Talk:Ad block

2026-02-23T01:42:26Z

Skybydy: /* Remove "Do Not Track" from the table */ new section

I propose a table for each type of ad blocking or privacy filter.

For example, one table should be web browsers and which add-ons and plug-ins work with it.

It should also have notation indicators for desktop vs mobile; OS may also be useful

Examples

Browsers:

Fire Fox

Firefox Dev Edition

Vivaldi

Waterfox

Add-ons/Extensions/Plug-ins:

Duck Duck Go Privacy Essentials

NoScript

Privacy Badger

uBlock Origin

I'm on mobile. Sorry.

==Relevance==

Wiki Policy specifically states that product recommendations are outside the scope of this wiki. A relevance notice has been added. [[User:Beanie Bo|Beanie Bo]] ([[User talk:Beanie Bo|talk]]) 02:16, 2 November 2025 (UTC)

:I think ad block is an appropriate theme article. Just as we have a lot of articles about anti-consumer practices, it is reasonable to cover some of the common pro-consumer alternatives.
:I guess if others really feel this is topic is irrelevant, maybe we could fold this into an article about advertising. (Which could cover advertising overload, and ad-block as sub-themes. If they got big enough they could be broken out to their own articles.)
:Is there a section relevance notice? It sounds like the relevance objection is to the section about ad blocking features, rather than the article as a whole?
:As far as the table about specific ad blocking features. Is there a similar table in Wikipedia we could link to? If not, could something like that fly there? (I have no objection to the content, just figure it might get broader audience there.) [[User:Drakeula|Drakeula]] ([[User talk:Drakeula|talk]]) 20:48, 2 November 2025 (UTC)
::It looks better now. Before it was written as if advertising ad blockers, so that was the issue. I still think the table is unnecessary though, and it would be better to link to external source rather than describing in detail the different ad blockers and browsers out there. Thanks for cleaning up the article [[User:Beanie Bo|Beanie Bo]] ([[User talk:Beanie Bo|talk]]) 14:24, 4 November 2025 (UTC)
:::Unfortunately, I haven't seen a comprehensive summary with this concise information on another wiki source. Otherwise, I would have just linked to that instead of creating one here. Presently, the table is incomplete. For example, Vivaldi exists for A, L, and Windows but I was unsure of iOS and need to research that as well as the mods for each browser. On my phone, I only have Chrome, Firefox, DuckDuckGo, and Vivaldi. Also, editing a wiki table is far easier when not on a phone (at least for me). [[Special:Contributions/2603:7081:1200:FB1D:82AA:2677:C186:2876|2603:7081:1200:FB1D:82AA:2677:C186:2876]] 20:50, 21 November 2025 (UTC)

== Remove "Do Not Track" from the table ==

The DNT header is [https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/HTTP/Reference/Headers/DNT deprecated] and enables websites to track users even more precisely, as it's yet another signal that only some clients send with their requests. There have been many arguments made against it, for example by the popular privacy-respecting analytics service GoatCounter[https://www.arp242.net/dnt.html]. It shouldn't be considered while choosing a browser for daily use at all, and I'd argue that it's beneficial to avoid it alltogether. [[User:Skybydy|Skybydy]] ([[User talk:Skybydy|talk]]) 01:42, 23 February 2026 (UTC)

Fear of missing out

2025-04-06T01:49:11Z

Skybydy: claim about Temu needs citation

'''[[wikipedia:Fear_of_missing_out|Fear of missing out]]''' (FOMO) is a psychological phenomenon where a person feels like they are missing out on something that could improve or make life more enjoyable.<ref>https://www.bostonmagazine.com/news/2014/07/29/fomo-history/</ref>

As it relates to negative business practices, FOMO refers to the use of time-limited availability to instill a (sometimes false) sense of urgency in users, causing them to devote more time or money in order to acquire a product, service, or digital item.

By exploiting this feeling in consumers, companies can:

#profit off of users believing they won't be able to get the goods or service at a later date.
#pad usage metrics (in the case of digital goods) by forcing users to spend more time using a product to unlock a certain item or feature.
#profit by preying on users' impatience, should they elect not to devote the time needed to unlock the item or feature without spending money.

