Content Filering

Do you use a content filter such as AdBlocker?  If you do, you probably appreciate the noticeable difference in the number of adds which you are exposed to online each day.  Maybe you wish that you didn’t have to suffer through those terrible YouTube adds or that you could listen to music without interruptions on Spotify or iTunes radio.  However, what you may have forgotten is that things that we want are not free. 

We are exposed to ads while we troll Facebook, watch YouTube videos, and listen to music because the content which we are experiencing from probably cost money to produce.  The YouTube artist which produces your favorite show have families and the podcasts which shamelessly sponsor some service provider do so not on their own accord but to make your viewing/listening experience possible.  According to PBS’s Idea Channel, when the product is free, you are the product.  You (or the promise of your presence) has been sold.

Modern advertising tells us that the most effective form of capitalism is results when mass groups of people are exposed to the same add.  This is why we often hear the same ad while listening to popular music or TV show.  Companies know when their target audience will be paying attention and they will pay to place their information at your disposal.

We should keep in mind the phrase, “you get what you pay for” in the context of online content.  Sure it may feel like all content should be free, but ask yourself this:  “if you are enjoying this content and would like to see more, why wouldn’t you pay for it?” 

Nobody wants to be exposed to ads which feel like they’re not targeted to them.  That’s poor advertising.  However, if you appreciate good content, make sure to subscribe to that YouTube channel or purchase the license to listen to your music.  By doing so you are helping to support creativity among artists while providing for someone else’s livelihood. 

For further information, watch the PBS Idea Channel video here.