Technically I run a tracking blocker, it just happens to block 90+% of all ads because they want to track me.

I don't understand why ads aren't targeted towards the content of the page, rather than me as a person, that seems to be more correct in the majority of the cases.

I did accidentally try to play a YouTube video without signing into my premium account. That platforms is completely impossible to watch without premium or an ad blocker. YouTube managers should be forced to watch a few hours of content with ads enabled.

Here? Probably not many. But in general? Yes, the vast majority of people do not even after being told about it, they are conditioned to accept ads because they are not optional on most any other device (minus techie hacks like pihole and such that understandable most people don't know how to do or understand).

I run adblock, but it's been not very effective lately. Sites either work around it, or just outright refuse to work.

Are you using a chromium-based browser? Google crippled adblockers on those. I essentially never see ads on firefox

Nope, I'm on FireFox.

I tried NoScript, but it breaks way too many sites.

I use adblockers everywhere. I still see some ads, but never sexist ones. What are you seeing?

The average viewer probably doesn't know ad blockers exist.

Roughly one third to 40% of people worldwide "report using an ad blocker". I'd suspect that awareness is near, if not comfortably above, a majority.

<https://backlinko.com/ad-blockers-users> (2024)

<https://cropink.com/ad-blockers-usage-statistics> (2026)