisher=Deer Run Associates |date=13 August 2013 |first=Hal |last=Pomeranz |access-date=23 March 2019 |archive-date=2 March 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140302143447/http://www.deer-run.com/~hal/sysadmin/dns-advert.html |url-status=live }} Users can choose to use an already modified DNS server{{Cite web|url=https://adguard.com/en/adguard-dns/overview.html|title=How to set up AdGuard DNS|website=adguard.com|language=en|access-date=25 October 2019|archive-date=6 January 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170106152630/https://adguard.com/en/adguard-dns/overview.html|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=https://alternate-dns.com/|title=Alternate DNS – Ad Blocking DNS Server|website=alternate-dns.com|access-date=25 October 2019|archive-date=25 October 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191025085358/https://alternate-dns.com/|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=https://blockerdns.com/tryit|title=blockerDNS – Get it Now!|website=blockerdns.com|access-date=25 October 2019|archive-date=25 October 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191025085359/https://blockerdns.com/tryit|url-status=live}} or set up a dedicated device running adequate software such as a Raspberry Pi running Pi-hole themselves.{{cite web |url=https://jacobsalmela.com/2015/06/16/block-millions-ads-network-wide-with-a-raspberry-pi-hole-2-0/ |title=Block Millions of Ads Network-wide with a Raspberry Pi-hole 2.0 |first=Jacob |last=Salmela |date=16 June 2015 |access-date=23 March 2019 |archive-date=13 April 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200413111320/https://jacobsalmela.com/2015/06/16/block-millions-ads-network-wide-with-a-raspberry-pi-hole-2-0/ |url-status=live }} Manipulating DNS is a widely employed method to manipulate what the end-user sees from the Internet but can also be deployed locally for personal purposes. China runs its own root DNS and the EU has considered the same. Google has required their Google Public DNS be used for some applications on its Android devices. Accordingly, DNS addresses/domains used for advertising may be extremely vulnerable to a broad form of ad substitution whereby a domain that serves ads is entirely swapped out with one serving more local ads to some subset of users. This is especially likely in countries, notably Russia, India and China, where advertisers often refuse to pay for clicks or page views. DNS-level blocking of domains for non-commercial reasons is already common in China.{{cite web |url=https://www.circleid.com/posts/20100521_extent_of_dns_services_being_blocked_in_china/ |title=The Extent of DNS Services Being Blocked in China |publisher=Circleid.com |first=Brenden |last=Kuerbis |date=21 May 2010 |access-date=23 March 2019 |archive-date=23 March 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190323225451/https://www.circleid.com/posts/20100521_extent_of_dns_services_being_blocked_in_china/ |url-status=live }}

On Android, apps can run a local VPN connection with its own host filtering ability and DNS address without requiring root access.{{cite web |url=https://www.jucktion.com/adblock-android-devices |title=3 ways to adblock Android smartphones and devices |publisher=The Jucktion |date=2 September 2018 |first=Niroj |last=Manandhar |access-date=23 March 2019 |archive-date=30 November 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181130071818/https://www.jucktion.com/adblock-android-devices |url-status=live }} This approach allows ad blocking app to download ad blocking host files and use them to filter out ad networks throughout the device. AdGuard, Blokada,{{Cite web |title=Blokada review: Thousands of ad blocking and filtering requests per day |url=https://www.androidguys.com/reviews/app-reviews/blokada-review/ |website=androidguys.com |date=6 March 2019 |access-date=23 January 2021 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20210123151421/https://www.androidguys.com/reviews/app-reviews/blokada-review/ |archive-date=23 January 2021 |last1=Noboa |first1=Gerson |url-status=live }} DNS66,{{Cite web |title=How to block system-wide ads on Android without root |archive-url=https://archive.today/20210123151837/https://www.androidguys.com/tips-tools/how-to-block-system-wide-ads-on-android-without-root/ |archive-date=23 January 2021 |url=https://www.androidguys.com/tips-tools/how-to-block-system-wide-ads-on-android-without-root/ |date=19 September 2017 |access-date=23 January 2021 |author=Raja |website=androidguys.com |url-status=live }} and RethinkDNS{{Cite web |title=The best free Android apps of 2021 |url=https://www.techradar.com/news/the-best-free-android-apps/10 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20210123150739/https://www.techradar.com/news/the-best-free-android-apps/10 |date=4 January 2021 |access-date=23 January 2021 |archive-date=23 January 2021 |last1=James |first1=Rogerson |website=techradar.com |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |title=BraveDNS is an open-source DNS-over-HTTPS client, firewall, and adblocker for Android |url=https://www.xda-developers.com/bravedns-open-source-dns-over-https-client-firewall-adblocker-android/ |date=29 August 2020 |access-date=21 December 2020 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20210123152108/https://www.xda-developers.com/bravedns-open-source-dns-over-https-client-firewall-adblocker-android/ |archive-date=23 January 2021 |website=xda-developers.com |last1=Hazarika |first1=Skanda |url-status=live }} are few of the popular apps which accomplish ad blocking without root permission.{{Citation needed|date=April 2023}} The ad blocking is only active when the local VPN is turned on, and it completely stops when the VPN connection is disconnected.{{Citation needed|date=April 2023}} The convenience makes it easy to access content blocked by anti-adblock scripts.{{Citation needed|date=April 2023}}

