http://www.zdnet.com.au/news/software/0 ... 608,00.htmThe end of free Internet content will come when Web browsers start blocking online advertisements by default, a DoubleClick executive has warned. Bennie Smith, the online advertising network's privacy chief, said the popularity of tools like Adblock -- an extension to the Mozilla Firefox browser -- which makes blocking online ads simple was tied to 'a negative vibe against advertising in general'."
I saw this headline on slashdot and it just made me mad. Who is this the end of the free internet for? Not me. Not online retailers. Basically, not for anyone who didn't have a "free" internet to begin with. I guess there will be a lot less free blogs out there.
I imagine this same problem has been blighting radio and television stations lately, too. I can pay $10/mo for satellite radio with no commercials or I can get normal radio for free with car salesman yelling at me every 8 minutes. I choose $10/mo. Similarly, I can pay $12/mo for a TiVo subscription, show up 15 minutes late for any show and fast-forward through all the commercials.
This must all spell doom for marketing groups around the world. Personally. I say good riddance and welcome to the Information Age. If I want to be an informed consumer, I don't need your propaganda plasters on my TV or computer screen whether I have an interest in your product or not. I have sites like http://www.tomshardware.com and http://www.gamerankings.com.
