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The article provides tips and updates for various web browsers. It mentions that Google has redesigned the Chrome Web Store, making it easier to browse and offering new features such as accurate auto-complete suggestions and themed collections. Microsoft Edge now allows users to capture screenshots of YouTube videos without needing an extension, and Google Chrome has added the same feature. Firefox now allows users to insert images in PDF files. Brave's built-in ad blocker has been updated to block more YouTube ads and cookie banners. The article also suggests an extension called Battery Status for monitoring laptop battery levels. [Extracted from the article]

The article discusses YouTube's recent crackdown on ad blockers and the controversy surrounding it. The author sympathizes with the desire to avoid ads on YouTube but criticizes the payment options offered by YouTube Premium, which includes services like YouTube Music that the author does not want. The author suggests a simpler subscription option that only turns off ads, similar to a previous service called "Premium Lite" that Google discontinued. The author expresses doubt that Google will listen to their suggestion and anticipates having to reduce their consumption of cat videos to avoid excessive advertising. [Extracted from the article]

WORKSHOP Switch from Chrome to Brave or Vivaldi 1 Close Chrome if you have it open and launch Brave, then click the menu button in the browser's top-right corner. Of course, other browsers suffer security flaws, and because many are now Chromium-based they may even have the same vulnerabilities as Chrome, but the popularity of Google's and Microsoft's browsers makes them a more lucrative target for hackers. With more than 3.2 billion users and a 69 per cent share of the desktop browser market (www.snipca.com/38829), Google's Chrome is by far the world's favourite means of accessing the web. Firefox www.snipca.com/38807 What we like By using its own Gecko browser engine rather than Chromium, Mozilla's Firefox provides a genuine alternative to the other browsers here, and isn't affected by Chromium-wide changes and vulnerabilities. [Extracted from the article]

Users report that YouTube clips skip to the end or play without sound if you have an ad blocker enabled. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the best VPN services available for online safety and protection. NordVPN is recommended as the top option due to its speed, security features, and affordable pricing. ExpressVPN is also praised for its user-friendly interface, particularly on mobile devices, and offers a three-month free trial for new subscribers. Surfshark is a more budget-friendly option with fast connections and strong privacy features, and it offers servers in 100 countries. Overall, these VPN services provide different benefits and cater to various needs. [Extracted from the article]

Meta said previously the video was "mistakenly blocked" and "quickly restored." [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

YouTube is taking action against software and apps that block advertisements on their platform. They claim that these tools can cause buffering issues or prevent videos from being viewed altogether. YouTube argues that these apps violate their rules by preventing video creators from being paid through ad revenue. This crackdown is part of a global effort to discourage viewers from using ad blockers, and it includes pausing videos and displaying messages to users who have ad blockers enabled. It is unclear whether YouTube will attempt to prevent these apps from functioning. However, viewers have the option to watch ad-free videos on YouTube Premium for a monthly fee. [Extracted from the article]

American Values 2024 accused Meta of "censoring speech" and violating the First Amendment after its ad was blocked for several hours. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Avast Ultimate is a comprehensive suite of security tools offered by Avast. It includes Avast Premium Security, Avast SecureLine VPN, Avast AntiTrack Premium, and Avast Cleanup Premium. The suite uses the same malware-detection engine as Avast's sibling company, AVG, and has received high scores in protection tests. Paying for Avast Ultimate provides additional features such as webcam protection, a firewall interface, and a VPN. However, some caution is advised when using the Cleanup tools, as they can be overly aggressive. Avast Ultimate is recommended for those who require advanced features and costs $169.99 for a ten-device subscription. [Extracted from the article]

Alphabet Inc., the parent company of Google, has reported higher-than-expected revenue for the first quarter of the year, driven by growth in its cloud computing unit. The company generated $67.6 billion in sales, surpassing analysts' average estimate of $66.1 billion. Alphabet's cloud services saw a 28% increase in revenue, aided by its focus on artificial intelligence (AI). Despite competition in the search advertising market and challenges in the AI sector, Google's core search business remains strong, generating significant revenue. The company's YouTube platform also experienced strong growth, benefiting from investments in live sports and improvements in monetization. Alphabet's Other Bets, which includes Waymo and Verily, reported $495 million in revenue but incurred a loss of $1 billion. [Extracted from the article]

