An ad-blocker is almost essential to use these days because some sites just doesn't even know what limit means.
Some sites I visit somewhat regularly either freezes or crashes my browser due to all the ads. It is most likely the blinking flash ads doing most of the damage anyways.
I have some sites whitelisted though, mainly because I want to support them also because the ads aren't that intrusive most of the time.

Oh GOD YES!

An ad blocker is the only way I can tolerate most of the internet. And so many ads have trojans or outright viruses attached to them, I wouldn't browse without it.

Yeah, definitely essential. I add sites like Batoto to my whitelist but I couldn't bear not using adblock in general.

Of course! I can't stand some ads, they are intrusive and annoying. Especially those who make sound whether you click on them or not.

I insist on adblock, but I have an extensive whitelist. It's mostly specific sites, but there are a few ad services whitelisted, also. I like the content (and mild design) of some ad services, so I barely consider them ads, more like friendly suggestions.

On the other hand, I have hand blacklisted a few annoying ads incorporated into site designs. It can break the screen a bit, but I refuse to give money to someone who pisses me off.

FUCK YES.

I've whitelisted some sites (that either deny access to them otherwise, or that I want to support), but in general, ad-blocker all the way!
It might seem like a small thing (unless you're on youtube, which is unwatchable without it), but it's especially apparent when ad-block fails or you go on a new computer/browser and get bombarded with blinking, super obnoxious ads.

I had ads with a passion. >_>

Hell Yeah!!
Not just because they're annoying...also because of I like being on the safe side, for example, like the vile adds on torrents sites like Kickass...so, safety on family matters...
So, Ad-Blocker(s) is a must...

I also use Pop-Up Blocker(s) (always) and Java Script Blocker(s) (occasionally, on times of Need, though blocking java scripts back fires time to times)...yo

P.S. LoL...I didn't even remember, that I suggested it...so, at first I wondered...then, after looking back...oh yeah! I certainly did for fun ~

Who doesn't use ad-block these days lol.

Videos are the most annoying thing though because sometimes they slip through, or they tell you it won't work unless you disable ad-block for their website. I miss the days when ad-block literally blocked every ad on the internet. So I've only whitelisted those websites that literally wont work with it on, otherwise I don't bother and I keep it on for practically everything.

There are people who don't use AdBlock?

I use Privoxy + AdBlockPlus + Ghostery + Flashblock + NoScript on every machine I own.
What still gets through gets removed with Stylish.

This is besides a couple of hard redirects in my hosts file (/etc/hosts) to a local 404 page. I.e. most popular social media sites are permanently and completely blocked here... and many websites load so much faster.

I might be a bit paranoid, but the performance hit is negligible and besides freeing up screen space and removing annoying advertisements it also blocks trackers (which I loath).
And, ofcourse, the most important part is that sites load sooooo much faster without all that useless overhead.

I don't, and never will? I don't have a specific reason but I don't use them, even tough I also hate ads just like any other people. I feel like I have to bear with ad as a sense of gratefulness towards the site (which for most people doesn't make sense). And to restrain myself from using the int too much, since even with ad I just use it too much already

But I agree that ads that cause harm and force downloads are annoying, oh... I block pop up ones tough, those are too much.

While this is an entirely valid poll, I can't help but think that the site admins are looking at it and thinking, 'what can we do to make the site support itself better?'.

I'll give you the number one reason most folks use adblockers: Privacy.

Yes, we care about our privacy, We don't want advertisers, publishers, the government, or whomever else gets their grubby little paws on tracking and ad serving information. As the saying goes, "if the service is free, you're not the customer. You are the product." The 75+% of us who us adblockers don't care to be product.

What can manga updates do to alleviate this?

a) Non-intrustive, non-tracking advertising. Think 'This page was brought to you by <Advertiser>. Please support us by clicking this link.' No banners. No pixel trackers. No CDNs with backend code to datamine our browsing habits.

Yes, I wear a tinfoil hat. Problem?

b) a Tip Box, especially one that supports virtual currency donations like bitcoin. These do actually tend to garner a bit of income, especially if you are actually providing a service rather than simply milking or rent-taking.

c) Managupdates Gold, again, purchasable with virtual currencies, with features like links to scanner sites brought back, or a reasonable alternative. This has to come with a pledge that mangaupdates does not a) log ANYTHING. and b) actively blocks connection and/or sign-up attempts by people or agencies likely to serve DMCA requests.

Yes, lot of sites have way to much ads.

I hate reading manga or watching anime and have flashing ads in the way.
When ads aren't too intrusive on a site i visit i usually turn my ad-blocker off.

