Your privacy and the case for ad blocking
Rhana Cassidy
Online ads can do more than just annoy you. Today's online advertising is also the primary way advertisers identify, track, and target you across every website you visit. AdBlock CEO Matt Maier provides some background and discusses a few ways to protect your privacy online.
Hi Quiclee1,
Both AdBlock and Adblock Plus work very well. Like all browser ad blockers, we use the same filter lists to block and hide ads. We have some features ABP doesn't offer, such as whitelisting YouTube channels. Check out this article for more information: https://help.getadblock.com/solution/articles/6000087894-what-s-the-difference-between-adblock-and-adblock-plus-abp-
:) Rhana
AdBlock Community Manager
1 person likes this
This will be the least important of all forum comments in the history of unimportant Internet forum comments, ever, but,
1. the article / blog post in question is by the CEO, so it kinda counts, and
2. nobody knows I'm a cat...
Hi Mad Copy,
Aaaaaugh! Yes, we noticed that error after we published the post, dang it. Ah, the glories of a proofreading fail.
Also: I love your funny you videos.
:) Rhana
AdBlock Community Manager
Hey Rhana!
I've located one more Bulk Opt-Out Tool, this one's for the Australian Digital Advertising Alliance or ADAA
Not sure why I didn't mention it before! Again it's good to use this one alongside all the others.
Hi Matthew,
Great, thanks! I'll add that one to our Knowledge Base article, too, as soon as I get a chance to work on it. :)
Rhana
AdBlock Community Manager
Hi!
@Rhana here you go:
First the Personalised Ads Opt-Out tools, it's highly recommended to put CatBlock on "Paws mode" (lol) and close down any other tabs in your browser before using them, so that the tools can work properly - but of course make sure to bring CatBlock out of its Cat Nap when you're done. These tools WILL NOT block Ads completely, but will turn off the personalisation (if you clear out cookies you need to repeat this).
NAI Opt-Out
DAA Opt-Out
DAA (Canada) Opt-Out
EDAA Opt-Out
These four are "Meta" or "Super" opt-out tools - they basically let you set bulk opt-outs in a couple of clicks. TIP: Use the Opt-Out tools on ALL FOUR sites for the maximum coverage :) Don't worry, they don't tread on each others feet, and won't interfere with the Opt-Outs from the other three. If an Opt-Out is set by one of them, the other three will respect that. If you currently have "opt-in" status with an ad company, the tools will zap the "opt-in" cookies and toss them into a black hole. They then get replaced with freshly baked Opt-Out cookies. In the event that you don't have either way set yet, the tools will set an Opt-Out anyway.
Also, as promised, I do have the details I mentioned earlier, I am UK based, so it's easier for me to keep track of them.
Please note that these only apply if you are in the UK, your mileage may vary elsewhere.
Got a SPAM text or phone call on your phone? It's really easy to report it.
First things first, if it was a text message, forward the text message to 7726 (which spells SPAM), this is FREE from all UK mobiles. You'll get a reply within a few seconds asking you to reply back with the phone number that sent the message. Simply reply to that message with the phone number that sent the spam, wait for another reply and your report will be sent! ALL messages sent to 7726 from a UK mobile are FREE, even if your phone alerts you otherwise.
If it was a spam call, it's a similar process - firstly, text the work CALL to 7726, when you get a reply back, reply to that message with the phone number that called you, wait for confirmation and you're done.
Not sure how to forward text messages? No problem:
How to forward texts on Android
And on an iPhone
It's also useful to report these pests to the ICO here
It also helps to Register with the TPS
MPS
MPS Baby
FPS
And the Other FPS
Hi Matthew,
Wow, you've basically written an entire Knowledge Base article for us. I'll get this up and posted ASAP. Thanks so much!!
Rhana
AdBlock Community Manager
Hi Rhana, I think I posted the details, but the post isn't showing yet. Is it still in the Moderation Queue?
Don't worry if it vanished, I can grab them again easily :)
Adblock or adblock plus is the answer to block unwanted ads in any browser. But before using these extensions you want to know which one perform and improve the user experience.
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It's also interesting that AdBlock (as in this one, which is now managed by BetaFish) created by Michael Gundlach a loooong time ago, when he noticed the creators of AdBlock Plus (the other one now managed by Eyeo) weren't interested in supporting Google Chrome.
Yet that AdBlock Plus was inspired by an original project "AdBlock" which was long abandoned, which in itself wasn't really linked to the current AdBlock or AdBlock Plus that were inspired by the "original and now abandoned" version.
It's a strange thing really, almost like your long lost identical twin ;)
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Hey Matthew,
Pssst! It's "Adblock Plus," not "AdBlock Plus." :D
Rhana
AdBlock Community Manager and eagle-eyed watcher for stray capital letters
That's nice. I also read about this here https://www.bestvpnrating.com/news/internet-privacy-vs-information-sold-profit and other articles on the site that helped me a lot to get rid off all of this annoying stuff on internet.
Hi Marvin,
Thanks for the link to the article. As with all "how-to" articles, you have to consider whether the ones written by the people who make the product offered as the solution aren't at least a little self-serving. Paid VPNs are indeed one line of defense in the war on our privacy. There are other steps you can take to protect your privacy as much as it can be protected these days! And of course, never forget the power of picking up your phone. Calling on your elected representatives in Congress to defend our right to privacy online may be a quixotic act, but it's one worth taking.
Rhana
AdBlock Community Manager
Hi
Today I got a warning letter from my ISP and they told me that they found I was involved in torrenting. I am using adblock for a long time and I think they block the tracker then how come they tracked me?? I then looked into this blog post and found that I need to use a good torrent vpn. I don't understand how these works. Why I need to use VPN when the trackers are blocked???