As previously reported, Facebook video ads are on the way, with Facebook expected to charge between $1 million and $2.5 million for an ad to run for a single day.
Facebook has been working on video ads for months, but word is that CEO Mark Zuckerberg has had concerns about how the TV-like ads will affect the overall Facebook user experience. Some users share these concerns, but AdBlock Plus wants them to know that it has every intention of blocking these ads when they finally start appearing.
Disturbed about the news about @Facebook's 15-second video ads? Don't worry, we will block this for you. http://t.co/fO1eHHRLMR
— Adblock Plus (@AdblockPlus) July 31, 2013
A spokesperson for AdBlock Plus tells WebProNews, “Facebook will keep ‘innovating’ with new ad formats, for sure. But once a new ad format is discovered, Adblock Plus’s community of over 50 million users is usually quick to add it to the filter lists within a few hours. For example, once Facebook’s new news feed is up and running, we’ll make it our top priority to enable our users to block all ads in the new format, if they so choose, as well as provide easy filters to block other annoyances.”
AdBlock Plus actually put out a video about Facebook’s video ads back in April:
One has to wonder if Facebook’s new ads will lead to an increase in overall online ad blocking. If the ads turn out to be as annoying to users as television ads often are, it could prompt a lot of users to take AdBlock Plus up on its offer, and ultimately start blocking more ads on the web in general by simply using the product. Facebook has over a billion users.
Online properties who are only able to exist as the result of revenue earned from advertisements that haven’t had the good fortune of being deemed acceptable ads by AdBlock Plus could ultimately suffer.
ABP’s “acceptable ads” are described as only “unobtrusive ads,” which it says are “usually small text links, which are preferred by users.”
Banners, video ads, and pop-ups are never allowed.
You can see an overview about ABP’s policies on Facebook ads here.