Privacy Tip of the Week: Use an Ad Blocker

One of the worst parts about browsing the web is the ads. They come ahead of videos, stretch in long banners across web pages, and assault us with annoying and sometimes loud pop-ups that we have to scramble to close. Many ads are a little bit too uncanny in their relevance to us as well. They show us products we’ve searched for, ads for places we’ve visited, and sometimes seem to even be able to read our thoughts, all of which harms our privacy. Thankfully, the constant bombardment of ads doesn’t need to be a fact of life, with the help of ad blockers. There are several reasons to use an ad blocker:

• Safer browsing
• No tracking
• Faster loading
• Longer data use
• Decluttered browsing

Safer Browsing

Many websites generate revenue by selling advertising space on their site. However, they don’t always vet the people to whom they’re selling that space. Sometimes, this paves the way for attackers to install malicious content in their ads. When clicked, even accidentally, this leaves you vulnerable to viruses and malware that can wreak havoc on your devices. If you use an ad blocker, that risk is eliminated altogether.

No Tracking

Online ads don’t just push products at you. Some of them can actually track you and your travels through the internet. This allows them to collect information about you and your browsing habits, then sell that data to third party websites or use it to even more aggressively market to you. This, for obvious reasons, is massively dangerous to online privacy and safety. Many ad blockers promise to prevent this tracking from happening in the first place.

Faster Loading

Every time you open up a website, it has to load text, images, videos, and other bits of code. By packing a website with ads, those ads also have to load which slows down the entire process. Using an ad blocker removes those elements from the site, meaning there’s less to load, which in turn will make the process of displaying the content you wish to see faster.

Use an Ad Blocker to Stretch Your Data Longer

Some estimates claim that ads actually use up half of a mobile user’s data, for those who tend to browse outside of the house. That can add up fast, leading to either running out of data or needing to spend extra money for more. By using an ad blocker, you prevent those ads from loading and gobbling up your data and money.

Decluttered Browsing

Finally, if you use an ad blocker, you simply don’t have to suffer through annoying ads. Those banners? Gone. The pop ups? Gone. The frighteningly loud sound effects? Gone. Your browsing experience will be cleaner, smoother, and less distracting to the eye.

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Ad blockers are an excellent tool to increase your online privacy and safety, as well as improve your experience online.

To protect yourself further, browse the web privately and safely with HotBot VPN.

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