Why You Should Use an AdBlocker

Ads Aren’t Just Annoying — They’re Costing You More Than You Think

Everywhere you go online, ads are waiting. On news sites. In your inbox. Between paragraphs. Before videos. During podcasts. On your phone. On your laptop. Ads are everywhere

But here’s what’s often missed: Online ads aren’t just background noise. They’re a system designed to manipulate your choices, invade your privacy, waste your time, and push you toward spending money you didn’t plan to.

They take away your time, throwing at you materials, that you never asked for.

They make you buy things, that aren't the best, just the best advertised.

They trigger emotional reactions to sell more (“Your family deserves the best”).

They interrupt what you’re doing, taking away your focus, when you're trying to work, or just relax.

They slow down your internet, drain your battery, and spy on what you read and watch.

If you've ever felt tired after scrolling, bought something you didn’t really need, or wondered why you can’t concentrate like you used to — ads are part of the reason.

But what if, you could get rid, of all those harming effects, for free and with effort as little as 10 minutes?

The Hidden Costs of Online Ads

Most people don’t realize how many negative effects ads can have. Companies, that earn thanks to them, either by advertising, or selling space for advertisers, try to convince everybody, that ads aren't that bad. They say that: "Ads are the source of income for publishers and creators", "ads are the fundament of many online businesses", "ads allow companies to get attention". All that is true, but it's all benefits for them, companies, marketers, publishers, that come at your expense —your time, your money, your attention, and your peace of mind.

Let’s break down how.

💸 1. Ads Push You to Spend Money on Things You Don’t Need

Online ads are designed to bypass your logic and trigger impulse. They rely on urgency (“limited time offer”), social proof (“everyone’s buying it”), and manufactured desire (“this gadget will change your life”).

Often, you end up spending on something:

• You didn’t plan for

• You don’t really need

• That’s overpriced or lower quality than better, less advertised alternatives

  
  
  
  

🧠 2. They Wear You Down Mentally

Research shows¹ that frequent ad exposure can lead to mental fatigue. They bombard your senses with attention attracting text, animation, flashy colors, videos and sounds. All this can overload your system, leading to

• Exhaustion, even if you were browsing as a way to rest and relax

• Reduced ability to focus

  
  

⏳ 3. They Waste Your Time

Think about all the time lost to:

• Unskippable ads before and during videos.

• Cluttered pages that load slowly.

• Clicking on the "X" button, only to be redirected to the advertised site.

  
  

It adds up—minutes a day, hours a week. Time that could’ve gone to reading, learning, resting, or just having fun.

⚠️ 4. They Distract You When You Need to Focus

Whether you’re reading a long article, watching a video, or writing an email—ads constantly pull at your attention. And every time they succeed, you lose momentum.

It’s like trying to rest or work in the middle of a shouting contest.

🔋 5. They Drain Your Battery, Data, and Performance

Ads are heavy. They load images, video, trackers, scripts—all of which eat up:

• Mobile data (especially on limited plans)

• Battery life

• RAM and CPU resources

  
  

Some pages take 3× longer to load just because of ads. And your phone or laptop runs hotter, slower, and dies sooner.

🎯 6. They Manipulate Through Emotion, Not Value

Most ads don’t show why a product is useful—they show why you should feel something about the product. Fear. FOMO. Sentimentality. Envy. Urgency.

They don’t ask, “Is this product right for you?"

They scream, “Buy it now or you’ll regret it.”

That kind of pressure adds up—especially when you see hundreds of these messages every day.

All of this leads to a simple conclusion: online ads don’t just annoy you—they quietly shape the way you think, spend, and feel. And they do it constantly, often without you noticing.

Some Ads Are Straight-Up Dangerous

Not all ads are just annoying or manipulative. Some are outright malicious. These are known as malvertisements — ads that contain malware, phishing links, or other harmful code. And they don’t only show up on shady websites. Even mainstream sites have unknowingly served them through third-party ad networks.

These ads can:

• Trick you into clicking on fake system alerts ("Your device is infected! Click here to clean it")

• Redirect you to phishing sites that look like your bank, email, or a trusted service

• Trigger automatic downloads of spyware or ransomware

• Harvest sensitive data through malicious scripts or fake forms

  
  

You don’t even need to click in some cases. Just visiting a site with a malicious ad can expose you — this is known as a drive-by download.

🎯 Real-world examples:

• In 2023² during Arc browser launch, a malvertising campaign distributed fake Arc Browser advertisements, which, alongside the actual browser, installed un-wanted programs, such as malware, and ransomware

• In 2024³, attackers used images, distributed by ads to deliver spyware that collected credentials stored in browsers such as passwords.

  
  
  
  

🧩 Why does this happen?

Because most websites don’t control the ads directly. They work with ad networks that auction space to advertisers. This system is complex, fast-moving, and often lacks strong vetting — so bad actors slip through.

🛡️ The Solution? Use an AdBlocker

Now it's become clear just how much ads can cost you. So now let's summarize what you gain, after you block them.

⏳ More Time & Focus

Without constant interruptions, you can actually enjoy what you came for — reading, watching, working, or relaxing — without ads dragging your attention away every few minutes.

💸 Less Wasted Money

Without emotional manipulation and impulse triggers pushing you toward unnecessary purchases, you’re more likely to buy only what actually matters to you — on your own terms.

🔋 Better Performance & Battery

Pages load faster. Devices stay cooler. Your mobile data and battery lasts longer. All because the heavy scripts, trackers, and autoplay videos are cut out.

🧠 Less Mental Fatigue

No more flashing banners or clickbait distractions. It becomes easier to concentrate, rest your mind, and reduce the constant low-level stress of being “pitched at” all day.

🛡️ More Security

You limit the risk of malvertising attacks — fake system alerts, phishing pop-ups, spyware downloads — because most of those threats are served through ad networks. Block the ad, block the attack.

🌿 A Calmer Internet

With fewer distractions and manipulations, your online experience becomes quieter, smoother, and more in your control.

And the best part? It's free and takes less than 10 minutes to set up — and you’ll feel the difference immediately.

Recommended Ad Blockers:

🔹 uBlock Origin (Browser Extension)  (Highly Recommended)🔹 AdGuard (Browser Extension)🔹 Privacy Badger (Browser Extension)🔹 Brave Browser (privacy focused browser, with built in AdBlocker)

If you decide to use browser extension, all you have to do is go to the chromewebstore and search for the name of extension-based AdBlocker you chose. For the Brave browser, you can install it from it's website, or trough microsoft store.

📚 References

1. Teresa Fernandes, Rodrigo Oliveira. (2024). Brands as drivers of social media fatigue and its effects on users’ disengagement: the perspective of young consumers.https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/yc-09-2023-1873/full/html

2. AdSecure. (2024). Recent malvertising scams spreading unwanted programs and ransomware.https://www.adsecure.com/blog/recent-malvertising-scams-spreading-unwanted-programs-and-ransomware

3. AdSecure. (2023). Latest new malvertising methods by cybercriminals to spread malware.https://www.adsecure.com/blog/latest-new-malvertising-methods-by-cybercriminals-to-spread-malware