The article discusses the author's desire to have a custom email address with a personal domain name. The author explores different options, including webmail service Mail.com and Zoho Mail, but ultimately decides to purchase a domain from GoDaddy and connect it to their free Zoho Mail account. The author successfully sets up their custom email address and expresses satisfaction with the outcome. [Extracted from the article]

Malwarebytes 5 is a new version of antivirus software that offers enhanced protection against security threats. The program's interface has been redesigned, with a new Security section that groups together key features. A Trusted Advisor section provides a protection score for your PC and mobile devices, and ensures that privacy and security settings are properly configured. While some features require a Premium subscription, the program still allows free scanning and removal of threats. Additional options include rootkit and PUP scanning, scan reminders, and real-time protection. The software also offers a VPN feature, available in the Premium Plus plan. [Extracted from the article]

Fast-fashion company Shein is facing scrutiny from the European Union (EU) under new rules aimed at combating illegal and harmful online content. Shein, a popular Chinese brand, will be designated under the EU's Digital Services Act (DSA), which requires online marketplaces to trace sellers, allow customers to flag illegal content, and conduct random tests for illegal products. Violating the rules could result in fines of up to 6% of global revenue. The DSA grants European regulators significant powers to hold major tech companies accountable for content on their platforms and includes restrictions on ad targeting and online tracking. [Extracted from the article]

Emmabuntüs 5 is a Debian-based operating system that was originally created to supply used computers to humanitarian organizations. It is now based on Debian's stable branch and remains committed to assisting humanitarian causes, reducing waste, and promoting Linux to beginners. The OS can be installed without an internet connection and runs with just 1GB of RAM. It offers a choice of desktop environments, a customizable dock, and a variety of bundled apps. Emmabuntüs is recommended for Linux beginners due to its comprehensive welcome guide and documentation. [Extracted from the article]

YouTube has introduced new features such as poll stickers for Shorts, category blocking for ads at the channel level, and gamification elements for Super Chat. These updates aim to enhance engagement, provide more control over ad content, and increase revenue opportunities for creators. The changes reflect the platform's response to the growing popularity of Shorts and the need for more interactive and customizable content options. [Extracted from the article]

YouTube has introduced several new tools to enhance user experience and control over playback and organization of watched videos. These tools include a new tab called "You" that combines the Account and Library sections to show all watched, saved, and liked videos in one place. Users can also now play videos at twice the speed, stabilize volume to prevent audio jumps, and lock their screens to avoid interruptions. Additionally, YouTube has added the ability to identify songs by humming and has introduced animated buttons for creators' requests to like or subscribe to their channels. Some of these features are currently only available on Android devices, but may be added to iPhones and iPads in the future. YouTube has also made improvements to the app for smart TVs, including a vertical menu for video information. Users experiencing issues with their watch history after updating the app on mobile devices can try uninstalling and reinstalling the app or signing out and back in. Instead of blocking ads, users can now use the browser extension Friendly Adblock (FadBlock) to skip ads quickly and seamlessly. [Extracted from the article]

James Maudsley Why Firefox is my favourite browser Following Issue 668's "Stop using browsers that track you" Cover Feature (pictured), I'd like to tell you why Firefox is my favourite browser. John McCormick CA SAYS To reinforce John's point, you need to type our Snipca URLs into your browser bar (1 in our screenshot above), not into Google's search engine (or any other) 2. Google's adverts help me find suitable products Having read Issue 669's "Question of the Fortnight" (pictured), I have mixed feelings about adverts in Google. [Extracted from the article]

In other Chrome news, version 117 of the browser (released in September) introduces an experimental feature called "Safety hub", which is designed to replace the existing "Safety check" by better integrating Chrome's privacy and security settings. Not to be outdone by its rival, Google swiftly followed Microsoft by adding the same feature to Chrome. Workshops & Tips The Chrome Web Store, which hosts thousands of extensions and themes to install in Google's browser, has remained relatively unchanged for years. [Extracted from the article]

The quickest way to whitelist a website is to click your ad blocker's toolbar button and switch it off for the site you're trying to view [Image A]. 5 VISIT THE SITE IN PRIVATE BROWSING MODE Your browser's private - or incognito - mode disables cookies and trackers that potentially allow websites to detect your ad blocker. YOUTUBE RECENTLY STARTED testing a three-strikes policy for viewers who use ad blockers on its website. [Extracted from the article]

