Google and the Philistine Tendency.

I don’t object to the ads that Google place around the periphery of YouTube pages because it’s easy to select Full Screen and get rid of them. Neither do I object to the ads they show at the beginning of the videos themselves, because it’s easy to switch the sound off until they’ve finished, or select ‘Skip Ad’ where available. The salient point here is that neither interrupts the video or the music you want to listen to.

What really bugs me are the banner ads they throw across the screen while the video and music are playing. They do interrupt the creative process, which is disrespectful to the artists, the uploaders and the viewers. What’s more, it’s probably counter-productive. If you’re in the throes of near-ecstasy at the sight of spectacular landscapes and the sound of beautiful music, what are the chances you’ll be sufficiently impressed by some piece of visual pollution advertising life insurance that you’ll decide you really must get in touch with those people tomorrow and buy some? Not likely at all, is it? You’re more likely to get raving bloody mad at having to divert your attention from a thing of beauty while you search for the little cross in the top right hand corner of the banner.

So come on, Google: if you presume the right to custodianship of a facility as wonderful as YouTube, please discharge your duties with respect for a principle a little more meaningful than your petty pecuniary interests. You can afford it.

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I’d like to say why I’m not making many blog posts at the moment, but I can’t for the same reason as I’m not making them. Work that one out if you can be bothered.