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Software to block online advertisements keeps gaining traction. The use of ad-blockers surged by 30% last year, according to a new [report](https://pagefair.com/blog/2017/adblockreport/) published by PageFair yesterday. In total, roughly 11% of all internet users worldwide used an ad blocker in December 2016. I think we can only expect this to surge further in the years ahead.

Here are a number of details from the report:
- 11% of the global internet population is blocking ads on the web.
- 615 million devices worldwide are running adblock software.
- 30% growth in adblock usage in 2016
- 77% of adblock users are willing to view some ad formats.
- 74% of adblock users say they leave a website if it has an adblock wall.
- Adblock users are more educated.
- Interruptive ad formats, security and speed were the leading reasons given for adblock usage.

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*source: [PageFair](https://pagefair.com/blog/2017/adblockreport/)*
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You can download the full report at [PageFair.com](https://pagefair.com/blog/2017/adblockreport/).

### Publisher's source of revenue

Practically all online publishers generate the bulk of their revenue from advertisements so they suffer a lot from the surge in ad-block usage. Facebook, for instance, tried to block people from using ad-blocking software on its social network in August last year. Facebook may try to ban it and Google may attempt to outsmart it, but the latest report makes one thing very clear: People don't want ads. And if more software becomes available to block ads people will use it.

The whole web is currently build on ads. Publishers create valuable content to earn money from ads. If there were no ads I'm sure the internet would be much different than it is today. There would be less websites and many online services we use today would not even exist. But if this trend continues online publishers have to look for other streams of revenue. Can the Steem blockchain play a role in this shift?

### Can the Steem blockchain play a role in this shift?

What if all publishers put a small *Steem Upvote Button* somewhere on their webpages instead of irritating ads. Internet users can *upvote* (As with Facebook's Like button) the webpages they visit and publishers earn Steem for their work. This would be a huge change for the internet as we know it. ツ


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