==Ways it can be exploited==

===Battle passes===
The implementation of [[wikipedia:Battle_pass|battle-pass]] and seasonal mechanics have become an increasingly common occurrence in video games, particularly in those focused on multiplayer. The concept gained popularity as a more attractive alternative to [[wikipedia:Loot box|loot boxes]], games as a service, and traditional paid DLC. Battle passes gained widespread industry use after the wildly successful implementation of the concept in ''Fortnite Battle Royale'' by [[Epic Games, Inc.|Epic Games]] in 2018.<ref>https://www.vg247.com/fortnite-battle-royale-gets-dota-2-style-battle-pass-loads-of-new-items</ref> Since then, games such as ''Call of Duty'', ''Diablo IV'', and ''Fallout 76'' have implemented battle passes and seasons with some variations.

Battle passes are usually either free with limitations, or paid for through microtransactions. Typically, the free pass may have a very limited number of tiers or offer fewer or less-desirable rewards, but will track a user's progression through the paid-for battle pass, allowing the user to buy that battle pass at any time within the season to collect the rewards. A battle pass is typically structured into multiple tiers. By earning enough experience to complete a tier, the user gains the rewards offered at that tier and can then start on the next tier. More desirable rewards are provided at higher tiers, which offers a way for users to show off these unique customization options to other users as a status symbol. Experience is gained through normal gameplay and often through in-game challenges, while some games offer a way to accelerate progression through a battle pass by using additional microtransactions. At the end of the season, which can typically last for a month or more, a battle pass is replaced by a new one, and the previous rewards become unobtainable. This is true for both free and paid-for battle passes.<ref>https://www.pcgamer.com/battle-passes-are-replacing-loot-boxes-but-theyre-not-necessarily-a-better-deal/</ref>

While battle passes are more transparent about their rewards than loot boxes, they force users to invest a substantial amount of time into a game in order reach rewards they might want within the allotted timeframe of a season. This can play into a user's impatience and fear of missing out, and might cause them to spend additional money on microtransactions to advance the battle pass without grinding via boosts or paying to rank up.

It is worth noting that not all games have battle passes that expire at the end of a season. For example, both free and paid-for battle passes in ''Halo Infinite'' and ''Halo: The Master Chief Collection'' are always available to users even after their respective seasons have ended, though it is still necessary to grind through tiers in order to unlock all the rewards.<ref>https://support.halowaypoint.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408373413268-Halo-Infinite-Battle-Pass-Free-to-Play-FAQ</ref> 

===Timed releases===
While their historical use is rooted more into the costly endeavor to show films in theaters, timed releases in the modern day exist in a far more harmful capacity for consumers as distribution is capable of being offered digitally. A significant example of this usage was with ''Super Mario 3D All Stars,'' which had a roughly six-month window between mid-September 2020 and late March 2021 to purchase the game<ref>https://en-americas-support.nintendo.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/54896/~/why-was-super-mario-3d-all-stars-only-available-for-a-limited-time%3F</ref> before it was permanently delisted from the [[Nintendo]] eShop and physical copies stopped being manufactured.<ref>https://www.businessinsider.com/guides/tech/super-mario-3d-all-stars-preorder-price-release-date</ref> This cessation cornered consumers, as purchasing in this window was the only way to purchase these three games that had been out of print for several years, and consumers who missed out are currently trapped into either using illicit methods or paying scalpers high prices in order to obtain this collection instead. 

===Countdown timers===
Countdown timers are a method to scare consumers into purchasing a product, either as a timed release as seen above, or a limited time deal or bundle. Sometimes, these timers can also lie to consumers, such as what has been seen on [[Temu]]<sup>[<i>citation needed</i>{{#if:| - {{{reason}}}}}{{#if:| ({{{date}}})}}]</sup> and other cheap e-commerce platforms.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Tiemessen |first=Jelmer |last2=Schraffenberger |first2=Hanna |last3=Acar |first3=Gunes |display-authors= |date=April 23, 2023 |title=The Time is Ticking: The Effect of Limited Time Discounts on; Consumers' Buying Behavior and Experience |url=https://gunesacar.net/assets/CHI-EA-23-Time-is-Ticking-Deceptive-Countdown-Timers.pdf |url-status=live |access-date=March 3, 2025 |website=gunesacar.net |publisher=Radboud University |doi=10.1145/3544549.3585735}}</ref>

==References==

[[Category:Common terms]]
<references />

Consumer Rights Wiki - User contributions [en]

Talk:Ad block

Fear of missing out