A news site emerges to block users of advertisement removal function and a battle broke out with development company

ByDaniel Oines

AdBlock and AdBlock Plus are browser extensions that turn off ads when browsing sites,5% of net users use itThe number of users is getting larger. A news site that blocks users using the advertisement elimination function has appeared and is calling a big topic.

Anti-Adblocker-Initiative: BILD testet Abomodell, BILDsmart 'Axel Springer SE
http://www.axelspringer.de/presse/Anti-Adblocker-Initiative-BILD-testet-Abomodell-BILDsmart_24760464.html

Adblock Plus and (a little) more: Smells like censorship, Big Brother
https://adblockplus.org/blog/smells-like-censorship-big-brother

Warum sehe ich Bild.de nicht - Bild.de
http://www.bild.de/wa/ll/bild-de/unangemeldet-42925516.bild.html

German giant mediaAxel SpringerAnnounced that it will block advertisement removal extension users such as AdBlock and AdBlock Plus at the company's tabloid news site "BILD". When actually opening BILD with AdBlock or AdBlock Plus on, a message saying "Bild.de can not be displayed because the ad block is active" was displayed.


According to the message in the middle of the page, it is necessary for BILD reporters who are enrolled in 500 people to rely on advertisement revenue in order to do business. The publicity of Axel Springer says "Journalism is made up of two revenues, sales and advertising."


Two options are displayed at the bottom of the page, "turn off ad block" and "register for pay plan of 2.99 euros per month (about 400 yen)". If you do not choose either You can no longer browse the contents of BILD.


If you turn off ad block, BILD will be displayed correctly.


User blocked AdBlock Plus publishes a statement against Axel Springer's response. Among them, AdBlock Plus said that "it is the website of Axel Springer that blocks users of ad blocking and they are their rights," basically showing the attitude of respecting the correspondence of Axel Springer. According to AdBlock Plus, however, there is a thread that discussed the "How to display BILD as usual even when the ad blocking function is turned on" in the forum operated by the company, there was a request from Axel Springer to delete the corresponding thread is.

Although AdBlock Plus refused Axel Springer's request, it was forced to delete it because the court was informed to remove the corresponding thread. However, saying that it can not be convinced of the deletion, "It will resurrect the thread even by appealing to legal means". AdBlock Plus leaves a message at the end of the statement saying "Maybe this situation may have to be deleted, so please take a screenshot" message.