Linus Tech Tips

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LTT is starting to lose subscribers (lemmy.ml)

submitted 1 year ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (2 children)

So me, using an ad blocker to prevent incorrectly vetted ads (that contain malware), stealing my information or compromising my computer, tracking my moves, or outright spying on what I say/type/consume is piracy? Then call me fucking Jack Sparrow baby

Maybe you are young, or incredibly naive (I am not trying to be offensive), but the internet used to be RIDDLED with unsafe ads. There is absolutely no reason you should ever believe they are safe now. Companies do very little to ensure their ads are safe as long as the money rolls in. Skype straight up served malware in their ads for years and never gave 1 fuck. (source: https://www.onmsft.com/news/skypes-traditional-desktop-program-is-spreading-malware-through-ads/)

Going on the internet without an adblocker (I suggest multiple layers, DNS level [Pihole/adguard] as well as device level [Extensions/browsers]) is like having unprotected sex with random strangers. Yes, you may end up fine, but you also could get some very nasty viruses (with long term damage, such as your SSN being leaked) all because you dont see the value in protection

Source that ads continue to be unsafe:

-https://www.itpro.com/security/malware/369892/google-ads-malvertising-campaign-prompts-questions-around-search-security

-https://www.malwarebytes.com/blog/threat-intelligence/2022/07/google-ads-lead-to-major-malvertising-campaign

-https://www.komando.com/security-privacy/google-ad-scam-warning/847823/

And these are sponsored search results so that they appear first. You might think google should give a fuck about vetting those.....but nope

edit: Spelling/grammar

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

the internet used to be RIDDLED with unsafe ads

I recently had to set up a new machine at home - so I briefly got to experience it without an adblocker. It's worse now than before.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

I roll with an ad-blocker for the reasons you mention as well as because I hate seeing ads. I know I'm part of the problem and part of the reason news sites are putting up paywalls now. Granted, even if nobody used ad-blockers, I'm not sure how sustainable everything online being ad-supported would be. The point is, they are expecting to be supported by ad revenue and I'm likely helping to screw that up.

It's something that I'm not going to stop doing, but I don't make any excuses: I'm pirating their shit and rarely offering a different form of compensation. I'm subscribed to YouTube Premium even though I can easily block those ads too. I'm not, however, going to throw money at every website I find useful.

I would advise anyone to run an ad-blocker but they should also consider the moral aspect of it too. I don't know what the solution is, but I'm a pirate in the meantime.