This approach optimizes battery usage, reduces internet slowdown caused by using external DNS or VPN ad blocking and needs overall less configuration.{{Citation needed|date=April 2023}}

Devices such as AdTrap{{cite web |url=http://www.getadtrap.com |title=AdTrap |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160109185010/http://getadtrap.com/ |archive-date=9 January 2016 |access-date=23 March 2019}} or Pi-hole use hardware to block Internet advertising. Based on reviews of AdTrap, this device uses a Linux Kernel running a version of PrivProxy to block ads from video streaming, music streaming, and any web browser,{{cite web |url=http://geekinspector.com/774/reviews/hardware/adtrap-whole-network-ad-blocking-appliance-review |title=AdTrap Whole Network Ad Blocking Appliance Review |publisher=Geek Inspector |access-date=23 March 2019 |archive-date=20 August 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150820110235/http://geekinspector.com/774/reviews/hardware/adtrap-whole-network-ad-blocking-appliance-review |url-status=live }} while PiHole acts as a local DNS to block advertisement servers, stopping connected devices from showing most ads. Another such solution is provided for network-level ad blocking for telcos by Israeli startup Shine.{{cite news |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/israeli-ad-blocker-shine-could-threaten-mobile-advertising-2015-5 |title=This ad blocking company has the potential to tear a hole right through the mobile web – and it has the support of carriers |newspaper=Business Insider |access-date=23 March 2019 |date=13 May 2015 |first=Lara |last=O'Reilly |archive-date=23 March 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190323225450/https://www.businessinsider.com/israeli-ad-blocker-shine-could-threaten-mobile-advertising-2015-5 |url-status=live }}

{{Unreferenced section|date=April 2023}}

Internet providers, especially mobile operators, frequently offer proxies designed to reduce network traffic. Even when not targeted specifically at ad filtering, these proxy-based arrangements will block many types of advertisements that are too large or bandwidth-consuming, or that are otherwise deemed unsuited for the specific internet connection or target device. Many internet operators block some form of advertisements while at the same time injecting their own ads promoting their services and specials.

Some content providers have argued that widespread ad blocking results in decreased revenue to a website sustained by advertisements{{cite web |last=Fisher |first=Ken |url=https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2010/03/why-ad-blocking-is-devastating-to-the-sites-you-love/ |title=Why Ad Blocking is devastating to the sites you love |work=Ars Technica |date=6 March 2010 |access-date=23 March 2019 |archive-date=23 March 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190323040458/https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2010/03/why-ad-blocking-is-devastating-to-the-sites-you-love/ |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/adblock-software-how-it-will-change-the-adtech-publisher-market-2015-7 |title=I used the software that people are worrying will destroy the web – and now I think they might be right |first=Jim |last=Edwards |date=9 July 2015 |work=Business Insider |access-date=23 March 2019 |archive-date=23 March 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190323225450/https://www.businessinsider.com/adblock-software-how-it-will-change-the-adtech-publisher-market-2015-7 |url-status=live }} and e-commerce-based businesses, where this blocking can be detected.{{Citation needed|date=January 2023}}

Tools that help block ads have to work on different business models to stay in operation:

