The use of third-party software or browser extensions to block ads has long been a contentious practice. Its impact on ad revenues is clear, and ad blocking is reshaping the digital landscape. Facebook has decided to push back, bypassing ad blockers for desktop browsers and improving its own ad controls for users.
Facebook announced in a Newsroom post that it will provide new tools for users to tailor their ad experiences. Now Facebook users can exclude certain topics from their ad preferences and exclude businesses they are already subscribed to on Facebook. Throughout the post, Facebook noted that is it taking user feedback into account, and this is part of its more user-friendly approach:
These improvements are designed to give people even more control over how their data informs the ads they see. This could be seen as a way for Facebook to meet users halfway when it comes to the ad experience on the site. However, Adblock Plus communications and operations manager Ben Williams declared the move anti-user and predicted fallout from the change:
It?s hard to imagine Facebook or the brands that are being advertised on its site getting any sort of value for their ad dollar here: Publishers (like Facebook) alienate their audience, and advertisers (the brands) allow their cherished brand name to be shoved down people?s throats.
Wouldn?t it be better to address users (like all of you!) who have chosen to block traditional ads on their own terms"
The friction between adve...