Disclaimer: I can’t stress enough the importance of ads for free online content. So, please be moderate with your adblock. Use it only on suspicious sites or sites that utilize annoying practices. One reason for more ads and paywalls is us. Maybe not the main reason, but some things depend on us. Keep the free Internet alive.
Let’s deal with it. Ads are not the core problem. The actual problem is how they are being used. No one would have a problem with non-intrusive ads and pop-ups. But this is not how it works when you want to read or watch something and ads are on the way. I mean, come on. Why should you make it so complicated? True story: I tried to find an article buried under tons of ads on one of the largest tech sites! Seriously, it was ads over ads. The reason is simple, though. The actual income is from click-on ads. And the masterminds think that more ads will bring more income. No, more ads, especially intrusive ones, will result in fewer visits or adblocks. And I don’t refer to malicious ads. These are also dangerous, but well-regarded sites are not utilizing these practices. At least willingly.
Adblocks are the most popular way to deal with ads. They are among the most downloaded extensions from the web stores. But this is not only a solution but a problem as well—no ads, no income, at least for the underdogs. So, just be moderate with where and why you use it. For security reasons, they are a vital solution. For any other reason, don’t overdo it. I will show you how to deal with spamming ad problems in this article. The rest is up to you, though. Knowledge is power, but power comes with responsibilities as well.
Adblocks
First of all, you will need an adblocker. The two most well-regarded are Ublock Origin and Adguard. I prefer Adguard. If you choose Adguard, enable these filters among the basic ones: Annoyances and Security/ Safety. If you want the best results, enable all these. Still, performance might be affected: Mobile Ads, Adguard Pop-up, Adblock Warning Removal, and Adguard DNS filters, and update them regularly along with the defaults, of course. Just don’t overdo it with filters. Performance is important.
Pop-up and Pop-under blockers
Adblockers are doing a great job of blocking ads. But there is a more annoying and sometimes riskier practice. Pop-ups and Pop-unders. For these, you will need a dedicated extension, the pop-up blocker. The best one I know and use personally is Pop-Up Blocker Strict. You don’t even need to mess with its settings. The default ones are all you will need. Please don’t use it on legitimate sites like your bank’s. Some trustworthy sites don’t play nicely with pop-up blockers. So, don’t have it enabled when you visit them.
Extras
If you want, you might install some extra-useful extensions. No-Script and Privacy Badger are popular, but I suggest security extensions such as the VirusTotal official extension or Bitdefender Trafficlight. I use the Adguard-PopUp Blocker Strict-Trafficlight combo. But if you know or need another extension, feel free. Just be cautious with the extensions you install. Some might be risky, so prefer well-regarded ones.
Epilogue
As mentioned, please don’t overdo it with extensions and adblocking. On legitimate sites or sites with content or creators you want to support, it is best to turn off your adblock. The best practice is to use them on suspicious sites that might be risky. Safety first. And a tip: turning off all extensions when you visit sensitive information sites such as your bank or your page is better. Extensions might be prone to exploits, and nothing is clear on privacy matters. So, just be sure to disable them or don’t have them enabled in private mode. Better safe than sorry. You can create a typical user account without admin rights and use it to surf. It is a good practice. As always, stay safe and stay in the know.
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