---
# System prepended metadata

title: Ad Blocking
tags: [CDA]

---

###### tags: `CDA`
# Ad Blocking


I added [uBlock](https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/ublock-origin/cjpalhdlnbpafiamejdnhcphjbkeiagm/related) to my Chrome browser. 
![](https://i.imgur.com/9ZvCKuo.png)


[uBlock](https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/ublock-origin/cjpalhdlnbpafiamejdnhcphjbkeiagm/related) is a free open source ad blocker that can be added as an extension to a browser that aims to improve the privacy of web users. 
![](https://i.imgur.com/b683iF6.png =300x)

### Before Ad Blocker
![](https://i.imgur.com/WAPZL7Q.jpg =400x)
![](https://i.imgur.com/L4PQwE6.jpg =400x)

### After Ad Blocker
![](https://i.imgur.com/FFXb23d.jpg)

## Reading Response 

I know I am being tracked. I know every move I make on my device has consequences, but why? How? Well, those little ads that you see on news sites, e-commerce sites, or brochure sites have a big impact behind the scenes. These targeted ads are using online behavior to cater specific content to users. One would think that users would want to see products, services, and content that interests them, right? Maybe not. [Marti (2017)](https://zgp.org/targeted-advertising-considered-harmful/) emphasizes that "66% of adult Americans said they do not want marketers to tailor advertisements to their interests, and when the researchers explained how ad targeting works, the percentage went up." I would be in this 66%. Massive companies with these capabilities know more information about us than we know about us. Meta, the parent company of Facebook, has enough records of us to build a complete profile of us ranging from basic demographic information, all the way to specific interests that may not even be apparent to us. With the advent of ad blockers, these companies are threatened. 

Ad blockers are aimed to increase privacy for web users. But with all digital technologies, there is a caveat. These threatened companies are forming alliances with ad-blocking extensions to only allow for "acceptable ads". But this is even more of a red flag for web users because companies are now controlling what we consider an online safety measure. [Taylor (2020)](https://restoreprivacy.com/report-ad-blockers-allowing-acceptable-ads/) says "We checked AdBlock, AdBlock Plus, and Crystal. All now display Acceptable Ads by default. Presumably, uBlock, which was acquired by AdBlock Plus last year, will do the same." This is a problem. A big problem. Targeted ads are a product of innovative digital technologies and just like all of the other products of innovation, there is a problem. This time, it is a threat to the actions of our behaviors that we sometimes do not even control. 

