I'm sick of gross digital ads

[Pellice]

I need a new strategy for web browsing. Years ago I had an ad blocker, but so many of the sites I read refused to load unless I disabled the ad blocker, that I ended up deleting it.

I also recognize that digital content creators need to be paid, and I accept that advertisements do that for many. (I do pay subscriptions for 3 digital newspapers and several digital magazines, plus print hobby magazines, so I'm doing my part that way as well).

It's just that the ads are disgusting! I'm sick of illustrations of body fat and ugly and off-putting pictures in general. I'm sick of "listicles" - although I admit I sometimes click on the ones aimed at Boomers. I'm sick of ads inserted in the middle of items I'm reading.

Is a newer ad blocker the answer? But won't even more sites be blocking the ad blocker? And drive even more sites to subscription only access? Or should I just let sites collect information and direct better targeted ads at me? I admit, those sites where I've allowed data to be collected DO show me better ads. I'd a whole lot rather see ads from fancy seed catalogues than illustrations of crepey skin.

I know many of you block ads entirely. But doesn't that restrict your access to many sites? And I do know that content must be paid for.

I'm never clicking on a teaser link again, even if it reads "Ten Ways Boomers Are Getting Bargains."

 

[Jerry1]

Most times I use my ad blocker. If there’s something I really want to see, I use Chrome incognito mode and view it that way. I don’t have ad blocker attached to Chrome. It’s a pain, but so far, worth it. Like you, I subscribe to a few news papers so I can view them.

 

[Aerides]

Is a newer ad blocker the answer? But won't even more sites be blocking the ad blocker? And drive even more sites to subscription only access?

I use Ublock Origin. Almost zero sites block it, and those that do... buh-bye! I have to sometimes say "allow" to click a link to a shopping site I actually want to visit, or prove I'm not a robot with a click or three, but again, only on retailer sites.

I do not think adblock is what drives sites to subscription only, and I don't care. Bad ads = bad site.

 

[audreyh1]

I do not think adblock is what drives sites to subscription only, and I don't care. Bad ads = bad site.

I agree - I generally don’t see these ads unless I click on a “news” article link someone posts here (like that recent Barcelona flight article). I think I’ll stop doing that unless I’m familiar with the site.

Fortunately otherwise almost all of my web browsing seems to avoid it.

 

[donheff]

I use Ublock Origin. Almost zero sites block it, and those that do... buh-bye! I have to sometimes say "allow" to click a link to a shopping site I actually want to visit, or prove I'm not a robot with a click or three, but again, only on retailer sites.

I do not think adblock is what drives sites to subscription only, and I don't care. Bad ads = bad site.

Thanks. I was not aware of this. I installed it in Chrome and Edge (which I am testing out of curiosity). FOSS and well-reviewed. What could go wrong.

 

[Time2]

I use AdBlock, does real well, if I do get a page that wants to be unblocked that I want to see, it is simple to click the AdBlock Icon and click this page, and I think reload page (not sure of the term). and it reloads right back up. It is somewhat rare for me to need to do that though.

 

[Markola]

Even simpler to use the free Brave browser instead of Google or Safari or whatever. A bonus is that web pages load faster without all the gunk.

 

[GenXguy]

I use uBlock Origin in Firefox and Chrome. It usually ins't a problem for me accessing sites. And I don't pay a cent for any subscriptions or access to websites. I can still get all the free content I need.

 

[Time2]

Even simpler to use the free Brave browser instead of Google or Safari or whatever. A bonus is that web pages load faster without all the gunk.

I just tried Brave Browser, but only on this site, with it I get a starting "Welcome to Early-Retirement, Join here" announcement.
And a ending "Join here" announcement. With Adblock I get neither.
Those are not intrusive, so not sure that matters.

 

[ShokWaveRider]

I use adblock and skip the sites that complain, too many other choices to oblige them.

 

[MarieIG]

Wish I could block some of the ads I see on tv . . .

 

[Lsbcal]

I use uBlock Origin in Firefox and Chrome. It usually ins't a problem for me accessing sites. And I don't pay a cent for any subscriptions or access to websites. I can still get all the free content I need.

I've used this too for years. One can still unblock ads for the occasional sites that require no ad blocking.

I'm amazed at the ads I see on some sites when blocking is not active. My iPhone shows all that crap. This ER site is really awful if you don't log in.

