Pirate Bay Founder And AdBlock Creator Creates Way To Pay Publishers

Pirate Bay Founder And AdBlock Creator Creates Way To Pay Publishers
Emma Mackenzie
By Emma Mackenzie



With ad-blocking costing publishers millions of dollars each year, software company AdBlock Plus and online donation site Flattr have created a new way consumers can pay publishers. It’s called Flattr Plus.

The offering continues to sidestep bad online ads. Instead, customers allocate a budget they want to spend on good web content. The Flattr Plus add-on takes note of what content consumers engage with and distributes varying amounts of the allocated budget to publishers, depending on how long the customer engages with the content.

“You set your budget for great web content,” Flattr Plus explains on the website. “Our smart algorithm automatically distributes the right amounts to the right sites. You don’t have to worry about a thing.

“The journalists, artists, blogger and other creators get your money and can continue to create great things. And you made the internet a bit better.”

The website currently is rather sparse, however welcomes requests from those interested.

The offering was created in partnership with content donation site Flattr – created by Pirate Bay founder Peter Sunde – and ad-blocking service, AdBlock Plus.

The ad showcasing Flattr Plus draws the comparison between internet advertising and that annoying friend everyone has.

“He’s not necessarily evil,” the video says, “but no one likes him.”

According to Business Insider, Flattr Plus will take 10 per cent of the monthly subscription money. However, the publication queries whether this offering will be met with criticism.

“No matter all we do, that will always be part of it for some people,” said Till Faida, CEO of Eyeo, the company that owns AdBlock Plus.

“The beauty of this model is that we will be able to provide significant funds to [content creators] without them needing to do anything other than collect the cash. Hopefully that will help us overcome some of the perception hurdles.”

Unsurprisingly, ad-blocking is a heated debate in our industry. However many reckon the onslaught of ad-blockers by consumers means the industry just needs to start creating ads that aren’t rubbish.

 




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