• Free and open source: Several tools work under a FOSS model, powered by community contributions and donations, e.g. uBlock Origin.{{Cite web|last=Pearce|first=Joshua|date=24 Apr 2020|title=What you need to know about open source ad blockers|url=https://opensource.com/article/20/4/ad-blockers|access-date=2020-09-15|website=Opensource.com|language=en|archive-date=17 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200817140305/https://opensource.com/article/20/4/ad-blockers|url-status=live}}{{Failed verification|date=January 2024}}
• Whitelisting: Some companies maintain a whitelist of websites that allow "acceptable ads" in exchange for a share of ad revenue.{{Cite news|last=Hern|first=Alex|date=2013-10-14|title=Adblock Plus: the tiny plugin threatening the internet's business model|language=en-GB|work=The Guardian|url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2013/oct/14/the-tiny-german-company-threatening-the-internets-business-model|access-date=2020-09-15|issn=0261-3077|archive-date=31 July 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180731213128/https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2013/oct/14/the-tiny-german-company-threatening-the-internets-business-model|url-status=live}}
• Subscription/Upfront: Some companies offer a subscription or upfront payment model for adblocking tools, e.g. Wipr.{{Cite web|title=Wipr|url=https://apps.apple.com/us/app/wipr/id1030595027|access-date=2020-09-15|website=App Store|language=en-us|archive-date=22 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200822141141/https://apps.apple.com/us/app/wipr/id1030595027|url-status=live}}{{Failed verification|date=January 2024}}
• Freemium: Some companies offer some level of service for free while charging for additional features, e.g. AdGuard.{{Cite web|title=A look at AdGuard DNS – gHacks Tech News|url=https://www.ghacks.net/2018/12/31/a-look-at-adguard-dns/|access-date=2020-09-15|website=ghacks.net|date=31 December 2018 |archive-date=9 October 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191009120624/https://www.ghacks.net/2018/12/31/a-look-at-adguard-dns/|url-status=live}}{{Failed verification|date=January 2024}}

File:Ad blocker warning example.svg

Some websites have taken countermeasures against ad blocking software, such as attempting to detect the presence of ad blockers and informing users of their views, or outright preventing users from accessing the content unless they disable the ad blocking software, whitelist the website, or buy an "ad-removal pass". There have been several arguments supporting{{cite web |url=http://www.thegooglecache.com/white-hat-seo/ad-blocking-is-immoral/ |title=Ad Blocking is Immoral |publisher=The Google Cache |date=2 August 2007 |access-date=23 March 2019 |archive-date=4 October 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111004080920/http://www.thegooglecache.com/white-hat-seo/ad-blocking-is-immoral/ |url-status=live }} and opposing{{cite web |url=http://www.networkperformancedaily.com/2007/09/adblock_adapt_or_die_1.html |title=Adblock: Adapt, or die. |date=5 September 2007 |access-date=23 March 2019 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120117134229/http://www.networkperformancedaily.com/2007/09/adblock_adapt_or_die_1.html |archive-date=17 January 2012}} the assertion that blocking ads is wrong.{{cite web |last=Kirk |first=Jeremy |url=https://www.infoworld.com/article/2648590/firefox-ad-blocker-extension-causes-angst.html |title=Firefox ad-blocker extension causes angst |publisher=InfoWorld |date=23 August 2007 |access-date=23 March 2019 |archive-date=23 March 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190323225449/https://www.infoworld.com/article/2648590/firefox-ad-blocker-extension-causes-angst.html |url-status=live }} Indeed, there is evidence to show that these countermeasures may hurt a website's SEO performance, as users unwilling to turn off their AdBlock may instead go to a competitor's website listed in the search results.{{cite web|url=https://www.techlaco.com/2016/06/websites-blocking-adblock-lose-their.html|title=Blocking "Adblock" is Proving Disastrous (e.g. Forbes)|website=Techlaco|first=Alex|last=Jankovic |date=10 March 2022 |access-date=29 March 2022}} Due to the little amount of time the user spends on the website, and the greater time spent on a competitor's, search engines may view the webpage less favourably and reduce its search ranking.{{cite web |url= https://www.semrush.com/blog/dwell-time/ |title=What Is Dwell Time & Why Does It Matter for SEO|website=Semrush|first=Amanda|last=Milligan|date=24 October 2020 |access-date=29 March 2022}} The back-and-forth elevation of technologies used for ad-blocking and countering ad-blocking have been equated to an "ad blocking war" or "arms race" between all parties.{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/21/opinion/sunday/the-ad-blocking-wars.html|title=The Ad Blocking Wars|first=Kate|last=Murphy|date=20 February 2016|access-date=28 January 2020|work=The New York Times|archive-date=24 February 2016|archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20160224223849/http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/21/opinion/sunday/the-ad-blocking-wars.html?_r=0|url-status=live }}{{cite web|access-date=28 January 2020|archive-date=28 January 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200128192706/https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/where-will-the-ad-versus-ad-blocker-arms-race-end/|date=31 May 2018|first=Chris|last=Baraniuk|title=Where Will the Ad versus Ad Blocker Arms Race End?|url=https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/where-will-the-ad-versus-ad-blocker-arms-race-end/|url-status=live|work=Scientific American}}

