3.02: The Ad-Driven Web, Part II

In which we continue our conversation from 3.01, turning our attention from the system issues which led to the modern state of the web to what we ought to do about it—as consumers of content, as producers of content, and even as advertisers.
Links

• Quartz: “Over one-fifth of people use ad-blocking software—and it’s beginning to hurt”
• Ad blocking:
  • AdBlock Plus—associated with some not-so-savory practices, including letting advertisers buy their way onto a white list.

  • μBlock: aiming to be super light-weight, and no shenanigans about letting advertisers buy exceptions. Two variants:

    • μBlock
    • μBlock Origin—the blocker Chris uses.
    The reasons for the split are political, personal, and quirky. Welcome to open-source software!
  • Ars Technica: Why Ad Blocking is devastating to the sites you love
  • The Art of Manliness: “How Advertising Works on the Art of Manliness” (via listener @mikehoss on App.net)
• The history of the internet:
  • MILNET
  • ARPANET
  • The World Wide Web

• @oluseyi on App.net:

  It is absolutely staggering how, once you visit a vendor’s site, nearly all of the ads you see for the next hour or two seem to be from that vendor. A real-time reminder of how much you’re being tracked.
  cc @winningslowly
  
  ∞ July 21, 2015 3:01pm
• Do Not Track
• Tracking-blockers:
  • Ghostery—alleged to have some similar issues to Adblock with their relationship to trackers.
  • Disconnect.me—the ad tracking blocker Chris users. Identifies what trackers and third-party cookies are blocked on any given page, and allows you to enable or disable them as you like.
• Previously on the show:
  • On Circa:
    • 2.01: Take My Money Now!
    • 2.15: Metapodcasting
  • 0.03: Echo Chamber—we talked about “losing parts of the internet” via link rot, which is a big part of why we’re supporting the Internet Archive.

Before You GoThe Business Journals: ACLJ: U.S. Deal With Iran “Unconscionable” Because It Leaves Imprisoned American Pastor Saeed Abedini Behind
Music

• “Even Fireworks”, by Pushing Static. Used by permission.
• “Winning Slowly Theme” by Chris Krycho. If you make a remake of this, we want to hear every beat.

Sponsors

Many thanks to the people who help us make this show possible by their financial support! This month’s sponsors:

• Jeremy W. Sherman
• Jeremy Cherfas

If you’d like to support the show, you can make a pledge at Patreon or give directly via Square Cash.