The most shocking thing is the people who do that kind of things do it knowing that it is really annoying. Because I can't believe there is people who like it. Or they are simply not thinking.
@jgg A few sites still get it. The Onion for example as I was just distracted by this article. But go look a the site itself.
https://www.theonion.com/it-is-journalism-s-sacred-duty-to-endanger-the-lives-of-1850126997
ok, they lose a few points for the auto-play ad, but at least on my desktop browser its unobtrusive and lurks down in the corner and it doesn't obscure the article Im trying to read. I can ignore it.
@jgg But apart from that the article I want to read iss laid out in a straight linear form. A few adds, easily scrolled past, a sidebar of other articles I might like. Thats it. The header and navigation breadcrumbs hang up there at the top of the page and don't stalk around as I scroll, its a joy to read on theonion.com.
History repeats itself. It is the goose of the golden eggs again and again.
Network TV pushed more and more ads, killing themselves as people took refuge on cable TV. Cable TV made the same mistake, so people went to streaming TV. Now streaming TV has started pushing ads. Good luck with that.
Ad supported websites had made the same mistake, forcing people to install adblockers. Now they are so desperate they are pushing all the shit you describe. It will not end well for them.
Web owners: the only ads we don't care are the ads we don't really see. Forcing us to see them is, at best, forcing us to switch to your competitors. At worst, to find another thing to do with our time.
@jgg Oh they're thinking alright - about the Benjamins. It used to be that concepts of user engagement were how to keep viewers on your site or service through engaging content, stress-free user navigation, capable search: provide the content, and means to find/navigate it, and the users will stay.
Now its about literally trapping your eyeballs or your touch/mouse and forcing them to watch ads like they did to Malcolm McDowell in Clockwork Orange.