Ad Blockers and Anti-Tracking Tools For Web Browsers
Browser protection using AdBlockers and Anti-Tracking tools for browser protection is very important for every online user using a browser to access the internet or network server. The Internet Web browser is the only application that helps users access most information they want to access on the Internet. Users access information from their bank, email, social media, etc. and information is delivered back to the user from the provider’s server while private or government employees use the internet web browser to access information on the internet or from their company/government server.
If Ads (meaning advertisements) pop up or media – in the form of an image or video display on a website user visits are being tracked by an advertisement agent or publisher for marketing and advertisement purposes. Publishers of Ads fingerprint users’ browsers once users visit or click on their advertisements. To track or analyze advertisement performance, an advertising agency or publisher must insert a tracking tool in his content to obtain the visitor’s IP, Location, Browser type, time and date visited, and so on – this method is called web browser fingerprinting. The publisher needs to insert a web bug script or related script in their content (Usually on a web page and email). So whenever the user visits, it is obvious that a web bug will run in every single visit, and user information is sent to the publisher, but when the user clicks on the user will redirect to another page or action which may be harmful. Many victims across the globe had downloaded malware and spyware unknowingly just for viewing or clicking on the advertisement. For the web browser (user) and web server (publisher) relationship is a concern, another tracker, but a useful tool for both user and publisher is called a cookie. A cookie is a tracker, but also a useful tool that publishers use for identifying the user and the user’s behavior on their web page.
The use of Ad Blockers and Anti-Tracking tools work only on web browsers for detecting or evading and removing Ads and depend on users against cookies and similar trackers. Most anonymous web browsers come with in-built Ad Blockers and Anti-Tracking tools and for other popularly used web browsers, the user has to install Ad Blockers and Anti-Tracking tools (as a browser extension) directly in the browser.
Best Tools For Ad Blocking and Tracking Protection on Web Browsers:
- Brave browser: Brave browser has an in-built ad blocker and anti-tracker.
- Privacy Badger: This extension is primarily designed to disable as many trackers as online as possible.
- Privoxy: Privoxy is an effective ad blocker, an anti-tracking tool that filters traffic to block cookies and bugs, and works with almost all popular web browsers.
- AdBlocker: AdBlocker can block known malware, adware, and tracking domains. The browser extension is available for popular browsers like Chrome, Firefox, and Opera.
- AdGuard: AdGuard is an effective Ad Blocker used on popular browsers, it offers a free and paid version and it can work on Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Opera, Microsoft Edge, and Opera.
- Tor Browser: Tor Browser does not allow sites you visit to discover your real location and allows you to access sites that are blocked.
- uBlock Plus Adblocker: uBlock Plus Adblocker can deal with most ads and this tool has advanced privacy and security settings that allow a user to create content filters and more.
- Poper Blocker: Poper Blocker works only for both Chrome and Firefox web browsers. It helps to manage and block malicious popups.
- uBlock Origin: uBlock Origin comes with an in-built list of filters for known advertising and malware sources and more filtering is also available for creating own custom filters
- TrackStop and Ghostery: Both are effective Ad Blocker and Anti-Tracker available for trial and paid. They work with popularly used web browsers like Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Opera, Microsoft Edge, and Opera.
To remain safe from malicious Ads and to avoid being tracked, only one of the above-mentionedΒ tools is not enough for this task. It is advised to use a combination of two tools together to ensure or double-check that Ads are removed effectively and to ensure that no tracks or traces are left behind after closing the browser.