I use Mozilla Firefox as my internet browser, an open source, highly customisable alternative to the default Microsoft Internet Explorer or Apple Safari . I also use a third part ‘add-on’ to rid myself of virtually all internet advertising which I have stated my distaste for in an earlier post. The program is called Adblock Plus and it’s also open source and seemingly effective from my last few days of using it. Herein lies the dilemma: By removing the ads that I hate, I am potentially depriving the publishers of works I consume of an income, no matter how teeth-whitening and weight loss based that income may be. I’m not doing anything illegal, I’m just using the power of my computer to analyse and filter images, animations and videos that I find offensive and annoying. I’m sure to have Kevin Rudd and Stephen Conroy on my side for that one, what with filtering being all the rage right now. Your basic website doesn’t have that much say in how you use its services, It’s like a TV station that blasts out information and hopes you sit through the ads rather than flipping channels. On one hand I feel a bit bad, but then again I haven’t seen pictures of rotten teeth for days now.
I also use programs to download from video sharing websites like blip.tv, bypassing their main ad delivery system whereby a short ad is played to your before every video. I actually don’t have a problem with the ads on Blip.tv as they come from reputable companies and are usually intelligent and engaging (by advertising standards). The case for my defense is that I am an internet user in Australia, which means I have to watch my bandwidth meter like a hawk lest I be throttled to a trickle of internet. If someone is offering a 30 minute video to download, I want to save it in case I have to refresh the page and half the video is loaded again. Also, the ads on Blip.tv are for Americans and I have yet to see a ‘JC Penny’s’, ‘Chilli’s’ or certain Tequila brands around where I live. No harm no foul, right?
