Several French Websites Are Taking a Stand against Ad Blockers

Ad blockers are incredibly controversial right now, especially since there are numerous websites out there that are relying on advertising as their main income source. Therefore, it makes sense for these websites to speak out against these browser add-ons, but some of them have begun to take action recently, particularly in France. Indeed, several large media sites have taken a joint stance against ad blockers by asking users to disable them in order to view their content. Some of these media sites include RTL, L’Equipe and Le Monde, but other smaller publishers, as well as the music streaming service Deezer, have also joined this protest.

Companies such as Le Parisien and L’Equipe require users to disable ad blockers completely in order to enjoy access to their websites while others simply ask users nicely to whitelist their publication because they rely financially on advertisements. Trade association Geste announced its plans to create this joint action last year, and it emphasized the fact that “content and services are not free.” Apparently, 27 percent of internet users in France have some form of ad blocking extension installed, which is much more than any other country in the world. Do you use ad-blocking software, and if you do, did you whitelist the websites that you are visiting often?