 

[Sojourner]

I use Ublock Origin. Almost zero sites block it, and those that do... buh-bye!

I use uBlock Origin in Firefox and Chrome. It usually ins't a problem for me accessing sites. And I don't pay a cent for any subscriptions or access to websites. I can still get all the free content I need.

Another vote for uBlock Origin. I used to use AdBlock Plus until I ran into some limitations with certain sites it wouldn't cooperate with. Never had that problem with uBlock. It's by far the best ad blocker I'm aware of (for my environment, that is). Even blocks ads on YouTube! I just wish they'd figure out a way to block Facebook ads that appear in my feed and look sort of like posts from regular users. I hate those with a passion.

 

[Walt34]

I use adblock and skip the sites that complain, too many other choices to oblige them.

Same here, too many other sites that carry the same info to bother with unblocking ads that advertise stuff I don't want and have no interest in.

 

[Agapostemon]

Thank you! It works in Edge, too. No more toenail fungus ads!

I use uBlock Origin in Firefox and Chrome.

 

[JBTX]

Use ad blocker for safari. On rare instances where it wants to disable I view it on chrome which doesn’t have we blocker.

 

[audreyh1]

Wish I could block some of the ads I see on tv . . .

That’s easy - don’t watch broadcast TV or any streaming with ads!

 

[Lsbcal]

That’s easy - don’t watch broadcast TV or any streaming with ads!

+1

 

[GenXguy]

Wish I could block some of the ads I see on tv . . .

For broadcast TV via an antenna, I use a computer based DVR with comskip that is pretty good for automatically skipping commercials. Plus I got the two programmable skip buttons that I have set to 10 seconds and 3 minutes each.

 

[mountainsoft]

For broadcast TV via an antenna, I use a computer based DVR with comskip that is pretty good for automatically skipping commercials. Plus I got the two programmable skip buttons that I have set to 10 seconds and 3 minutes each.

Yep, same here. Other than watching live TV news, I haven't seen broadcast TV commercials in years. Every now and then one will sneak through the comskip filtering, so I use the 15 second skip function on my Zidoo Z9X media player to skip through them quickly.

As for the computer, I use AdBlocker Ultimate with Firefox. It works fairly well, other than the sites that say they won't continue unless I disable my ad blocker. For most of those I have another add-on that disables Javascript that works most of the time.

I've been wanting to set up DNS level blocking on my router to minimize ads on my portable devices, but just haven't had time to experiment.

 

[Pellice]

I will give uBlock a try. But I suspect I will find that many sites that interest me will still demand that I disable the adblocker. And I really do think that online newswriters really do deserve a paycheck. I will change my behavior if I discover content is being generated by AI (if I can tell the difference.) Somehow I think a machine that generates content and its tenders do not deserve money. Even if I acknowledge that a machine may generate useful data (such as the AI machines currently transcribing the contents of thousands of cuniform tablets - there aren't enough humans who read ancient Akkadian to do this). I will have to ponder the difference between "content" and "useful data" in the future, lol!

 

[jollystomper]

Another vote for uBlock origin. Give it a try before making assumptions. Frankly, I do not need a site that insists I do not block intrusive ads. For those that do, you likely can find a rival site that does not .

 

[Affinity4Investing]

Another thread about ad-blockers was recently contributed to:


https://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f54/ad-blocker-needed-118876.html


I don't see ads probably 99% of the time. There are many great programs and browser add-ins you can investigate. I posted my thoughts in the thread but you'll likely be able to protect your identity and data (and block junk) the most via a VPN like ProtonVPN of ExpressVPN.

 

[Affinity4Investing]

Yep, same here. Other than watching live TV news, I haven't seen broadcast TV commercials in years. Every now and then one will sneak through the comskip filtering, so I use the 15 second skip function on my Zidoo Z9X media player to skip through them quickly.

As for the computer, I use AdBlocker Ultimate with Firefox. It works fairly well, other than the sites that say they won't continue unless I disable my ad blocker. For most of those I have another add-on that disables Javascript that works most of the time.

I've been wanting to set up DNS level blocking on my router to minimize ads on my portable devices, but just haven't had time to experiment.

Easy enough to do on a single device or in your router. You can give the DNS #'s of 94.140.14.14 and 94.140.15.15 a try quite easily. They will route your traffic freely thru Adguard DNS.

 

[albireo13]

The easiest …. get off the internet. Go for a walk. Read a book.
Invest in hobbies.