[Lex Computer & Tech Group/LCTG] Adblock Plus

Sun Feb 21 11:25:28 PST 2021

 I am not aware of reports of any Microsoft Update or Microsoft Security (Windows Defender) update which has been removing ad blockers from web browsers. But a web browser update (Chrome or the New Edge) could disable or remove an extension. All you would need to do then is what you did do -- reinstall and reconfigure the extension. Kind of a pain with ad blockers, as you have to reselect the block lists you had before. But well worth the effort, as you say.
Chrome has been limiting the use of ad blocker lists:
https://9to5google.com/2019/05/29/chrome-ad-blocking-enterprise-manifest-v3/

https://www.cnet.com/news/here-comes-the-google-chrome-change-that-worries-ad-blocker-creators/

My strategy is not to explicitly block ads from a list (which Google Chrome has been limiting anyway) but rather to use heuristics and more general blockers. These can include Ghostery, Privacy Badger, Abine Blur and NoScript. (NoScript is a pain, because you have to allow individual page elements to run.) I have had no problems with these extensions lately. Since the New Edge is a Chromium based browser, all these extensions will work with Edge. Firefox has these extensions too. 
I also clean up my tracks with the HotCleaner Click and Clean Extension. Some folks will want to save certain site cookies before running this extension.  Set up your exceptions once, and you can keep or discard cookies form then onward. (You might want to make a little text file of the cookies you normally want to keep.) Firefox may not support Click and Clean, but it has a Forget Me extension which works just as well. 
-- Bob Primak 
    On Sunday, February 21, 2021, 10:07:36 AM EST, john rudy <jjrudy1 at comcast.net> wrote:  

 It is free (though they request a donation).  I just reloaded it. It would
eliminate hundreds of ads per day!

John Rudy
781-861-0402
781-718-8334 (cell)
John.rudy at alum.mit.edu 

13 Hawthorne Lane
Bedford, MA  01730-1047

-----Original Message-----
From: Smita Desai <smitausa at gmail.com> 
Sent: Sunday, February 21, 2021 9:54 AM
To: 'john rudy' <jjrudy1 at comcast.net>; 'Lex Computer Group'
<LCTG at lists.toku.us>
Subject: RE: [Lex Computer & Tech Group/LCTG] Adblock Plus

Hi John,

I have used it in the past and it used to work. But mine was a free version.

Lately, I have been using Privacy Badger extension. It does not remove all
ads, but otherwise seems to be good at preventing tracking. Though it does
require logging into all web sites every time a session is started, which
can be annoying for some. And of course, nothing can stop sites from
advertising for products that I may have looked into at one time as they
track by email address and login information. This can be in a way funny.
For example, abut a year ago, I had searched around for kitchen knives and
NYTimes still shows me ads for that. 

Happy blocking,
Smita

-----Original Message-----
From: LCTG <lctg-bounces+smitausa=gmail.com at lists.toku.us> On Behalf Of john
rudy
Sent: Sunday, February 21, 2021 8:44 AM
To: Lex Computer Group <LCTG at lists.toku.us>
Subject: [Lex Computer & Tech Group/LCTG] Adblock Plus

Recently I noticed a LOT of ads and then I realized that Adblock Plus, which
I have had for a number of years, is gone.  I can only assume that one of
the Microsoft updates removed it.

Anyone with an idea?

I'm going to reload it (it is free)

John Rudy

781-861-0402

781-718-8334 (cell)

John.rudy at alum.mit.edu <mailto:John.rudy at alum.mit.edu>  

13 Hawthorne Lane

Bedford, MA  01730-1047

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