What is an Ad Blocker?
An ad blocker is a software application that blocks advertisements from appearing on web pages. Ad blockers are available for desktop web browsers and with Apple's release of version 9.0 of iOS for iPhones and iPads, Apple now allows the installation of ad blocker apps to block ads from appearing when using the built-in Safari web browser.
Why do websites have ads?
Many websites generate revenue by allowing ads to appear on their web pages. Ads can appear in the form of text, graphic, video, or an audio file. Since the website is a form of publication that's viewed and read by people, displaying an ad on a website offers the website owner a means to generate income whenever people click on the ads.
Some ads just take up space on the page when you view a webpage, while others like a video or audio file may start playing when you open the webpage on your desktop, laptop, smartphone, or tablet. Others “pop-up” and appear as a window that covers the content of the webpage, requiring you to click on some icon like an “X” in the corner to remove the pop-up.
A website owner has every right to make money, and if the website publishes useful information that people often view, a percentage of the people visiting the website are bound to click on the ad. Many websites support themselves with revenue from advertising much like a newspaper, magazine, or television show receives payment from advertisers. Since people spend a lot of time viewing webpages on their computers and mobile devices, advertisers are willing to pay to reach people when they are browsing the web.
How are ads displayed?
Displaying ads is typically done using automated software provided by ad networks. An ad network is a business that works with advertisers who want their ads displayed on webpages and connects the advertisers with website owners willing to display ads. The systems are automated so that the ads are displayed and “rotate,” or change in a specific space on the website. And the ads change depending on the budget and type of website.
You might see one ad on a website for cosmetics, and when you visit it later, you might see an ad for a hotel in the same location on the webpage. These automated ad networks include Google ads as well as others who work with advertisers who want to use the Internet for advertising. It's similar to a television network that has many shows and time slots for advertisers and sells the time. On the Internet, it's space on a webpage that's sold.
Since there are so many websites on the Internet, it would be time-consuming for an advertiser to contact dozens or even hundreds of website owners, so ad networks offer a convenient way for an advertiser to place their ad across many websites with one advertising contract.
Why block ads?
When using a desktop and laptop computer to browse web pages, the screen is large enough to display ads and the information at the same time without the ads taking up too much space. They're visible, but as a reader you'll still be able to read the content and view any pictures and images. Whether you find them intrusive or not is a matter of personal choice, after all, some people watch full-length ads like informercials on television.
One issue with ads displaying on a webpage is that tracking software is usually by the ad network that places the ad on the website. Tracking can include what ads you see, what ads you click on, and what web pages you view. While your personal identity may not be known, the ad network knows that it's your computer, smartphone, or tablet that views the webpages and ads. As a result, you may want to block ads for privacy reasons if you don't want to be tracked.
Another issue with ads is that ads can slow down your web browser and use additional data. Ads are usually “pulled” from a different computer than the one that runs the website you're viewing. Here's what happens when a webpage is displayed.
When you view a webpage, the text, images, video and audio are displayed on in your web browser. Your web browser is an application that knows how to open up a webpage, and it also knows how to pull information from other locations using the instructions in the webpage that hidden from your view. Webpages have the capability to display a picture from a file on a computer. However, the picture doesn't need to be located on the same computer as the web page. You don't see the “code” displayed on your screen, you only see the finished webpage.
When a webpage has to pull information from several different computers, it can slow down how long it takes the webpage to finish appearing or “loading” on your computer or device. It's simply a case of storing information in two or more places like you do at home. If you have something handy like salt or pepper on the kitchen counter, it's easy to get to fast. Even if it's in a kitchen cabinet, you can open a drawer, but it's still fas tot get to it when you're in the kitchen. But if you kept a container or special plate in the garage or storage, it just takes longer to locate it and bring it to the kitchen where you can use it. So how does this relate to webpage ads?
Webpages that display ads don't store the ads on the same computer as the webpage content, the ads are given a placeholder, and when you view the webpage the ad is pulled from a different location, much like going to storage when you need to get that special plate or container you need in the kitchen. If the ad were part of the webpage, like your salt and pepper containers are in the kitchen, it would be fast to get to it. Put it in another location on the Internet, and it just takes a little longer to bring it over and display it on the webpage you're viewing.
Ads are simply additional files that are displayed on webpages, so at home, with a fast Internet connection, you may never notice the fraction of a second it takes for the ad to display and you'll usually see the whole webpage appear quickly. With a smartphone, it might be little different.
When using a smartphone to browse the web, you're often using your cellular data plan, so you're Internet speeds may not be as fast as they are at home, and you're using your cellular data plan bandwidth quota. As a result, webpages with ads may display slower than those without ads and the ads increase the amount of data you use in your data plan. As a result, Apple decided to allow ad blocker apps for iPhones and iPads. As you can imagine, advertisers are concerned about people with smartphones being able to block their ads, it's like being able to block ads from appearing while you're watching a television show.
There're a few other reasons smartphone users may want to block ads: the size of a smartphone screen and the space an ad takes up when it appears. Since smartphone screens are smaller than desktops and laptops, information on a webpage is smaller and anything that blocks the view of the information (like an ad) can be frustrating and annoying. Clicking on a small “X” to remove the ad often requires more finger dexterity than using a mouse to school over an “X” on a desktop or laptop screen.
How do I block ads?
To block ads, you'll need to install an ad-blocking application on your computer, smartphone, or tablet. The ad blocker software is usually available from the add-ons or the extensions menu in your web browser. Most desktop ad blockers are free. Some popular ad blockers for desktop browsers such as Internet Explorer, Chrome, Firefox, and Safari are these:
Adblock Plus - an open source ad blocker
https://adblockplus.org/
Ghostery
https://www.ghostery.com/en/our-solutions/ghostery-add-on/
Adblock - a donation supported ad blocker
https://getadblock.com
For smartphone and tablet users, only Apple users have access to ad blockers on the Apple App Store. Google doesn't make ad blocking apps available for Android users to download. However, you can download the Firefox browser for Android and install a plug-in for the smartphone version.
After downloading the ad blocker app for iOS, you'll need to go to Settings, then choose Safari in the menu. Scroll until you see the menu for Content Blockers, then slide the switch button to the ON position, and it will change to green. Your ad blocker now active and ads will be blocked when using Safari to open webpages.
Apple users can try these out, all of which have excellent reviews:
To my way of thinking
While many websites generate income from ads, users of smartphones (with smaller screens) are rightfully frustrated with the appearance of ads that block content on websites they visit. Apple has opened the door, giving users a choice with the ability to block ads using an app or simply leave well enough alone.