AdBlock Plus sued by German marketing companies

[Petrovic]

Content source

http://www.neowin.net/news/adblock-plus-sued-by-german-marketing-companies

Adblock Plus makers have been slapped with lawsuits by multiple marketing companies in Germany for affecting revenue by blocking ads.

The popular extension, available for all web browsers, blocks advertisements on websites, which is the primary source of revenue for marketing companies. Adblock Plus vendors have a controversial arrangement with some websites which have been whitelisted from the extension by default.

Now, a number of advertising companies in Germany have been reported to have filed lawsuits against Eyeo, the company behind Adblock Plus. The companies believe that the business model of Adblock Plus is illegal. It was recently reported that Google has been paying money in order to allow its ads to pass through Adblock Plus.

The RTL Group and ProSiebenSat.1 Media of Germany have confirmed to the Horzont magazine that they have filed a lawsuit in the Munich District Court. According to Horzont, many more media houses such as Focus Online and Chip Online have not yet decided whether to pursue legal action or not, but are open to the notion. A spokesperson for Eyeo, Ben Williams, has denied that any action has currently been taken against Adblock Plus.

 

[Anupam]

ad blocker is good and bad both way.

Bad because it blocks advertisement, the primary source of income of revenue for many companies.

Good because some websites are so eager to make money than the number of advertisement in single page is more than the actual content. I personally hate such websites.

I use website blocker in AVAST to block the adnetwork i usualy get while browsing through website. It's not effective as ABP but still I like that way

 

[Kate_L]

If you don't use then the "web surfing" it is a pain. All the flash ads, pop-ups, banners will eat all the memory and slow the browser. Companies use ads to track people, spread malware (PUP, Adware, ...).

Thumbs up for ABP, ADGuard and other free products.

 

[Littlebits]

I wonder which company will be suited next? Adblock Plus is not the only adblocker even Internet Explorer has an adblocker now with Tracking Protection. You can ever block ads with your Windows Host file via HostsMan or other host managers.

Thanks.

 

[Anupam]

I wonder which company will be suited next? Adblock Plus is not the only adblocker even Internet Explorer has an adblocker now with Tracking Protection. You can ever block ads with your Windows Host file via HostsMan or other host managers.

Thanks.

I tried with host file. Sadly the page was even taking more time to load. I guess it's because it was still waiting the page to be loaded from wrong ip

 

[DrySun]

And I suppose all ads will be free of malware now? No, these guys are crooks.

 

[marg]

When sites used to use static ads, there wasn't a problem. With the flashing in your face ads & popups these advertisers created a problem which Adblock plus solved. I can't believe stupid users are clicking on these ads. It was also astounding to find out that Adblock plus will accept money to let certain ads through IMO.

 

[Mateotis]

What's next? You will be sued if you go to the toilet instead of watching the ads on TV?

 

[Koroke San]

I tried with host file. Sadly the page was even taking more time to load. I guess it's because it was still waiting the page to be loaded from wrong ip

coz blocking ads with host file is not a good idea.

 

[illumination]

Hope the judge tells the multiple marketing companies, tough crap, stop being so invasive into people's lives to try and earn a buck off them.

 

[avast! Protection]

I don't think these arguments will stand up in the court. People using ad-blocking software aren't ad clickers by presumption.

 

[Oxygen]

*I'm not getting any money off these ads so now I'm going to sue adblock plus*

I see what they are trying to do.