I would get a major virus/trojan every year from ads before Ad-blocker...It's just so freeing to not have my computer cluttered and slow due a virus that pops up porn every couple minutes

I keep Ad-block on at all times now. I used to turn it off for my favorite scanlator and reader sites, but then I started getting intrusive ads trying to download stuff almost every time I clicked. So I blocked them all. I feel bad about it at times, but it'll be a while before I try unblocking them again. I've just been burned too many times.

Well, I use an even better method. By putting the flash add-on on demand( optional in browser options), all those flashy adds become arrows or disappear. And the ads don't even load, except for the simple pictures (like the ones here on Mangaupdates still load). Off course the readers are much cleaner like that and you're Internet does go much faster as those flashy ads eat from you're Internet. And only the low profit and non-profit sites ads work as
those use pictures most off the time (gif, jpg, png, etc.). Since I found this option in my browser the amount of malware also dropped.

I have ABP active when I browse, but my favorite sites like MU, MangaStream and Batoto are always whitelisted. I shudder to think what kind of hell browsing would be without an ad-blocker.

For me, it depends. If it is a site that I want to support that has ads, I usually turn it off for the site or at least unblock certain ads if that site has popup ads.

Otherwise it is on universally.

Why not have a never needed one option? OR I was told Ad-blocker had disabled ads even though I did not have it option?

Obvious minority here but I'm in the 'never have, never will' category. I guess my Internet browsing isn't intense enough.

I didn't consider it at all no matter how many times I heard about it. I didn't mind ads and I was cool with supporting YT channels that I liked... But MyAnimeList pushed me too far. I now use it on that site and on sites I visit for the first time. I still have it off on places I frequently visit (except MAL)

Yes, most definitely.
I especially hate it when I don't have it enabled, and there's audio coming from one of them, and I don't know which one, so I have to refresh the pages =____=;.
Gah, they're so annoying.
Also when you're watching a video, and there're so many ads in a row that the video has buffering issues or just completely freezes, so you have to refresh and go through ALL of those ads...again. /I'm looking at you, Hulu -if ad-block is installed, Hulu videos won't work, at least not for me :/...-

Should have included "yes, but some sites are white-listed".

I didn't. Because they don't bother me, and I was supporting the sites and all that...

But in the past year I've had more and more ads that have sound. I've had more and more ads that crash my computer. And so now I have an adblock and I block ads on almost everything.

I use a script blocker, which ends up blocking most of the ads I see. I know its a bit bad, especially for websites I do want to support, but you never know what weird things you'll get from some of these ads.

i did for years and years, but recently it started messing up my browser for whatever reason. couldn't click links, random double posting, idk, bunch of weird stuff. Took off adblockers and haven't had a problem since.

course now i have annoying ads to deal with but oh well.

Not necessary on my PC. I nip it in the bud with a custom host file.
And, I bought the ad-free version of Manga Rock for my android tablet.

i also got a huge whitelist, any site i use regularly is whitelisted unless they have sound or pop-up adds.

AdBlocker, Ghostery, Request Policy(FireFox), NoScript, PrivacyBadger(Chrome), MVP Hosts file, Cookie/Flash remover(On Chrome stop plugins from auto-loading), Greasemonkey scripts to strip out redirection bits etc. Full on anti-ad package

Never seen ads in a decade - If I see one, I add a rule to block the host. My browser is portable, so even if I reinstall my OS, whatever's blocked stays blocked forever.

I really love adblocker, especially since i love browsing hentai sites. it block any and every dangerous popup advert and advert featuring some weird penises and sexual acts. i also love using youtube in a playlist, and adblock stop ads that stall seamless video playing.

only some site, especially manga reading sites that i lift the block.

I had them on my old computer, then I got a new laptop, and did not use them for a while, mainly because simply I could not be bothered to download one. Using internet this way, I saw plenty of disgusting things ( like images of cockroaches running, various images of rolls of fat, vomit etc... ) erotic images, really blinky shiny eye-disturbing ones, but what really got me fed up with ads, that was ads that incorporated sounds or music videos. After I saw a few of those, I simply had to download and use an adblocker. Ever since, the sites load much faster, and there is much less useless annoyance during browsing. So, I have decided to always use them from now on.

I only installed it after seeing the poll lol It's great so thanks for reminding me of it

I use adblocker for most sites - I unblock it for bato.to, but other than that...

I do use it, but only on sites I don't like - ad revenue is what keeps a lot of sites going, and helps give cash to content creators so they can keep making cool stuff.

I whitelist but since I also use aggregate sites like mangafox despite frequent use of batoto, I consider it a necessity.

I especially love it when I'm on official video streaming sites with ads but since I have an ad blocker, I can breeze through without having to see them. Hulu on the other hand....the amount of ads has gotten worse and I just can't sit through them anymore.