When to allow "Please disable ABP" requests

Discussion of EasyList subscription policy
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Famlam
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When to allow "Please disable ABP" requests

Post by Famlam »

In cases where the sites functionality is limited (or even worse, the site isn't even accessible at all) when it detects you are using AdBlock, it is pretty clear that that should be fixed.
Also cases where the 'please disable it' message is very distracting (flashing messages covering half the page), I think it is pretty clear that it should be removed from the site.

However, when is such a 'disable-adblock'-request too distracting? E.g., when should it be blocked and when not?
I thought about this because of http://forums.lanik.us/viewtopic.php?f=86&t=9080#p37032. Here is said that the banner on that page isn't worth blocking. However, on a different site (winfuture.de) an (IMO) just as distracting (or non-distracting, as you like) banner is removed from the right side. That banner doesn't harm either (it doesn't flash, nor does it cover space that would be recovered). So it isn't really clear to me when such a banner should be blocked and when it should be allowed.
I didn't find anything like this in the policy subforum, so I thought it might be worth filing it here.
Ares2
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Post by Ares2 »

Famlam wrote:However, when is such a 'disable-adblock'-request too distracting? E.g., when should it be blocked and when not?
A good question and I think we should use this topic to put together more detailed rules "acceptable" messages have to follow in order for us to not take countermeasures.

Our current policy gives a general idea on how the message must not look like:
Anti-Adblock should only be challenged if the system limits website functionality or causes significant disruption to browsing.
From the other perspective, I think the ideal message would be a short, moderately formulated (e.g. no insults, not commanding, ...) text-only message, that takes up a very small amount of space on the page, optionally including a plain link for further explanations.
Famlam wrote:I thought about this because of http://forums.lanik.us/viewtopic.php?f=86&t=9080#p37032. Here is said that the banner on that page isn't worth blocking. However, on a different site (winfuture.de) an (IMO) just as distracting (or non-distracting, as you like) banner is removed from the right side.
We can argue about removing the one on bikeforums as well for being too distracting, I'm up for that. I find the banners on winfuture way more distracting though (colors, size, two banners instead of one, ...) - too distracting to even consider unblocking them as part of this discussion.
MonztA
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Post by MonztA »

Ares2 wrote:From the other perspective, I think the ideal message would be a short, moderately formulated (e.g. no insults, not commanding, ...) text-only message, that takes up a very small amount of space on the page, optionally including a plain link for further explanations.
That would be ideal.
Ares2 wrote:We can argue about removing the one on bikeforums as well for being too distracting, I'm up for that. I find the banners on winfuture way more distracting though (colors, size, two banners instead of one, ...) - too distracting to even consider unblocking them as part of this discussion.
Agreed. I find the 2 banners on winfuture more distracting than the one on the forum.
Famlam
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Post by Famlam »

I personally would vote for blocking all things that cause additional requests (e.g., all images, objects, ...).
Text messages are hardly to be considered as annoying (with some exceptions), but a banner very easily noticeable. For example, only because of the red image and the different background color (yes, also possible via CSS, I know), the one on the bike forum steals my attention initially.
Khrin
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Post by Khrin »

Famlam wrote:I personally would vote for blocking all things that cause additional requests (e.g., all images, objects, ...).
Text messages are hardly to be considered as annoying (with some exceptions), but a banner very easily noticeable. For example, only because of the red image and the different background color (yes, also possible via CSS, I know), the one on the bike forum steals my attention initially.
I agree with you.
I would be for to make some general guidelines on what to block or not in these cases, for example what Ares2 said for an "acceptable" anti adblock message could be perfect for me.
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