Near the end of last year, Google announced the Contributor program - a way to pay a monthly fee which would then be distributed across the websites you visit. In return, you’d start seeing fewer ads. Earlier this week I got off the waitlist and decided to give it a shot. The signup process was amazingly simple - choose a monthly dollar amount and you’re good to go. The effect is noticeable - on many sites I’ll see a blank spot where an ad should have been. The best part is being able to see how much I’ve contributed to the various sites I visit. Over the past couple of days I’ve spent a little over 60 cents removing 51 ads. An unforeseen effect is that I’m more aware of the content I consume and the sites I visit - seeing that some of my money is going towards shady sites makes me more conscious of my browsing behavior. I’m definitely curious to see where this approach goes.