Eyeo, an Ad-block service provider, can no longer charge publishers for the privilege of being placed on the software’s ‘white list’ which will exempt their ads from the blanket blocking it provides. In a case decided by the Higher Regional Court of Cologne in Germany, publishing giant Alex Springer scored a partial victory after the court forbade Eyeo from charging publishers for exemption in its whitelist policy.
Claas-Hendrik Soehring, head of content of Alex Springer, said that the decision was a clear signal that ad-blockers will not be allowed to ‘illegally interfere’ with their constitutionally guaranteed freedom.
Eyeo said that is going to appeal the decision and is confident that it will be overturned. Should that happen, Springer countered that they too are ready to bring the case all the way to the supreme court of Germany.
