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MSN Throws Down?

from JoeUser Forums

Perhaps it's just me.  Within the past week, msn.com has started refusing to load the home page graphic interface when it detects an ad-blocker.  Same browser, but 2 different rigs.  Access to the graphic interface is immediately restored by disabling ad-blocking, even though the site doesn't say that's the problem, just gives a generic comment about some plugin or extension 'interfering' with msn.com.

Not big whup.  MSN exists only so I can study how the other half thinks, anyway.  Just thought it was interesting.

95,844 views 10 replies
Reply #1 from WinCustomize Forums Top

I have found many News websites blocking the view of the page if you have an AD Blocker activated. Right off , this tells me they are tracking me and I simply say "screw you" and close the page. There are plenty of other sites to get the news without the strong arm tactics to make you turn off your Ad Blocker. Maybe they'll learn a lesson when more and more people turn away and their viewership drops.     --ACE ---

Reply #2 from JoeUser Forums Top

Same here.  This was just the first time I'd encountered it with msn.com, which likes to think of itself as an alternative to Drudge.

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Reply #3 from WinCustomize Forums Top

I use IE, my home page is MSN and I use Adblocker. I never had a problem with the site. Maybe it's the browser your using. I use Chrome with AdBlocker as a backup browser and everything is fine.

Reply #4 from JoeUser Forums Top

Opera here (chromium), with its native adblocker, for quite some time now without running into this until last week.  Could well be msn.com now 'sees' this blocker & not others.  Hard to say.

Reply #5 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Still using Chrome with ad blocker and only encounter this problem with Forbes and Business Insider. They want you to disable ad blocker and I just go elsewhere to view the same article.

Reply #6 from Stardock.net Forums Top

Quoting Uvah, reply 5

Still using Chrome with ad blocker and only encounter this problem with Forbes and Business Insider. They want you to disable ad blocker and I just go elsewhere to view the same article.

 

Yep, same here. I use adblocker and Ghostery in Chrome. Its nice going to sites without getting ads, and the ones I actually white-list cant use targeted ads due to ghostery...lol.

Reply #7 from WinCustomize Forums Top

More and more sites are blocking access to content if you're using and adblocker or tracking disabler.  Like Acemetrix, I say fech you and move on.  I dislike advertising intensely, and tracking is just another tool of advertisers to find out your interests and preferences, so they can all go fech themselves, I'm not interested.

I didn't know MSN was doing this, but I have zero tolerance and it's bye bye from me.

Reply #8 from Elemental Forums Top

i believe for chrome at least there are some anti-anti-adblocker extensions. ubo has some list that work with those things. no idea how well they work as i can't be bothered to install yet another thing.

Reply #9 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Quoting alaknebs, reply 8

i can't be bothered to install yet another thing.

It does seem to be a bit endless, doesn't it.

Reply #10 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Quoting alaknebs, reply 8

i believe for chrome at least there are some anti-anti-adblocker extensions. ubo has some list that work with those things. no idea how well they work as i can't be bothered to install yet another thing.

Yeah, it seems like and endless battle, doesn't it!  Thing is, I've heard that advertisers and the like have found a way to bypass anti-anti adblockers and can display ads regardless.  I've not come across this myself, I just use Adblock Plus, but if I did I'd simply stop visiting the offending site[s].