Johnny Ryan

RAND journal of economics

Ad blockers allow Internet users to obtain information without generating ad revenue for site own... more Ad blockers allow Internet users to obtain information without generating ad revenue for site owners; and by 2016 they were used by roughly a quarter of site visitors. Given the ad-supported nature of much of the web, ad blocking poses a threat to site revenue and, if revenue losses undermine investment, a possible threat to consumers' access to appealing content. Using unique, proprietary, and site-specific data on the share of site visitors using ad blockers at a few thousand sites, along with Alexa traffic data, we explore the impact of ad blocker usage on site quality, as inferred from traffic ranks, 2013-2016. We find that each additional percentage point of site visitors using ad blockers raises (worsens) its traffic rank by about 0.6 percent over a 35 month period, with stronger effects at initially worse-ranked sites. We provide additional evidence of causality by showing that the relationship between traffic trends and eventual ad blocking does not predate ad blocking. Plausible instruments for ad blocking also deliver consistent results. Effects of ad blocking on revenue are compounded by the fact that ad blocking reduces visits, while also generating less revenue from remaining visitors employing ad blockers. We conclude that ad blocking poses a substantial threat to the ad-supported web.

format_quoteA 20% ad blocking share could lead to a revenue decline of approximately 30%, affecting site traffic and revenue significantly.format_quote

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A History of the Internet and the Digital Future

"an engrossing, well-written account of the Internet’s founding and the back story of the underly... more "an engrossing, well-written account of the Internet’s founding and the back story of the underlying protocols and plumbing, which draws on that rich history to make predictions about the net’s future.” –Cory Doctorow, BoingBoing
“Both an enormously useful work and great read. Read it and understand what has made the Internet different.” –Professor Tim Wu, Columbia Law School
“Ryan dissects the play of actors, the essence of their technical ideas, and the details of their activities with documentation and diligence, and even uncovers some discrepancies. He develops a narrative that I found intriguing, enlightening, and credible.” –Dave Crocker, The Internet Protocol Journal (Cisco)
“This is the best Western history of the Internet offered to date, but it is up to readers to connect the dots of where things may be headed.” –Library Journal
“Understanding the trends driving this revolution is pivotal to success. Consider this book your road map to getting there.” –Marc Benioff, Chairman and CEO of Salesforce.com
“Johnny Ryan has admirably captured the sweep of the Internet’s development.” –Professor Jonathan Zittrain, Professor of Law, Harvard Law School and Kennedy School.

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Countering Militant Islamist Radicalisation on the Internet

Violent radicalisation on the Internet is at the nexus of two key trends: the democratisation of ... more Violent radicalisation on the Internet is at the nexus of two key trends: the democratisation of communications driven by user generated content on the Internet; and the democratisation of strategic violence driven by mass-casualty non-state terrorism. How best can Europe capitalise on the first trend to counter the second? This book examines this question using primary materials drawn from web forum conversations, al Qaeda documents, texts of leading Islamist thinkers, opinion polls, policy documents and interviews with technology and security specialists. The answer to violent radicalisation on the Internet lies not in censorship of the Internet, but in the “user driven” Internet revolution.

Countering Militant Islamist Radicalisation on the Internet: a User Driven Strategy to Recover the Web 160pp, ISBN: 1-874-109-86-9, hardback.

SEDA_Lab: Towards a Laboratory for Socio-Economic Data Analysis

IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology, 2013

Getting to grips with digital transformation

by Johnny Ryan and Peter Robbins

Even mature companies can use startup tactics. Peter Robbins, Julian Birkinshaw and Johnny Ryan e... more

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short article "Google vs China: capitalist model, virtual wall"

The breach between a corporate behemoth of the new-media age and an emerging state superpower def... more

The Internet, the Perpetual Beta, and the State: The Long View of the New Medium

Though fecund as a medium across which subversive ideas can be propagated, the Internet is also h... more Though fecund as a medium across which subversive ideas can be propagated, the Internet is also hazardous to these ideas. By virtue of the perpetual beta and the increasing under-dominance of Internet content, which effectively means there is no last edit on the Internet, all ideas, including militant ones, are subject to the scrutiny of Internet users. The hazard of the perpetual beta and the new plasticity of information is atomizing the violent militant memes associated with Al Qaeda.

Internet access controls: Three Strikes ‘graduated response’ initiatives

This document presents an overview of “three strikes” measures, what they seek to achieve, the me... more This document presents an overview of “three strikes” measures, what they seek to achieve, the mechanisms by which they operate, and the difficulties currently experienced within the EU and beyond in their introduction. The purpose of this document is to establish whether a three strikes mechanism is applicable to illegal violent radical content online, and whether it is transferrable across the EU.

format_quoteThe French Constitutional Court struck down HADOPI due to lack of judicial oversight in sanctioning Internet users, emphasizing legal protections.format_quote

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The Next Leap: Competitive Ireland in the Digital Era

Islamist militants’ calls to violence: four P-words (Persecution, Precedent, Piety and Perseverance) in common with Irish Republicanism

iWar: A new threat, its convenience, and our increasing vulnerability

The Four P-Words of Militant Islamist Radicalization and Recruitment: Persecution, Precedent, Piety, and Perseverance

Studies in Conflict & Terrorism, Jan 1, 2007

This article suggests that a single interpretative framework can be used to understand Islamist m... more

Good Clitizen: Ireland's Presidency of the UN Security Council During the Siege of Beirut, August 1982

getcited.org

ABSTRACT: In August 1982, Ireland assumed the presidency of the United Nations Security Council, ... more

Strategic Responses to the New Terror, Paper by Johnny Ryan

getcited.org

... Strategic Responses to the new terror, paper by Johnny Ryan. Post a Comment. CONTRIBUTORS: Au... more

Principled Failure: Anglo-Rhodesian Diplomacy, 1971-72

History Review, Jan 1, 2002

ABSTRACT: In May 1972 the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary told the British Parliament that the... more

OPINION PAPER/COMMENTARY: Islamist Militants on the Internet

Journal of Information Warfare, Jan 1, 2007

The Internet, Intelligence, the Perpetual Beta, and the State:The Long View of The New Medium

http://www.vimeo.com/9129014 Hi def video of speech by Johnny Ryan at the Study Group on Intellig... more http://www.vimeo.com/9129014
Hi def video of speech by Johnny Ryan at the Study Group on Intelligence (SGI) at the Royal United Services Institute on 29 January 2010 on terrorism and State control in the new information environment.

The Internet is changing the balance of power between individual and state, but at the same time the perpetual beta may be degrading the militants' ability to effectively radicalize new recruits to terrorism.

The Next Leap: Strategic Report on the Trends of Change in the Digital Sector, and Government Opportunities for Action

Respect the medium – Challenge the message

A strategy against online radicalisation: Respect the medium – challenge the message

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