It has been suggested that in the European Union, the practice of websites scanning for ad blocking software may run afoul of the E-Privacy Directive.{{cite web |title=Publishers snooping for ad blockers are breaking the law, claims privacy consultant |url=https://www.thedrum.com/news/2016/04/18/publishers-snooping-ad-blockers-are-breaking-law-claims-privacy-consultant |website=The Drum |first=Jessica |last=Goodfellow |date=18 April 2016 |access-date=23 March 2019 |archive-date=23 March 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190323225454/https://www.thedrum.com/news/2016/04/18/publishers-snooping-ad-blockers-are-breaking-law-claims-privacy-consultant |url-status=live }} This claim was further validated by IAB Europe's guidelines released in June 2016 stating that there indeed may be a legal issue in ad blocker detection.{{cite web |url=https://www.iabeurope.eu/all-news/press-releases/ad-blocking-detection-guidance/ |title=Ad Blocking Detection Guidance |website=IABEurope.eu |access-date=23 March 2019 |date=7 June 2016 |archive-date=23 March 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190323225450/https://www.iabeurope.eu/all-news/press-releases/ad-blocking-detection-guidance/ |url-status=live }} While some anti-blocking stakeholders have tried to refute this{{cite web |title=About that claim that detecting Adblock may be illegal |url=http://blockadblock.com/adblocking/claim-detecting-adblock-may-illegal/ |access-date=23 March 2019 |date=25 April 2016 |archive-date=29 April 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160429154848/http://blockadblock.com/adblocking/claim-detecting-adblock-may-illegal |url-status=live }}{{cite web |title=Is blocking ad blockers really illegal in Europe? |url=https://digiday.com/uk/blocking-ad-blockers-really-illegal-europe/ |date=29 April 2016 |first=Jessica |last=Davies |website=Digiday.com |access-date=23 March 2019 |archive-date=23 March 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190323225450/https://digiday.com/uk/blocking-ad-blockers-really-illegal-europe/ |url-status=live }} it seems safe to assume that Publishers should follow the guidelines provided by the main Publisher lobby IAB.

In August 2017, a vendor, Admiral, of such counter-measures issued a demand under section 1201 of the U.S. Digital Millennium Copyright Act, to demand the removal of a domain name associated with their service from an ad-blocking filter list. The vendor argued that the domain constituted a component of a technological protection measure designed to protect a copyrighted work, and thus made it a violation of anti-circumvention law to frustrate access to it.{{cite news |url=https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20170813/00092137987/how-dmcas-digital-locks-provision-allowed-company-to-delete-url-adblock-lists.shtml |title=How The DMCA's Digital Locks Provision Allowed A Company To Delete A URL From Adblock Lists |work=Techdirt |date=14 August 2017 |first=Mike |last=Masnick |access-date=23 March 2019 |archive-date=14 August 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170814174433/https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20170813/00092137987/how-dmcas-digital-locks-provision-allowed-company-to-delete-url-adblock-lists.shtml |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=https://gizmodo.com/a-copyright-claim-was-reportedly-used-to-stop-ad-blocki-1797767169 |title=A Copyright Claim Was Reportedly Used to Stop Ad Blocking, But It's Complicated |last=Jones |first=Rhett |date=12 August 2017 |website=Gizmodo |publisher=Gizmodo Media Group |access-date=23 March 2019 |archive-date=14 August 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170814180846/http://gizmodo.com/a-copyright-claim-was-reportedly-used-to-stop-ad-blocki-1797767169 |url-status=live }}

