What’s Going On at Salon?
Recently, Salon has unveiled a rather odd option for visitors: disable your ad blocker or let them access your “unused computing power”. In a nutshell, they’re asking if you’d like to contribute to their cryptocurrency mining efforts, all while you’re trying to read the latest hot takes on politics and culture. It’s like turning on your TV and discovering your remote controls a crypto farm!
The Fine Print: Supporting Free Content
In a charming pop-up that greets you like a needy plant, Salon states, “We depend on ads to keep our content free for you.” They pitch the idea that by allowing them access to your CPU, you’re helping fund everything from humanitarian projects to sifting through potential alien messages. Because nothing says intergalactic diplomacy quite like using your laptop to read alien transmissions!
The Suppress Ads Beta: A Temporary Loan
If you decide to join their Suppress Ads beta program, your computer’s processing power will become a temporary, overworked calculator for Salon. They liken it to “borrowing your calculator for a few minutes to figure out math problems.” You don’t need to be a math genius to see the irony here; while they assure you it’s completely normal for your fan to rev up when you’re merely browsing, it’s a bit like saying it’s okay for your toaster to start smoking while making breakfast.
What the Buzz Is About: Coinhive and Other Shenanigans
In possibly the biggest twist since M Night Shyamalan decided to showcase aliens in a water-based horror flick, Salon appears to be utilizing a script called Coinhive. This tool is designed to mine Monero, an altcoin, leveraging your PC’s power without shouting about it from the digital rooftops. Ian Miles Cheong on Twitter broke the news, and it seems this isn’t the first time a site opted for the stealthy crypto route. Showtime and The Pirate Bay have done it, too—just a little more quietly.
A Dance with Regulations
The murky waters of cryptocurrency and computing power usage raise some eyebrows, especially regarding transparency. Salon’s FAQ section is evasive about the exact mechanics of how they’re utilizing your CPU. It’s like asking a kid where chocolate comes from and getting a detailed lecture on where cocoa beans grow instead. With Coinhive previously expressing disappointment over undisclosed script usage, it begs the question of whether Salon might soon have a crypto crisis on its hands—pun intended!
Final Thoughts: The Future of Ad Blockers and Cryptocurrency
Salon’s approach represents a modern dilemma: how to monetize content without driving audiences away. By offering users a choice to support their operations in this unconventional way, they’re diving into an uncertain future where ad blockers and cryptocurrency mining might just cozy up to each other in a corner. So, next time you’re on Salon, maybe think twice before you ‘Support Their Mission’—your computer might just become a crypto sidekick.
