wk
Criteria for Listing
Quick Summary: AdHawk identifies advertising practices that undermine user choice or disrupt the browsing experience. Our goal is to highlight patterns that can be improved—not to shame, but to encourage accountability.
A company may be included in our public index if its advertising demonstrates intrusive or manipulative design behaviors that interfere with user autonomy or attention. The following categories define the most common types of practices we track:
- Unskippable video ads: Pre-roll or mid-roll ads that cannot be skipped or closed immediately.
- Subscription platforms with ads: Ads appearing on paid services where users reasonably expect an ad-free experience.
- Autoplaying media: Video or audio that begins playing automatically when a page loads.
- Forced interaction: Ads that require a user to click, tap, or respond before continuing to content.
- Interstitials and pop-ups: Overlays that block or obscure main content until dismissed.
- Misleading or disguised content: Promotions presented as organic posts or articles (“native ads”) without clear labeling.
- Excessive time demands: Ads that require 5–30 seconds of viewing before access to content resumes.
These patterns reflect a broader industry issue: prioritizing impressions over user experience. Companies have more than enough resources — and more than enough creativity — to market their products without resorting to tactics that exploit, manipulate, or coerce users. Exposing these practices empowers consumers to reclaim control of their attention and make informed choices about which companies to engage with. Companies that adjust their practices toward greater transparency and respect for users will eventually fall off the list.