Taking the Wheel - An Introduction to Ad Filtering with Firefox
There are many of us who took our first steps on the internet with little to no guidance as to what we were interacting with. Whether it began when you were an adult at work, or a child in school, there is value in striving for a positive experience online at any point in our journey. The internet changes every second yet there is one thing you can count on seeing every step of the way - ads. It is understood that it is a necessary evil as it allows many sites to generate enough revenue to run. When the ads get to the point where the content of the site is lost however, that's where I'd like to step in and offer my help. In this guide I will provide you with insight on your options and instructions on how to install Firefox add-ons to completely transform your web browsing experience.
Table of Contents
Definition
U-Block Origin
No Script
Install & Recommendations
Conclusion
Definition
Let's define a few terms.
Ad filtering or ad blocking is software that has the capability of altering or blocking online advertisements within a web browser, application, or network. In other words, it is a powerful took that shields you from ad content. This software also provides you with an added layer of security from intrusive ads that attempt to download data to your device as it loads the content.
To learn more about this software, I recommend checking out What is an Ad Blocker by Tibor Moes.
Extensions are optional features you can add to your web browser that allows you to control how a website loads and behaves. In this article these are the main features we will be working with.
uBlock Origin
There are a number of ad-filtering or ad-blocking software extensions that offer a suite of features that can be tailored to your needs. I specifically chose uBlock Origin for this article because of it's ease of use and my personal successes with this program.
uBlock has a spectrum of content blocking capabilities and although this article specifically focuses on Firefox, it's available for most web browsers. What makes it my pick for beginners is that it comes with plenty of power under the hood without requiring the user to understand the finite details of what is happening. It comes with a set of known advertisers, websites, and behaviors that it will look for to immediately begin shielding your experience once installed. All you have to do is turn it on.
NoScript
While uBlock can take care of most of your browsing needs, if you wanted an extra layer of protection and control I recommend NoScript. It gives the user the ability to view what websites are trying to save information on your computer. When you visit one site, there are may be other websites associated with the one you're navigating to that help it run. Think of when you navigate to an online store and are ready to check out. The website itself may use a card processor to help complete a transaction which is managed by another site. Do you recall seeing a button for AfterPay or Klarna? Each of those buttons you're seeing is a site preloaded on your computer ready for you to interact with it. With NoScript, it will give you the control of whether you want these individual sites vying for your attention.
Given that NoScript will give you more control, when you initially use it you will need to devote a few seconds to review what should and shouldn't load with every site. This will cause websites to act differently or not load at all until you interact with this extension.
Install & Recommendations
Now that you have a foundation of what you're working with, it's time to set them up. Installation of these extensions are thankfully straightforward.
Open Firefox and select the three horizontal lines on the top right (fondly known as a hamburger menu).
Select 'Extensions and themes' found in the center of the menu options. This may open a new tab or window.
In the search bar at the top center of the page, type 'uBlock' and hit search.
Select uBlock Origin which should be the top result.
Select Install.
I recommend visiting your favorite sites to experience the difference before you move onto NoScript. You will follow the same instructions to locate and install the extension.
Conclusion
While this guide is short and sweet, you are just beginning your journey of reclaiming your internet experience. With each extension you're able to toggle them on and off at any moment, so don't feel as though you are locked into these options. Allow the freedom they give you to test out how you want to interact with each site. I highly recommend checking out each site's webpage for their robust community and priceless FAQ.
I appreciate your time. Cheers and happy browsing!