To use the new feature, click the padlock icon in the address bar - or a crossed-out eye icon if you see one - and choose "Cookies and site data". FIREFOX Import your favourite extensions from Chrome Although many popular extensions are available for both Chrome and Firefox, if you intend to switch from one browser to the other you need to manually reinstall all your favourite add-ons. [Extracted from the article]

Mac browsers can use their own technologies to render webpages and set themselves to be the default web browser. Chrome is available for iPhone and iPad (go.macworld.com/crio) as well, though like all browsers on those platforms, it uses Apple's own Webkit rendering engine. [Extracted from the article]

Here, you'll see a list of all the sites and apps that you've linked to your Google account, along with details of the data they can access. Here, you'll see a long list of sites and apps that share your data with Facebook, which you can click to view further details, including the number of "interactions" that have have taken place. For Instagram, log into your account in your browser, click the cog icon in your profile and choose "Apps and Websites". Tap "Scan your first app" and choose which app you want to check for privacy problems - Jumbo recommends Google or Facebook, 1 but you can select "View other apps" for more options. [Extracted from the article]

If it's another location on the current site, you can assume that it's probably the legitimate download button. Ad blockers such as uBlock Origin (bit.ly/ublock494) and Ghostery (www .ghostery.com) remove many of these buttons, but that's not always the case, and some sites require you to disable your ad blocker before they will work. Last year, researchers at Princeton and the University of Chicago conducted a large-scale study, analysing more than 53,000 product pages from 11,000 shopping websites, and found over 1,800 instances of dark patterns across those sites. However, doing this with an unsolicited (spam) email won't have the same effect because what you'll actually be doing is confirming to the sender that the email address the message was sent to is not only active, but that you've read their email (in order to see the unsubscribe link). [Extracted from the article]

CCleaner Cloud Free (www .ccleanercloud.com) offers the same functionality, but runs in your web browser, which means you can completely avoid the bundled junk that plagues the desktop software. Software you no longer need: WhatsApp, Messenger Online-Convert saves you having to download a program to convert a file. [Extracted from the article]

Brave won't probably overcome Chrome or even Microsoft's Edge, but I could see the "millions" of users the browser has reportedly accumulated becoming a devoted cult following. Brave slurped up my favorites, websites, passwords, and other necessities from Chrome, however, and had me browsing happily in just a minute or so. As with other browsers, a single master password allows you to sync this information with other instances of the Brave browser, as well as a complementary Android browser that I didn't test. (If two-factor-authentication is available, I missed it. Even better, it identifies Brave-verified sites in your list of sites, so you'll know that you can also tip them, too. [Extracted from the article]

This article discusses the issue of advertisements on smart TVs and the author's attempt to block them. The author mentions that traditional ad blockers are unable to catch the ads that appear on smart TV home screens and apps. However, the author discovered an ad-blocking specialist called AdGuard that offers a version for Android/Google TV. The author provides instructions on how to install the app and notes that it successfully blocked ads on their TV. Despite being impressed with AdGuard's performance, the author does not plan to pay for a subscription once the free trial ends. [Extracted from the article]

Google is disabling most ad blockers in its latest version of Chrome's extensions platform, Manifest 3. This update has been met with skepticism by privacy advocates, who argue that it gives Google too much control over ad-blocking extensions. The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) describes the update as a "raw deal" for users and highlights the conflict of interest that arises from Google controlling both the dominant browser and a large advertising network. However, alternatives such as the privacy-focused Brave browser and Mozilla's implementation of Manifest 3 will continue to support ad-blocking extensions. DNS-based ad blocking, like Pi-hole, will also remain unaffected by this update. [Extracted from the article]

The article discusses the potential negative consequences of Google's plans to ban ad blocking in its Chrome browser. It suggests using Firefox for general browsing and introduces Pi-hole as a solution to protect one's network from malware and unwanted content. The article also highlights the importance of user control and mentions other ways to take control of various aspects of technology, such as home CCTV systems and system updates. It emphasizes the possibilities and benefits of open source and Linux in 2024. [Extracted from the article]

Adblock Plus has acknowledged that a faulty update caused YouTube videos to load slowly, but they have stated that a fix will be released soon. Users had suspected that Google, the owner of YouTube, was intentionally slowing down videos for those using ad blockers. Google had previously admitted that people using ad blockers would have a sub-optimal viewing experience, but they denied responsibility for the recent issues. Adblock Plus has identified the fault in version 3.22 of their extension and will fix it in version 3.22.1. The developer of uBlock Origin, a separate product made by the same company, also confirmed similar issues and warned that they could affect other websites as well. [Extracted from the article]

