The Ad-Block: Ethical Dilemma

Web's Faustian Bargain

hacks / article

The First Click

I remember the first time I installed an adblocker. It felt like I’d discovered a secret passageway on the internet. Suddenly, websites loaded faster. Annoying popups and autoplaying videos vanished. The web became… calmer. But then I started to wonder: was I cheating? After all, these websites were providing me with free content. Wasn’t viewing their ads the implicit agreement I’d made in exchange? The Case for Adblocking Let’s start with why people block ads. There are three main reasons:

User Experience

The most obvious benefit is a better browsing experience. Ads are often intrusive, slowing down page loads and cluttering the screen. They can be downright obnoxious – think of those ads that expand to cover the entire page when you accidentally mouse over them.

Security

There’s a more serious issue: security. Online ads have become a major vector for malware. Even reputable websites can end up serving malicious ads without realizing it. By blocking ads, users are protecting themselves from potential threats.

Privacy

Many ads track users across websites, building detailed profiles of their browsing habits. If you’re uncomfortable with this level of surveillance, adblocking is one way to push back.

The Other Side of the Coin

So adblocking seems like a no-brainer, right? Not so fast. There’s a strong argument on the other side too:

The Implicit Bargain

Most of the web runs on an unspoken deal: you get free content, and in exchange, you look at some ads. When you use an adblocker, you’re breaking that deal. You’re consuming the content without holding up your end of the bargain.

The Sustainability Problem

This isn’t just a theoretical concern. As adblocking has become more popular, many websites have seen their revenue plummet. Some have shut down entirely. Others have had to resort to paywalls or more intrusive advertising to stay afloat.

The Vicious Cycle

The irony is that by trying to avoid ads, we may be making them worse. As more users block ads, websites have to make their remaining ads more aggressive to compensate. This creates a vicious cycle: more intrusive ads lead to more people blocking ads, which leads to even more intrusive ads. The Fairness Issue When you use an adblocker, you’re essentially freeloading off the users who don’t. They’re subsidizing your ad-free experience.

So what’s the right answer? As with many ethical dilemmas, there’s no clear-cut solution. But I think there are a few principles we can use to navigate this issue:

Not All Adblocking is Equal

There’s a big difference between blocking all ads indiscriminately and using more nuanced approaches. Some adblockers allow non-intrusive ads or let you whitelist sites you want to support. These approaches strike a better balance between user experience and supporting content creators. The Current Model is Broken We should recognize that the current advertising model of the web is broken. It incentivizes clickbait, privacy invasion, and aggressive ad tactics. Instead of just blocking ads, we should be looking for better ways to fund online content. Micropayments, subscriptions, and patronage models all show promise.

Website Responsibility

Websites need to take some responsibility too. If your ads are so intrusive that a large portion of your users feel compelled to block them, that’s a problem with your site, not your users. The sites that are thriving despite adblocking are often the ones that have found a balance between monetization and user experience.

User Consciousness

As users, we need to be more conscious of the implicit transactions we’re making online. If you regularly visit a site and find it valuable, consider supporting it directly or whitelisting it in your adblocker. Think of it as a tip jar for the web.

The Bigger Picture

The debate over adblocking is really part of a larger conversation about the future of the internet. How do we create sustainable models for online content that respect both creators and users? How do we balance openness with security and privacy? These aren’t easy questions to answer. But by thinking critically about our choices – even seemingly small ones like whether to use an adblocker – we can help shape the web we want to see. In the meantime, I’ll keep using my adblocker. But I’ll also keep thinking about the websites I value and how I can support them. Because in the end, if we want a web with great content, we need to ensure that creating that content is sustainable. Whether that’s through better ads, direct support, or new models we haven’t thought of yet, remains to be seen.

Getting started with ad-blocking

This guide covers various methods to block ads across different devices and platforms, ranked by effectiveness.

