Ad Blocker is software that filters and blocks advertising content online. Typically, ad blockers come in the form of browser extensions, but they can be attached to an application or even a network. Ad blockers filter and remove web banners, animations, advertising videos and embedded audio from webpages and services users browse.
Ad blockers achieve that by intervening with the technologies that make those ads possible. For example, they scan and filter the content embedded in a page via HTML5 or browser plug-ins. They can detect behavior characteristics of online ads, like using HTML5 AutoPlay on both audio and video content. In 2021, it was estimated nearly 30% of all online users in the United States used some sort of Ad blocking software. 58% of all users with some technical background utilized ad-blocking technologies in their daily internet use. Some of the most popular ad blockers today are Adblock Plus, Ghostery, uBlock Origin, Adaway, and Privacy Badger.