When in 1993 first on-line ad was sold, no one in the world would have expected that 22 years later Internet advertisements would be so obtrusive that they will need to be blocked.

AdBlock is a content blocking and filtering addition to most web browsers. It can be downloaded free of charge, however users can donate money for its further development. It is one of the most popular ad-blocking extension for Chrome.

But let us start from the beginning. AdBlock is the company owned by Eyeo, which from 2002 has been growing incredibly fast, gaining more and more ad-free Internet enthusiasts.

Since 2010 the number of people using AdBlock has grown from 20 mln to 140 mln. This really made advertisers question their previous ways of reaching people.

Why?

Because as it turns out, the more we – regular people enjoy ad-free browsing – the bigger problem it creates for advertisers.

However, where there’s a will, there’s a why. This famous saying applies here, since nowadays there are methods that companies made up to trick a generic user.

For example, websites like Washington Post block access to their content to people using ad blocking programs. If they want to read more they must either purchase the subscription or… stop using AdBlock.

Facebook (that along with Google and Amazon made a deal with AdBlock) gives all its users a possibility to hide ads, simultaneously popping a question ‘Why?’ to find out the reasons because of which certain content didn’t suit user’s taste.

Even though, 3 out of 10 Internet users are AdBlocks’s clients, Eyeo Company is still on the hunt for new ones. Surprisingly enough, they try to get them through on-line advertisements. However, their agenda is to reach only those, who still didn’t install the ad-blocking application.

AdBlock seems to be here to stay and there’s nothing advertisements companies can do about it. Let’s face it, the need for this kind of applications occurred because of annoying, popping-out-of-nowhere advertisements. So, maybe there’s no one else to blame but them.