Firefox Now Lets You Block Some Ads on iOS Devices

Fewer ads, better browsing? Firefox has added a new feature called Ad Blocker for Firefox on iOS, which the company says will block many third-party ads and ad-related trackers when you use the browser on iPhones, iPads and other iOS devices. Ad Blocker is turned off by default, but you can enable it in Settings > Browsing > Ad Blocker. If you get ads that should have been blocked or other oddities while using the new feature, go to this Mozilla Connect page to report them. A representative for Mozilla told CNET that Ad Blocker will work on iPhones running iOS 15 or later and on iPads running iPadOS 15 or later. The feature is being rolled out progressively, so some people may not see it right away. Firefox, owned by Mozilla, is a web browser launched in 2004. Though it’s less popular than other browsers like Google Chrome, Apple Safari and Microsoft Edge, Firefox fans cite privacy protections and customizations as some of the main reasons they like the browser. Other niche browsers also block ads, including Brave, Opera, Vivaldi, Avast and DuckDuckGo. If you use Chrome or Edge, you can install extensions such as uBlock Origin or AdGuard from their respective stores. “Advertising helps fund much of the open web, supporting the publishers, creators and websites people rely on,” Mozilla said in its announcement. “We also know that ads can sometimes crowd the screen or interrupt what you’re trying to do.” What it does, what it can’t When you’re checking out a web page, it can be fairly annoying when pop-up ads and overlays cover up content you’re trying to see. Mozilla says Ad Blocker can stop many of those before they load, reducing clutter on that particular page. Mozilla says the Ad Blocker tech uses Apple’s WebKit Content Blocker technology and EasyList, a filter list used by browsers and ad-blocking extensions, to determine which ads to block. Even with the new tool, you’ll still see ads here and there. For example, if you search “best air conditioners” on Google, merchant ads for AC units are likely to appear somewhere on that Google page. Ad Blocker also won’t block sponsored shortcuts and other sponsored content shown by Firefox when you open a new tab. Mozilla said another privacy protection already built into Firefox includes Enhanced Tracking Protection, which blocks many trackers and limits tracking across the internet. Ad trackers are methods, such as cookies and tracking pixels, that help companies determine your online preferences and then target you with products they think you might want to buy.