Ads and cookies

TheCatWoman said:

And I hate cookies, stupid things, why do I have to have them?

I tend to use a feature of web browsers called Private Mode as this should stop the cookies. You can still use ad-blocker in this but I would recommend you get it to check for updates as there is a constant war between the ad companies and the ad-blocker companies that means you are always a bit out of date so the smarter sites can slip the ads in still.

However - the cookies are useful for some things like remembering your login for a particular website (eg here) so you don't have to log in each time you visit it.

What is the name of the web browser icon you click on? It will help us tell you how to go into private mode and see if it helps.

My practice is to use private mode all the time and to clear the cookies regularly. I use a web browser called Firefox which is designed to avoid the privacy issues you get with Microsoft Edge and Google Chrome.

If I'm going to do any searching which is even slightly suspicious (don't ask) then I use a virtual PC, a VPN and Firefox in private mode, deleting the virtual PC at the end. Not something the average user will have practice with. That is without using encrypted disks or the TOR network (Dark Web) - best not to do that as it attracts Mr Plods attention.

In effect there are layers of steps you can take but each adds more complexity and work in order to surf ad-free.

TheCatWoman said:

And I hate cookies, stupid things, why do I have to have them?

I tend to use a feature of web browsers called Private Mode as this should stop the cookies. You can still use ad-blocker in this but I would recommend you get it to check for updates as there is a constant war between the ad companies and the ad-blocker companies that means you are always a bit out of date so the smarter sites can slip the ads in still.

However - the cookies are useful for some things like remembering your login for a particular website (eg here) so you don't have to log in each time you visit it.

What is the name of the web browser icon you click on? It will help us tell you how to go into private mode and see if it helps.

My practice is to use private mode all the time and to clear the cookies regularly. I use a web browser called Firefox which is designed to avoid the privacy issues you get with Microsoft Edge and Google Chrome.

If I'm going to do any searching which is even slightly suspicious (don't ask) then I use a virtual PC, a VPN and Firefox in private mode, deleting the virtual PC at the end. Not something the average user will have practice with. That is without using encrypted disks or the TOR network (Dark Web) - best not to do that as it attracts Mr Plods attention.

In effect there are layers of steps you can take but each adds more complexity and work in order to surf ad-free.

I didn't know there was such a thing as private mode! I use firefox, no google chrome or microsoft edge. I didn't understand your penultimate paragraph, it went right over my head. No one else seems to have these problems, or maybe they just don't mind someone trying to sell them luxury holiday villas when the search for kittens! I mean WTF is that all about? How does an alogrhymn thingy make the leap that whilst wanting a kitten which is what I've searched for, that I want a luxury holiday villa, or a yacht? I willl get a blank page and have to go almost to the end of whats available onscreen to get one or two example of what I want? I dont' know if because I search so little, or my searches are a bit esoteric and particular that I get so much trouble. I also do a simple search and get about three of the item I asked for and 26m pages of stuff I didn't. All in all it just feeds my love hate relationshipp with the internet and computers in general and often exhausts me to the point where I start thinking about gving up and going off line completely, the only thing that makes me stay is the number of books on kindle I read.