Leaving the supermarket this evening my eyes caught a headline in a bin holding the local newspaper. I found it refreshing to read a full paragraph w/o a single popup interrupting asking me to subscribe or for my e-mail. I lingered...
Below the local paper were bins of the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times. The front page splash photos of each were of the same event and almost identical buuuut... no prompts interrupted me and I was free to read 10 or so paragraphs w/o interruption. This was actually shocking to me.
I miss newspapers. Now that I see how strong my reaction is, I may go back to them for news. While the Internet is great for finding out how to install a new faucet cartridge in a shower, for ordering the parts and anticipating problems: all that work done mostly for free by people who'
ve done it before me. That's great!
But for news the Internet now sucks bananas!
Used to be I could type in most of a URL, e.g., "google.com", the browser would prepend the "https://www.", append "/" and jump directly to google's home page, but no longer! Instead google throws me to a search page and then I must (redundantly, like a robot) click on the proper item - only then do I reach my destination. All along the way I must respond to ads and pop-ups.
I think I may go back to newspapers for news!?!
It was 50p back then.
You say:
"All along the way I must respond to ads and pop-ups"
No you do not have to or must respond to anything.
I read the news online with zero intrusions.
Change the DNS settings on your phone to one that stops malware and adverts, install U-block origin in all your browsers and set the filter list "Social Widget" and "Annoyances" check boxes.
Job done