In September 2023, after a period of testing that began in May 2023, the American video hosting site YouTube began launching countermeasures at viewers with adblocker software running when viewing videos. A popup message appears warning the user is breaking the terms of service and may experience blocked viewing after three videos unless they whitelist the site, or purchase YouTube Premium. This sparked extreme controversy and backlash across the YouTube communities.{{cite web |last1=O'Flaherty |first1=Kate |title=YouTube's New Ad Blocker Crackdown—What You Need To Know |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/kateoflahertyuk/2023/10/18/youtubes-new-ad-blocker-crackdown-what-you-need-to-know/ |website=Forbes |access-date=18 October 2023 |language=en |date=18 October 2023}}{{cite web |last1=Shah |first1=Saqib |title=YouTube stops users with ad blockers from watching videos |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/tech/youtube-blocking-ad-blockers-watching-videos-b1080501.html |website=Evening Standard |access-date=18 October 2023 |language=en |date=2 November 2023}}{{cite web |last1=Niemeyer |first1=Kenneth |title=YouTube is using pop-ups to tell people to stop using ad blockers, frustrating users |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/youtube-is-cracking-down-on-ad-blockers-2023-10?r=US&IR=T |website=Business Insider |access-date=18 October 2023 |date=15 October 2023}} In October 2023, privacy advocate Alexander Hanff filed a criminal complaint against YouTube under Irish jurisdiction due to its ad blocking detection script, which is believed to violate European Union privacy laws.{{cite web |last1=Claburn |first1=Thomas |title=Privacy advocate challenges YouTube's ad blocking detection |url=https://www.theregister.com/2023/10/26/privacy_advocate_challenges_youtube/ |website=The Register |access-date=15 November 2023 |language=en |date=26 October 2023}} In June 2024, YouTube began experimenting with server-side ad insertion,{{cite web |title=Server-Side Ad Insertion (SSAI) |url=https://aws.amazon.com/media/tech/what-server-side-ad-insertion-ssai/ |website=Amazon Web Services |publisher=Amazon.com |access-date=30 July 2024}} which consists of embedding ads directly into video streams, making automatic blocking significantly more difficult.{{cite news |title=YouTube's Ad Blocker Ban Just Got Even Bigger |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/kateoflahertyuk/2024/06/20/youtubes-ad-blocker-ban-just-got-even-bigger/ |access-date=30 July 2024 |work=Forbes |date=21 June 2024}}{{cite news |title=YouTube looks to be testing server-side ad injection to counter ad blockers |url=https://9to5google.com/2024/06/12/youtube-ad-injection/ |access-date=30 July 2024 |work=9to5Google |date=12 June 2024}}

{{As of|2015}}, advertisers and marketers look to involve their brands directly into the entertainment with native advertising and product placement (also known as brand integration or embedded marketing).{{cite web |title=How Apple's embrace of ad blocking will change native advertising |publisher=Digiday |url=https://digiday.com/publishers/apple-native-advertising/ |access-date=23 March 2019 |date=28 July 2015 |first=Emma |last=Geary |archive-date=1 October 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151001001909/https://digiday.com/publishers/apple-native-advertising/ |url-status=live }} An example of product placement would be for a soft drink manufacturer to pay a reality TV show producer to have the show's cast and host appear onscreen holding cans of the soft drink.{{Citation needed|date=December 2023}} Another common product placement is for an automotive manufacturer to give free cars to the producers of a TV show, in return for the show's producer depicting characters using these vehicles during the show.{{Citation needed|date=December 2023}}

Some digital publications turned to their customers for help as a form of tip jar.{{Citation needed|date=December 2023}} For example, The Guardian is asking its readers for donations to help offset falling advertising revenue. According to the newspaper's editor-in-chief, Katharine Viner, the newspaper gets about the same amount of money from membership and donations as it does from advertising.{{cite news |last1=Bond |first1=David |title=Guardian relies on readers' support to stave off crisis |url=https://www.ft.com/content/9044ff9a-358b-11e7-99bd-13beb0903fa3 |access-date=22 December 2023 |work=Financial Times |date=13 May 2017 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20170515132938/https://www.ft.com/content/9044ff9a-358b-11e7-99bd-13beb0903fa3 |archive-date=15 May 2017}} The newspaper considered preventing readers from accessing its content if usage of ad-blocking software becomes widespread,{{cite web |title=Guardian to consider preventing access to content if ad-blocking proliferates |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2016/apr/12/guardian-to-consider-preventing-access-to-content-if-ad-blocking-identified |first=Mark |last=Sweney |date=12 April 2016 |access-date=23 March 2019 |archive-date=5 January 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180105233721/https://www.theguardian.com/media/2016/apr/12/guardian-to-consider-preventing-access-to-content-if-ad-blocking-identified |url-status=live }} but so far it keeps the content accessible for readers who employ ad-blockers.{{Citation needed|date=December 2023}}

A new service called Scroll, launched in January 2020, worked with several leading website publishers to create a subscription model for ad-free browsing across all supported websites. Users would pay Scroll directly, and portions of the subscription fees are doled out to the websites based on proportional view count.{{cite web|url=https://www.theverge.com/2020/1/28/21111865/scroll-ad-free-website-subscription-launches|title=Scroll makes hundreds of websites ad-free for $5 per month|first=Jacob|last=Kastrenakes|date=28 January 2020|access-date=28 January 2020|work=The Verge|archive-date=28 January 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200128191218/https://www.theverge.com/2020/1/28/21111865/scroll-ad-free-website-subscription-launches|url-status=live}}

{{Portal|Internet}}

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• Adware
• Adversarial information retrieval
• Criticism of advertising
• Content filter
• Commercial skipping
• DNSBL
• Hosts file filtering
• Privacy
• Proxomitron
• Internet tracking

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