Greetings. As I've noted previously, I am generally not a fan of ad-blocking software. I want as much Web content as possible to be free to viewers, and widespread blocking of ads potentially risks pushing more sites to try pay-based models that will probably not be viable. The likely result of large scale ad blocking could be a lot of useful Web sites vanishing entirely.

But if Web site viewers become seriously disgusted with specific ad formats, the sites that use them may be hammering nails into their own organizations' coffins.

Web ads are a tricky business. There's a vast gulf between an unobtrusive text ad and a giant "blot out" display ad (the latter sometimes seen these days even on the home pages of some distinguished news sites -- they take over most of your screen at least briefly). Deciding what's eyeball catching without being utterly revolting is no simple task.

There's one ad format though -- which has recently begun appearing on some major media sites such as ABC News over the last few days (including right now as I type this) -- that I suspect will drive away Web users faster than a concentrated squirt of mercaptan in an enclosed area.

I'm talking about embedded "auto-play" audio ads -- an audio (or usually video with audio) advertisement that fires up loudly as soon as an associated page is loaded.

There are various ways that Web ads can be distracting, but none that I'm familiar with can equal the sheer obnoxiousness of reaching a news story page and having a commercial come blaring without warning out of your speakers, surprising everyone in the vicinity (including that cat who was sleeping soundly in your lap, and awoke abruptly with fully extended claws!)

This isn't the same situation as navigating to a page where you expect to receive an audio playback and are appropriately prepared. It's also very different from video ads that auto-play -- but with their audio silenced until the user specifically activates the audio or otherwise clicks the ad.

Playing ads with enabled audio content automatically and unexpectedly on conventional Web pages -- and in some cases this will occur repeatedly each and every time you return to those pages -- is taking ads into a zone that I believe most Web users will not tolerate for long.

I'm all in favor of creative Web ads, including ones that "push the envelope" in interesting ways.

But ads that push past creative into seriously annoying are taking major risks of disturbing and alienating viewers (and their families and pets in the vicinity) who may be very difficult to attract back in the future.

Until a Web user indicates in some clear manner that they wish to hear any audio, embedded Web advertisements, especially on non-audio/video-oriented Web pages, should always be seen and not heard. Otherwise, those ads -- and any other content of such sites -- are likely to increasingly be not heard nor seen at all.

--Lauren--