The Londoner’s guide to ethical ad blocking: Balancing privacy and support for local media – London Business News | Londonlovesbusiness.com

Internet addiction (or, more prestigious terminology, ‘hyperconnectivity’) has become something that Londoners so desperately can’t live without because, in this day and age, the average person is dependent upon the internet for almost everything — planning their Tube routes, finding the best-hidden cafés in Soho, etc.

On the other hand, while being so convenient, online access comes with a flood of ads that can be invasive, obstructive, and, most times, do not even relate in any way to what you are reading about. A classic tool for having a cleaner, more private browsing experience has become ad blockers. But their use also raises an important ethical question: How can we balance our right to privacy with promoting local media, which usually depends on advertising revenue to survive?

To answer the question of “how do ad blockers work?” it’s important to learn more about the concept. Browser extensions or software that remove advertising from websites are called ad blockers. In order to stop an ad before it shows up, they use a mixture of filters, scripts and advanced algorithms to take a look at a webpage for ad-related elements and also stop them. Such technology helps users enjoy a more secure and seamless experience, but it could, in the same way, affect websites, including local media outlets struggling for revenue from ads.

Why Londoners are turning to ad blockers

In London, in such an active city, every second is precious; online ads could be seen as unnecessary interruptions. For many, ad blockers are a way to avoid:

• Intrusive Ads: Popups, autoplay videos and flashy banners.
• Privacy Concerns: Ads track many user behaviors by cookies and scripts, which often tend to be in danger of data safety.
• Faster Load Times: The fast tempo of London’s modern life and the fact that websites can be very slow for those with ad search engine marketing.

Not only do ad blockers make a browsing experience lighter and more pleasant, but they also protect users by blocking malicious or potentially malicious ads carrying malware or phishing attempts. This is especially important for a city as digitally connected as London, with so much public Wi-Fi.

The impact on local media

Ad blockers come with undoubtably benefits for users but with some disadvantages for local news outlets. Most of London’s news websites, cultural blogs and community platforms survive by advertising revenue. These outlets lose a key revenue stream — when visitors block ads.

Imagine a neighborhood newspaper that reports what’s going on in Camden, or a blog that shares the latest reviews from West End plays — it may be difficult to grow and sustain these efforts without the ad money. If we don’t have this revenue, local media could shrink or even disappear altogether, leaving a hole in the coverage of the stories and issues that are most important to Londoners.

Balancing privacy and support: Ethical ad blocking

To strike a balance between privacy and supporting local media, Londoners can adopt the following ethical ad-blocking practices:

1. Whitelist trusted sites

Often, ad blockers allow a user to whitelist certain websites. You can support revenue for local media sites by adding them to your whitelist so their ads can be shown while shutting off intrusive ads elsewhere.

2. Customisable filters for ad blockers

Poper Blocker is an ad blocker that lets users choose what ads to allow if they aren’t too intrusive. We don’t want ads to detract from your browsing experience and, at the same time, ethical advertising that supports websites.

3. Subscribe to local media

So now there are subscription models or donation options in many local outlets. And supporting them directly not only cuts out the ads, it funds sustainable high quality content.

4. Learn about ad blocker technology

Understand what the mechanism is behind ad blockers, which can better enable users to make an informed choice. Knowing which features to disable ensures you are providing a better browsing experience whilst maintaining ethics.

5. Support ethical advertising

Support businesses and platforms that foster responsible and ethical advertising practices. Increasingly, local London sites are signaling a march towards less invasive ad formats, keeping the money flowing without impacting the experience.

Advertising blocking in the future and the sustainability of media

So it goes with the relationship between ad blockers and online media, as technology continues to develop. For local outlets in London, such a shift towards diversified revenue streams like memberships, events, or branded content can help the outlets wean off ads. At the same time, ad blocker developers are creating features that serve user privacy with the needs of content creators.

For example, many ad blockers now have “acceptable ads” programs that will allow nonintrusive ads to come through the filter. These are usually unassuming ads, don’t clutter up the interface and keep an eye on user’s privacy as well, doing all in a middle ground that satisfies both parties.

Why ethical ad blocking matters to Londoners

A city of stories, London is a news capital. The community is informed, inspired, and connected by the stories of these narratives. But taken thoughtfully, Londoners now have the chance to protect their online experience, whilst still allowing these stories to be told.