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Ad-killing software blocks pop-ups but spawns controversy

If you surf the Internet, you've seen them: large advertisements that are "spawned" in separate browser windows, launched from Web pages that you visit.

These ads sometimes appear on top of the Web page you're trying to view. Other times, they actually appear underneath your browser (they're called pop-under ads), only to resurface later and get in your way.

Such ads have become pervasive, and they please almost no one.

Some software companies have stepped in to attack these ads with ad-blocking software. When loaded on your computer, ad-blocking programs intercept calls to spawn new windows, assuming that these calls are coming from advertisers. Ad-blocking programs also typically use a database of known advertisers, and use this information when deciding which type of windows to block from view.

But make no mistake: Although ad-blocking software is attracting a large mainstream audience that would like to get rid of obtrusive Internet advertisements, not everyone is happy that such software exists.

Ads, says Kevin O'Connell, of Internet advertising firm DoubleClick, are what "keeps the Internet free for consumers. When you go to a site like Yahoo or AltaVista, that visit is being paid by an advertiser."

Some consumers, too, feel pangs of guilt when they load ad-blocking software on their machines.

"Ads are annoying on the Internet, but they are annoying on television, as well," said Carol Flewelling, president of Maryland-based Family Education Network. "I'd rather put up with the advertisements than have to pay more for my Internet connection."

Nevertheless, programs such as AdSubtract (www.ad-subtract.com) and WebWasher (www.webwasher.com) are attracting millions of users.

One major software download site, download.com, lists ad-blocking software among its most frequently downloaded programs. WebWasher, which comes in a free version for home and educational use, boasts over five million users, according to WebWasher.com.

In addition to blocking advertisements, the best of the ad-blocking software, including WebWasher and AdSubtract, can actually make your Internet connection seem faster. The reason is that ads take time to load, especially when they spawn additional browser windows and are laden with graphics.

But not everything works seamlessly with either of these ad-blocking programs -- or with any others, for that matter. No ad-blocker can intercept every pop-up ad; some inevitably slip through.

In addition, ad-blocking programs are known to interfere with the normal operation of some legitimate Web sites.
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