Facebook users with ad-blocking software to see ads on desktop

Facebook users with ad-blocking software would start seeing ads on the desktop version of the social network.

Starting yesterday, Facebook made it tough for ad-blocking software to make out the difference between a status update and a sponsored ad on the desktop  version of the social network.

This comes as the first attempt of the social network to get around the controversial software that strips ads from websites, joining the advertising industry's fight against ad blockers.

"We are making it harder for ad blockers to be effective on Facebook for desktop," said Andrew "Boz" Bosworth, Facebook's vice president of ads and business platform USA Today reported.

The move showed how seriously Facebook was taking the rise of ad-blocking software. The social network which made most of its revenue from advertising sales, would also benefit  financially as it hit the upper limit of the number ads it showed users.

Meanwhile, consumers who are getting increasingly getting fed up with digital ads are turning to ad blocking software to block disruptive ads.  

However, according to the advertising industry, ad-blocking software cost billions of dollars a year in lost revenue and violated an implicit social compact as people agreed to see ads to consume free content and services.

Facebook is however, allowing users to opt-out of ad targeting categories and Custom Audience customer lists uploaded by advertisers.

Facebook commissioned research firm Ipsos to investigate reports saying 70 million US citizens and nearly 200 million people worldwide used adblockers.

According to Ispos, ''The main reasons cited for using ad blockers include avoiding disruptive ads (69%), ads that slow down their browsing experience (58%) and security / malware risks (56%).''

Privacy was not the the top answer, so the social network thought if it could make its ads non-interruptive, fast, and secure, people would not mind.