Security → Re: France's ISP deploys ad blocking via firmware update

It isn't semantics.

You paid for your television. Where does that say that this entitles you to programming? You either pay for it or the advertiser pays for it. Whether you like it or not, that's just the way it is. In fact, in most European countries you are forced to pay an annual tv tax to the state for the freely available programming. (Some even tried to impose a tv tax on tablets and smartphones, but a consumer uproar stopped that..at least for now.) So what entitles you to get things for free?

"Visiting" a site doesn't pay them UNLESS they provide advertising on the site and then can charge based on the eyeballs delivered. If not that, please explain how you pay them? How does your doing them a "favor" by visiting, pay them?

The fact that the internet has been exploited by companies shouldn't surprise anyone. And I'm not convinced it is all doom and gloom. What IS important is that the WAYS it is exploited should be transparent. So if each site maintains that you've made a "contract' with them, there are a lot of contracts being "signed" each day and that might include selling your data, owning your photos, delivering you ads, tracking your movements, etc. If you are apprised of all these agreements you are making in a clear and transparent manner (rather than having to read a a TOS every time you visit a site), then if you agree to them, you've only got yourself to blame.

I find the issues regarding smartphones to be far more insidious and disturbing than advertising. A google search update gives them new permissions to use my camera without my permission, read my text messages, etc. I refused to update. But as google search was pre-installed on my phone, what permissions do they already have and why do android users NOT have any control over what permissions are granted by default? It's another all or nothing game.

That is a far more disturbing issue than advertising.