AdBlock creator buys micropayments firm to shield quality content
Open source software developer Eyeo, which created AdBlock Plus, has acquired Swedish micropayments start-up Flattr, in a deal aimed at creating a "quality shield" around content. In a statement, Eyeo said Flattr’s technology would allow users to pay creators for their work and downplay clickbait. The company also plans to merge Flattr with AdBlock Plus, creating a hybrid that would allow creators to claim revenue directly from fans instead of third party companies.
The company behind one of the biggest ad blockers is getting into the micropayments business.

Eyeo—the creator of AdBlock Plus—has acquired Flattr, a Swedish startup focused on micropayments, aiming to create a new way for users to pay for online content rather than being interrupted by free ad-supported material. In a statement today announcing the news, Eyeo said Flattr’s technology will allow it to pay creators for their work and also to downplay clickbait and create a “quality shield” around content that’s more engaging.

“At Eyeo we’ve always looked for ways to make the web more fair and less annoying,” Eyeo founder Till Faida said in a statement.