My last post about ESPN Motion (linked by internet sports colossus Deadspin.com, I might self-promotionally add) addressed a problem that riddles the world wide web (and the real world, too, but let’s keep this simple): letting advertising dictate how content is presented. ESPN knows that video is difficult to ignore, and is a great way to serve up ads–for its own programming and for its sponsors. So it plasters a loud, garish, processing-heavy video window on its front page, forcing its users to a) put up with it; b) figure out and implement a fairly complicated workaround to block it; or c) go elsewhere for their sports news. I think this is pretty stupid. Here’s another example from the website I use the most: The Washington Post.
- First, you need to be using Firefox. Please, if you’re using a PC… just use Firefox. I’m willing to entertain arguments for Safari, but to be using Microsoft Internet Explorer at this point is just… wrong. Objectively wrong. Don’t do it.
- Next, install
the Adblock extensionthe Adblock Plus extension (which you should really be using anyway). Adblock, well, blocks ads online. It comes with a huge list of automatically-blocked ads, which is neat, but the great thing about it is that you can manually add other ads to the list. Like, I don’t know… the ESPN Motion video that starts whenever you visit ESPN.com. - Next (after you restart Firefox to activate the Adblock extension), click on “Tools” in the menu bar. Then click on “Add-ons.”
- Highlight Adblock and click on the “Options” button.
- In the “New Filter” box, enter this: http://sports.espn.go.com/broadband/fpp/*
- Click “Done.”
And that’s it. No more stupid videos advertising “Who’s Now” or WNBA broadcasts or Steven A. Smith’s newest show, “Spittin’ Mad With Steven A. (Brought to You by Cheetos)”. Enjoy.
* ESPN, you really need to find a way to turn this off by default. Everyone hates it. Most of us visit your site from work, you know? We can’t have this nonsense.
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