The Firewalla Gold SE is a small and affordable firewall appliance designed for home workers and small business networks. Priced at $449, it offers a 2.5GbE multi-gigabit WAN port and three LAN ports, along with a speedy quad-core ARM Cortex-A55 CPU, 4GB of RAM, and a 32GB SSD for storage. The appliance supports various deployment scenarios and comes with security features enabled by default, including IDS, IPS, and ad blocking. It can be easily customized through the mobile app, which also provides access to network performance information and the ability to create VPNs for remote workers. Remote appliance management is available through Firewalla's cloud-hosted MSP portal. Overall, the Firewalla Gold SE provides robust perimeter security at a low price, with lifetime updates and online support included. [Extracted from the article]

YouTube has started blocking ad blockers, claiming that they violate its terms of service. Users are now prompted to turn off their ad blockers or pay for a premium service. This move has been met with backlash, as many users have become accustomed to using ad blockers and view YouTube as a free service. Some users have even uninstalled their ad blocking software in search of a workaround. One user in Ireland is challenging YouTube's right to detect ad blockers, claiming that it is a violation of privacy laws. It remains to be seen how this situation will unfold. [Extracted from the article]

Ulaa is a privacy-centered web browser developed by Zoho. It is built on open-source Chromium and offers different user modes, including developer, personal, work, incognito, and kids. Each mode runs in isolation from one another, allowing users to have open pages in multiple modes simultaneously. The browser provides privacy protection, ad blocking, content filtering, and parental controls. However, Ulaa is not well integrated with other macOS apps and requires a Zoho account for full functionality. Overall, it is best suited for those with Zoho accounts and is serious about privacy. [Extracted from the article]

This article covers three different tech-related topics. The first discusses Anthony Levandowski, a self-driving car pioneer who is rebooting his AI church, Way of the Future. Levandowski believes that sophisticated AI systems could guide humans on moral and existential questions typically sought out in religions. The second topic focuses on Google's crackdown on ad blockers, with YouTube warning users that using ad blockers could affect their viewing experience. Google is also changing how its Chrome browser extensions operate, potentially preventing users from using popular ad blockers. The final topic highlights Curtis Priem, the quiet co-founder of Nvidia, who transferred most of his shares to a charitable foundation and now lives off the grid. [Extracted from the article]

Google has admitted that YouTube videos will load more slowly for users who have ad blockers installed. This was discovered when a Firefox user noticed slow loading times and accused Google of trying to push people to use Chrome. Upon investigation, it was found that a five-second delay had been added to YouTube's code specifically for ad-blocker users. Google has stated that this delay is part of their effort to encourage viewers to allow ads or try YouTube Premium for an ad-free experience. This tactic works across all browsers, including Google Chrome, and is seen as an experiment to test user tolerance before they stop using YouTube altogether. Google's crackdown on ad-blockers has led to an increase in people searching for new ad-blocking solutions that still work on YouTube. However, Google is enforcing its terms of service, which state that blocking ads violates YouTube's policies. Users have become accustomed to blocking ads and will only stop when ads become less intrusive and frequent. [Extracted from the article]

The article titled "From the Editor" discusses the trend of tech companies implementing measures to maximize profits, such as Netflix charging for password sharing and YouTube combating ad-blockers. The article sympathizes with users who are looking for ways to bypass these restrictions and provides a list of 20 free downloads for 2024, including a split-view browser, an anonymous VPN, and a junk-cleaning tool from Microsoft. Additionally, the article mentions that 2024 marks the expiration of copyright for various figures like Mickey Mouse and Joan of Arc, and explains how to download their works. The article concludes by stating that closed loopholes are no match for Time Lords, referencing Doctor Who. [Extracted from the article]

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Although it's slightly more technical than some ad blockers, uBlock Origin works automatically and reliably, and looks set to survive Google's proposed changes to how ad blockers work (see box on opposite page). Ad blockers improve your browsing experience by removing annoyances from web pages and making them faster to load. DIAGRAM: Switch your ad blocker DIAGRAM: Switch your ad blocker DIAGRAM: Switch your ad blocker DIAGRAM: Switch your ad blocker. [Extracted from the article]