If your young people (or you!) spend any time at all on the Internet, you’ll appreciate these free customizable Internet ad- and flash-blocking tools.
Adblock Plus
Free. Stable. Easy to install and configure. Two-thumbs up! This app is platform-independent and works with Foxfire, Google Chrome, Opera, Safari, Android, SeaMonkey, and Thunderbird.
You’ll want to check your “Filter Preferences,” and choose a default filter list. (You might also uncheck the “Allow some non-intrusive advertising” button). Adding images/ads you wish to block is as simple as right-clicking on the image, scrolling down to “AdBlock Plus: Block Image…,” and choosing one of the options listed.
Element Hiding Helper
You’ll also want Element Hiding Helper, an extension to Adblock Plus, to rid yourself of those pesky text ads and other elements you simply don’t wish to see. Again, very easy to install and intuitively simple to use.
Flashblock
This add-on for Mozilla, Firefox, and Netscape browsers blocks flash animation — unless you click on it to see it. Easy to install and use.
