Ad Blocking 101

How ad blockers actually work, from request filtering to cosmetic rules.

A friendly tour of how a modern ad blocker decides what to hide, what to block at the network level and why some sites still slip through.

Lessons

1. 1What is an ad blocker?Define the tool and the problem it solves. 4 min
2. 2Filter lists explainedThe crowd-sourced rule sets that power every blocker. 5 min
3. 3Network blocking vs cosmetic blockingTwo layers that work together. 4 min
4. 4Anti-adblock wallsWhy some sites detect blockers and how good blockers respond. 5 min
5. 5Common ad-blocker mythsSpeed, security and ethics, cleared up. 4 min