what can AdBlock do to regain users' trust?

[betrayed]

As remarked in other threads, the survey on what constitutes acceptable ads is tainted by conflict of interest. Once you show yourself this cynical, it's hard--but possible--to regain peoples' trust. Any suggestions as to what this project can even possibly do to re-establish trust with people concerned with conflict of interest? A lot of people don't care about conflict of interest (and vote that way in elections, too), but I'm asking about specific suggestions that can possibly be done to rebuild reputation after you've sacrificed it with a segment of your user base. I'm asking because I can't think of anything because simple verbal promises can't be enough.

[the-edmeister]

How about a refund of your purchase price? Would that be enough?

[betrayed]

How about a refund of your purchase price? Would that be enough?

Do you mean my donation? How would that restore trust or confidence?

[welive]

No ads are acceptable to me, even if I'm shopping online.

[pirlouy]

Easy: tick the box and quit whining.
or find another extension if you're not able to do that...

[pirlouy]

Yes you can. You just don't know how to...

[betrayed]

Easy: tick the box and quit whining.
or find another extension if you're not able to do that...

Can you explain how this would restore trust or confidence?

And there's no box to tick on the Android version. That's another thing that erodes trust and confidence.

[lewisje]

Easy: tick the box and quit whining.
or find another extension if you're not able to do that...

Can you explain how this would restore trust or confidence?

And there's no box to tick on the Android version. That's another thing that erodes trust and confidence.

I think I remember reading that if you subscribe to a privacy-related list like EasyPrivacy or Fanboy Tracking, the whitelist will be disabled; try that.

Also perhaps the huge iPhone ad appeared because you didn't have any filter-list that blocked it; try complaining on the forum of its maintainer (lanik.us for EasyList, forums.fanboy.co.nz for Fanboy's list, or over here for Adversity or AdblockRules).
I don't think anything in the whitelist exempted anything as garish as that; in fact it's a very slim list at the moment...

[pirlouy]

Can you explain how this would restore trust or confidence?

Trust ? Confidence ? Who do you think you are, man ?
Wladimir owe you nothing. You did not contribute at code, you did not give him 1$. And what did you offer to me in order to block ads ? Nothing. You did not even share a hosts file or something else. Of course, I trust Wladimir much more than you, bunch of whiners. Especially when you whine for nothing: With new AB+ you can still block ALL elements like before.
If one day Wladimir prevents you for blocking elements (I don't thing it will ever happened), then you could cry (but not insult, since you can't forget the past and how you liked AB+).

But stop with your "trust" thing please... It would have cost you much more time to cry here instead of modifying 1 setting in options...

[betrayed]

But stop with your "trust" thing please... It would have cost you much more time to cry here instead of modifying 1 setting in options...

As already reported on these boards, opt-out setting not available to Android users.

The developer has posted messages in different venues addressing users in a respectful and thoughtful way. That implies he's considerate of users and takes into account their trust and confidence. Even so, as with many computer devices and software recently in the news, trust and confidence has been eroded. That's why it would be interesting to hear an opinion about what can AdBlock do to regain users' trust. Like pirlouy, I find it very difficult to think of something AdBlock might due to regain lost trust. But it would still be worth hearing someone who's able to be part of the solution.

[LorenzoC]

@pirlouy:
I guess some of the things you read depend on the "confused ideas" most people have about ABP.

First, how many understand that ABP does nothing by itself and it needs to be fed with "rules"?
Second, how many people know that subscribing "subscriptions" they give the subscription maintainers the control over whatever ABP does?
Third, how many poeple know who the subscription maintainers are?
Fourth, how many people know that they can configure ABP so they allow/disallow objects, then they can "support" sites by creating proper exceptions?

So basically the only change in ABP 2 is that the "acceptable ads" subscription is enabled by default and it is not showed as subscription. Everything else remains exactly the same as before. The good and the bad things.

I guess some people think that enforcing the "acceptable ads" over oblivious users by having them enabled by default, coupled with the "partnership" between ABP and advertisers, is "questionable behavior".

[lpn]

Q: what can AdBlock do to regain users' trust?

A: Apologize and set the "allow acceptable ads" as opt-in, not opt-out... but that's not going to happen.

[Bill]

What can you do to earn back our trust?? CHANGE IT BACK TO THE WAY IT WORKED BEFORE!!! The Opt out in thing is BOGUS... It does not allow you to stop the ads that AdBlock is being paid to let through... iPHONE/Apple is one of the adverts that is paying Adblock.

[samcy]

Nothing, start looking for alternate ad-block modules, access lists, whatever. Once someone has sold out on this level, it's irreversible.

[pirlouy]

That's it, go away.
You'll have more ads than users who use AB+ (with or without new whitelist), but hey, at least you'll feel superior.