Flashy banner ads on websites may be a necessary evil due to the need for creators to make money and advertisers to gain visibility. However, there seems to be no excuse for websites to include unnecessary flashing elements that annoy and distract users. Surprisingly, a survey revealed that 88% of people find these elements annoying, with 16% stating they would not use a website that has them. Even major tech companies have implemented these annoying features, such as the flashing “Saving Draft” button on Substack and the constantly-changing status bar on AdBlock. Gmail even cycles through messages while you type. It’s baffling that companies prioritize unnecessary features over user experience and risk losing users. The author expresses their disdain for these elements and vows to avoid using products with them.
https://astralcodexten.substack.com/p/every-flashing-element-on-your-site