The History of Ad Blocking
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YouTube tried to block video playback for ad-blocking users last year. Some even thought that this global effort would lead to the demise of ad blockers. But that did not happen.
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Fighting fire with fire: Harnessing the power of large language models to block ads in AI-powered chatbot
Large language models (LLM) are the heart of the modern generation of AI-powered chatbots. But will they help block ads in them? -
Why is AdGuard not on Google Play?
AdGuard for Android is a powerful app that blocks ads and protects your privacy. But why it's not available on the Google Play Store? Read on to find out. -
The AI Arms Race: Can Ad Blockers Keep Up with AI-Generated Ads?
As AI more and more penetrates our lives, the ad industry couldn't stay aside. Google, Meta, and Amazon have all joined the race to provide the best tools for creating AI-generated ads. -
Dominance of App Store & Google Play is hurting developers and users. Telegram is just its latest victim
The dominance of Google and Apple in the app store market is hurting developers and users alike. While the former have to endure high fees, delay updates and get rid of useful functionality, the latter have to foot the bill for them. It's high time the duopoly was questioned. -
Ad Filtering Dev Summit 2022 recap
Since 2018, we all gather together once a year at the Ad Filtering Dev Summit to discuss the pressing issues of ad blocking world. After two years of Summit taking place online due to COVID, this fall we all were finally able to meet in person in Amsterdam. -
Bye, Internet Explorer, you won’t be missed: Once omnipresent browser king retires in exile
Microsoft has ended support for Internet Explorer for most users, a long-awaited step that marks the end of an era. Once the world's most popular browser, Internet Explorer has become the target of ridicule for its rigidity, which manifested itself with regards to ad blocking. -
Are ad blockers doomed or have we already won? A history lesson
AdGuard dives into the history of ad blocking, from the very first banner on the web to present days, and we even have a peek into the future of ads and ad blockers. Let's look back together to better understand what awaits us ahead. -
A recap of 2018 in ad blocking
In late December we posted a recap of 2018 from AdGuard's point of view. But the year didn't happen in a vacuum; we are all in this together — ad blocker developers, ad blocker users, and advertisers. So anything that happens in the "world of ad blocking" concerns both us and you, the users. Let's look back at the most noteworthy events in the industry, assess their impact, and try to make some predictions for the next year.
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The Year 2017 in Ad Blocking
The year 2017 was a tough one for privacy protection and ad blocking apps, but a good one for their users. But any paradox seen here is illusory.
It was back in 2016 that the ad and marketing industries acknowledged the impending crisis. Ad-blocking growth statistics created great concern for many advertisers and publishers. Extrapolations showed that in a year or two almost nobody would see ads. Advertisers got ready to sell their lives at a high price. That was the year that ad reinsertion startup companies like PageFair, Admiral, Sourcepoint, Secret Media propagated, offering technologies to push ads through ad blockers.
It also was the year when the Coalition for Better Ads emerged.