Yahoo logo (Photo : Reuters)
Because many people are now using ad blockers, advertisers have found one way of forcing them to disable the app. Advertisers convinced Yahoo to disallow mobile phone users access to their Yahoo emails unless the ad blocker app is disabled.
Venturebeat reports that Yahoo tested the method on Friday by posting the following message: "Uh oh... We are unable to display Yahoo Mail. Please disable Ad Blocker to continue using Yahoo Mail."
The URL has a part that reads ASBLK_TRAP which stands for "ad block trap."
The tech website notes that while many web users understand that adverts help publishers fund their operations, but what many find irritating is that the ads are disruptive, distracting and out of control. Most of the ads pop up before a web page opens. Some even lead to more ads before the user could open the page sought.
Venturebeat suggests that publishers, instead of doing what Yahoo did which had angered users, must at the outright make it a part of the user agreement. The contract must make it clear that the mobile ads meet the benchmarks set by the Interactive Advertising Bureau, publishers depend heavily on ad revenue to run their websites, suggest ways how to turn off the ads based on the browser used and remind users the products or services offered by the advertisers are valuable for them.
Yahoo email users, such as batman, were angered by the forcible way of disabling the ad blocker. He tweets, "LOL - Fuck you Yahoo Mail for trying to get me to turn off my ad-blocker. You can kiss my ass with that bullshit."
Yahoo said it is only a test for a small number of Yahoo Mail users in the U.S., reports BusinessInsider.
