French ISP Free Blocks All Web Advertising

Free, one of France's largest Internet providers, now blocks Internet advertising for all users by default. Not coincidentally, they're in a very public clash with Google. A French Internet service provider (ISP) with more than 5 million subscribers has taken the unusual step of blocking most web advertising. ISP Free is now blocking most advertisements to subscribers (Français) through an opt-out system; if Free subscribers wish to see web advertising, they will be required to change their router's settings. Free, one of the country's most popular ISPs, gained popularity by offering customers an integrated DSL modem/router/digital video recorder in a single set-top box. French website Numerama reports there is no whitelist (Français) for advertisers to bypass the ad blocker. The decision to block web advertising appears to be part of an ongoing tug-of-war between Fre...