Top iOS ad blocker Crystal lets advertisers pay to bypass restrictions
Crystal -- currently the most popular ad-blocker on the iOS App Store -- is allowing advertisers who pay for the privilege to bypass the app's filters, a report said on Thursday.
The policy stems from a deal Crystal developer Dean Murphy forged with Adblock Pro creator Eyeo, the Wall Street Journal said. Eyeo does maintain an "acceptable ads" standard limiting intrusiveness, but over 70 companies, such as Google and Microsoft, have reportedly paid to skip past filters. Users can enable full ad blocking by disabling the "acceptable ads" option.
Over 700 businesses have ads that could potentially allowed through, Eyeo commented. The firm is paying Murphy a flat fee each month.
Murphy claimed to the Journal that he wants people to be able to support publishers, most of which are still dependent on ads for income.
"Given how popular Crystal has become, it doesn't provide any way for users to support publishers," he said. "I decided that's a good feature to provide, and from what I've seen the 'acceptable ads' policy doesn't let through what I'd classify as bad ads."
The app has already generated about $75,000 for Murphy, despite costing just 99 cents and having been out for a single week.
Many publishers have expressed concern about the advent of ad blockers in iOS 9. Although such blockers have been available on other platforms for years, the iOS market is large enough that losing ad access could do serious harm.
The policy stems from a deal Crystal developer Dean Murphy forged with Adblock Pro creator Eyeo, the Wall Street Journal said. Eyeo does maintain an "acceptable ads" standard limiting intrusiveness, but over 70 companies, such as Google and Microsoft, have reportedly paid to skip past filters. Users can enable full ad blocking by disabling the "acceptable ads" option.
Over 700 businesses have ads that could potentially allowed through, Eyeo commented. The firm is paying Murphy a flat fee each month.
Murphy claimed to the Journal that he wants people to be able to support publishers, most of which are still dependent on ads for income.
"Given how popular Crystal has become, it doesn't provide any way for users to support publishers," he said. "I decided that's a good feature to provide, and from what I've seen the 'acceptable ads' policy doesn't let through what I'd classify as bad ads."
The app has already generated about $75,000 for Murphy, despite costing just 99 cents and having been out for a single week.
Many publishers have expressed concern about the advent of ad blockers in iOS 9. Although such blockers have been available on other platforms for years, the iOS market is large enough that losing ad access could do serious harm.
Comments
This is getting REALLY REALLY DIRTY!!
You have people paying to block an ad and advertisers paying so the app doesn't block the ad.
Allowing this to happen will just open the door for filthy sh** to go on.
The is guy didn't do a thing. All he did was develop a door between ads and users.
This sets a terrible example and I see more people taking advantage. This isn't fair to anyone. Now advertisers have an extra bill to pay. A bill that didn't exist a week ago.
Heck I think I might just develop an ad blocking app and wait for advertisers to bring me money.
The ‘everything should be free’ on the Internet bozo crowd is getting more than it asked for. It’s hilarious to see them posting here and elsewhere about how they block everything and have this nirvana-like Internet experience now. Oh wait... advertisers are still getting to them and their web viewing habits. Talk about an arms race, and it’s just getting started.
There is no way to win.
You have to pay for content one way or the other. That’s how it works. Nothing is free on this Earth.
Getadblock has a good reputation for Safari user on the mac. Its available for iOS too.
Just saying.
It's not that we think it should be free, it's that ad companies are completely out of control. There needs to be a removal of garbage.
The guy doesn't mention any of this in the app's website and FAQ. In fact, in the FAQ one question is "I've installed Crystal and adverts still load, what gives?" Again, he doesn't mention some advertisers may have paid to get through the blocking. I smell something bad.
I certainly don't want Google or anyone else paying to keep tracking me.
I'll have to look elsewhere, I've heard 1blocker offers what I need so was looking to move apps anyway.
Crystal is not a free app. When you pay for something, it should act as described. The developer mentions nowhere, until now in this interview, that you were paying to expect ad blocking and only actually getting some/most ad blocking.
As for the ethics of ad blocking itself, that is a different topic than what this article is covering.
Yeah, this will be the first one-star content blocker in the App Store by tomorrow morning. The developer clearly doesn't understand they are selling "trust".
Let us all trash the app with 1 ??/???? reviews!
This.
I pay you to block my ads. And you take money from someone to force the same ads upon me that I paid you to stop.
That's criminal.
Apple needs to ban such developers from the App Store.
A 6 month ban for the first infraction sounds fair.
This is the kind be of thing you see in the android or MS ecosystem. Not Apple.
Leave it to pieces of crap like this guy to get that going here.
Simple, fair, and most of all, gives the choice to YOU.
HAHAHA! Begun, this ad war, has.