Deciding whether to install a web ad blocker

Estimated reading time: 1 minute.

I just discovered an interesting and useful web site: Should I Block Ads?

Created by Michael Howell, it’s collection of information that can be helpful in deciding whether to install an ad blocker in your web browser. It also provides ad-blocker recommendations for various platforms and browsers.

Michael’s analysis addresses all of the concerns I’ve had with web-based advertising, and confirms my choice to install and use uBlock Origin in Firefox, my primary web browser.

If you’re considering installing an ad blocker in your web browser, keep in mind that there can be a bit of a learning curve, and that blocking ads can cause some web sites to stop working. Blocking web ads usually ends up being an ongoing process; don’t expect it to be a magic bullet.

There are of course arguments against ad-blocking. Just keep in mind that a site owner always has the option of placing hand-crafted advertisements on their site; as long as they don’t use Javascript and are not associated with known advertising networks, they will not be blocked.

About jrivett

Jeff Rivett has worked with and written about computers since the early 1980s. His first computer was an Apple II+, built by his father and heavily customized. Jeff's writing appeared in Computist Magazine in the 1980s, and he created and sold a game utility (Ultimaker 2, reviewed in the December 1983 Washington Apple Pi Journal) to international markets during the same period. Proceeds from writing, software sales, and contract programming gigs paid his way through university, earning him a Bachelor of Science (Computer Science) degree at UWO. Jeff went on to work as a programmer, sysadmin, and manager in various industries. There's more on the About page, and on the Jeff Rivett Consulting site.

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