JD on EP

Really a dumb argument. Ad-blocking isn't a unique feature to FF, a 3-rd party developer just decided to give it a user-friendly UI.

The same can be accomplished at the OS level by editing your hosts file. The ability has always been there, the knowledge to do so is gaining traction. Singling out a browser because it inherently gives a user control is really just sour grapes.

Perhaps AdBlock wouldn't be so popular if people weren't so sick of seeing ads everywhere they turn these day. Products don't exist without demand.

I have to see ads when I watch TV, when I listen to the radio, on signs as I drive down the freeway, on the internet, and now even while I am riding the elevator or on an airplane. If I could ad-block all of these you bet I would. It is an infringement on my right not to have products that I do not need constantly shoved down my throat.

TJ,

I don't have to endure ads in those places - I just pay extra to avoid them. I listen to XM radio (virtually no ads, and I certainly switch stations on the rare times they have them). I use a DVR for television to allow me to fast-forward past ads.

That being said, I think that the right you stated is one of many states "rights" that are not guaranteed to us, just stuff we want.

I agree with PaulC that the popularity of AdBlock speaks to the kind of advertising in use. Still, I don't have a problem with a blogger blocking Firefox. Given that I use Firefox, however, I won't ever see their blog (and I don't currently block ads on Firefox).

This is going to become a HUGE issue in the future. As more web business models become ad-reliant (e.g. everything google does), and ad-blocking software improves, there will be a real conflict of interest.

We are already seeing something similar with DVRs. So far the TV networks seem to be pretending the issue doesn't exist. I personally can no longer watch regular TV, as there are sooo many ads.

The issue is about to hit the fan big-time with DVR. Online, the issue may continue to stay under the radar if AdBlock remains FF/Opera only and continues to be a 3rd party extension, instead of being folded into the product completely. Even then, I'd bet good money you'll never see it as a feature in IE or Safari.

The true danger of AdBlock is that it can blacklist items that shouldn't be blacklisted, or that cause sites to malfunction. For instance, I can't log into my online banking site with it enabled. I can figure out when something's up, and disable it. Can your mom? (No offense to anyone's mother, it's the proverbial "mom on a computer".)