1. System-wide Blocking via Hosts File (Linux & macOS) (hBlock)

Effectiveness: Very High

Use hBlock to block ads on the entire device:

  • Download hBlock from https://github.com/hectorm/hblock
  • Open terminal
  • Navigate to the downloaded file
  • Run: sudo hblock
  • Enter your password when prompted
  • Restart your device

Systemd timer to update entries (Linux)

curl -o '/tmp/hblock.#1' 'https://raw.githubusercontent.com/hectorm/hblock/v3.4.5/resources/systemd/hblock.{service,timer}' \  
  && echo '45980a80506df48cbfa6dd18d20f0ad4300744344408a0f87560b2be73b7c607  /tmp/hblock.service' | shasum -c \  
  && echo '87a7ba5067d4c565aca96659b0dce230471a6ba35fbce1d3e9d02b264da4dc38  /tmp/hblock.timer' | shasum -c \  
  && sudo mv /tmp/hblock.{service,timer} /etc/systemd/system/ \  
  && sudo chown 0:0 /etc/systemd/system/hblock.{service,timer} \  
  && sudo chmod 644 /etc/systemd/system/hblock.{service,timer} \  
  && sudo systemctl daemon-reload \  
  && sudo systemctl enable hblock.timer \  
  && sudo systemctl start hblock.timer

Strengths:

  • Blocks ads at the system level
  • Works across all apps and browsers
  • Low system resource usage
  • Can block tracking and malware domains

Note: Be cautious when modifying system files. This method may interfere with some services.

2. Network Interface Method (AdGuard DNS)

Effectiveness: High

Set DNS server to AdGuard DNS public IPv4:

Windows:

  • Go to Control Panel > Network and Sharing Center
  • Click on your active connection
  • Click “Properties” > “Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4)” > “Properties”
  • Select “Use the following DNS server addresses”
  • Enter 94.140.14.14 and 94.140.15.15
  • Click “OK”

macOS:

  • Go to System Preferences > Network
  • Select your active connection
  • Click “Advanced” > “DNS”
  • Click “+” to add DNS servers
  • Add 94.140.14.14 and 94.140.15.15
  • Click “OK” > “Apply”

Strengths:

  • Blocks ads across all devices on the network
  • Works for all apps and browsers
  • No software installation required
  • Can be easily applied to routers for network-wide protection

3. Browser Extension (uBlock Origin) + DNS

Effectiveness: High

a) Install uBlock Origin:

  • Chrome: Visit Chrome Web Store, search for uBlock Origin, click “Add to Chrome”
  • Firefox: Go to Firefox Add-ons, search for uBlock Origin, click “Add to Firefox”
  • Edge: Visit Microsoft Edge Add-ons, search for uBlock Origin, click “Get”

b) Set up AdGuard DNS:

  • Go to your network settings
  • Set primary DNS to 94.140.14.14
  • Set secondary DNS to 94.140.15.15

Strengths:

  • Very effective for browser-based ads
  • Customizable and regularly updated
  • Low impact on browser performance
  • AdGuard DNS adds extra protection
  • DNS ad-blocking is effective against google chrome manifest v3

4. Brave Browser

Effectiveness: Medium-High

Strengths:

  • Built-in ad-blocking and privacy features
  • Works out of the box
  • May not be as customizable as dedicated extensions

5. Android Private DNS (AdGuard DNS)

Effectiveness: Medium

Set up Private DNS with AdGuard DNS:

  • Go to Settings > Network & Internet > Advanced > Private DNS
  • Select “Private DNS provider hostname”
  • Enter “dns.adguard-dns.com”
  • Tap “Save” or “Apply”

Strengths:

  • System-wide ad-blocking on Android
  • Works across all apps
  • May not block all in-app ads

6. iOS DNS Profile (AdGuard DNS)

Effectiveness: Medium-Low

Change DNS profile to AdGuard DNS:

  • Go to Settings > General > VPN & Device Management > DNS
  • Tap “Add DNS Configuration”
  • Select “Manual”
  • Add 94.140.14.14 and 94.140.15.15 as DNS servers
  • Tap “Save”

Strengths:

  • Blocks some ads system-wide on iOS
  • Limited by iOS restrictions
  • Less effective than other methods due to Apple’s limitations

7. Other Browsers with DNS over HTTPS

Effectiveness: Low-Medium

Set up DNS over HTTPS with AdGuard DNS: