Adblock Plus developer Eyeo acquires micro-payments system Flattr
Eyeo, the makers of Adblock Plus -- the popular browser extension for blocking ads -- is acquiring the micro-payments system Flattr. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
The two companies partnered last year to work on a new version of Flattr. "Our goal of making the internet safe and fair for all is much better served when we're totally aligned," Adblock Plus said on its blog.
With more than 100 million active users, Adblock Plus has gained growing leverage in the online advertising market. Eeyo developed an "Acceptable Ads" initiative that allowed some ads to bypass its filters. Its efforts, however, have created predictable friction with content providers that rely on advertising for revenue.
Flattr, meanwhile, has developed a "new, fair for all, way to pay for content," the blog post said. The payments system enables users to choose a monthly budget and then automatically distribute those funds across content they consume.
"Our model is based on how the distributed internet works, with lots of information from an endless amount of sources," the blog said. The combined companies, it continued, create "a game changer for how money is distributed to creators directly from their fans, readers and consumers."
Flattr's core team will continue its operations in Malmö, Sweden. Co-founder Peter Sunde -- who also helped found Pirate Bay -- will act as a "visionary advisor," while co-founder Linus Olsson will continue to head the operation.
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