online news and culture publisher The Atlantic has given site visitors the choice of paying a fee or switch off their ad blockers as it seeks to make up $ 500 m lost to ad blocking last week . The magazine introduced a soft - wall approach since last October in an effort to educate readers that " there is a real dependency on advertising " , according to ad Lau , SVP of digital and aspects of business aimed at the publication . The Atlantic expects that up to 60 % of ad blockers will leave the site when confronted with its new switch off or pay up message .
US news and culture publisher The Atlantic has given site visitors the choice of paying a fee or switching off their ad blockers as it seeks to make up $3.4m lost to ad blocking last year. The publisher introduced a soft-wall approach since last October in an effort to educate readers that "there is a real dependency on advertising", according to Kim Lau, SVP of digital and head of business development at the publication. The Atlantic expects that up to 60% of ad blockers will leave the site when confronted with its new switch off or pay up message.