Want to opt out of being targeted by advertising networks out there? The Beef Taco add-on for Firefox will help protect you. Once installed, this extension sets permanent opt-out cookies to stop behavioral advertising for over 100 different advertising networks. Some of the companies include:
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10 Ways Firefox Makes the Web a Safer Place
We all like tools that help us feel a little safer, right? Firefox has a slew of tools you can use to add extra security to the platform. One thing I really like about this is each person can decide how much more added security he or she needs. How do you know which of the add-ons are the best?
Here are some of the most popular plugins that help with increasing the privacy or security for your Firefox installation.
The best security you can get in a web browser! Allow active content to run only from sites you trust, and protect yourself against XSS and Clickjacking attacks.
WOT, Web of Trust, warns you about risky websites that try to scam visitors, deliver malware or send spam. Protect your computer against online threats by using WOT as your front-line layer of protection when browsing or searching in unfamiliar territory.
Do you like to pretend that you are a super secret spy when browing the Web? Maybe you just don’t want that nosy brother or sister looking in on what you have been doing. No matter the situation, if you want to stay secret – the Stealther Firefox extension is for you.
FoxyProxy is an advanced proxy management tool that completely replaces Firefox’s limited proxying capabilities. It offers more features than SwitchProxy, ProxyButton, QuickProxy, xyzproxy, ProxyTex, TorButton, etc.
Want Firefox to help you encrypt your secret files and documents? Maybe you just want to learn more about the encryption process? No matter which camp you fall into, the Fire Encrypter Firefox extension is for you. It brings the top secret world of encryption right into your favorite little browser.
Forget your passwords! Sxipper accurately fills in forms, manages passwords and your OpenIDs.
Want more control over your cookies? No, I’m not talking about the ones your grandmother loves to shove down your throat – I am talking about the ones that involve your browser. The Firefox extension CookieCuller gives you total control over which cookies stay on your computer by letting you protect cookies of your choice while automatically deleting the rest.
Flashblock is an extension for the Mozilla, Firefox, and Netscape browsers that takes a pessimistic approach to dealing with Macromedia Flash content on a webpage and blocks ALL Flash content from loading. It then leaves placeholders on the webpage that allow you to click to download and then view the Flash content.
With all this talk about your privacy being attacked and people snooping on what you have been searching about, you are bound to feel a little paranoid. You might be watching over your shoulder as you type. You might be turning the lights out before you get Online. How can you protect yourself from being tracked in your searches though? If you use Firefox, you need the TrackMeNot extension.
Tired of web sites asking you to register to view the content inside? Bypass compulsory web registration with the context menu via bugmenot.com.
Know of another Firefox security add-on that is well worth using, just not that popular yet? Do any of these add-ons make you sleep a little easier at night? Let me know what you think the best security add-on for Firefox is.
Replace Ads with Art
Any Firefox user worth his weight in add-ons can block advertisements, using tools like AdBlock Plus but few can block the ads can replace them with something to give your Web browsing experience a little more class. How about replacing all those punch the monkey ads with art?
It this entices your cultural taste buds, then you might want to add the Add-Art extension to your own Firefox install. Add-Art replaces advertising images on web pages with contemporary art from a curated database. It is also worth making note of that the install is bundled with the AdBlockPlus extension.
Worried about seeing the same art too many time? The galleries are updated every two weeks and feature contemporary artists and curators. You can pickup the addon on Mozilla’s site or their official site, Add-Art.org.
5 Ways to use Firefox to Filter the Web
We are always talking about adding features to Firefox, what about for those people who would like to take them away? Better yet, how about adding features that let you take other features away? Ok, now I am even confusing myself.
Firefox has some great add-ons to use when it comes to blocking, filtering or checking out the sometimes shady information that may be passing through it.
LeechBlock – This extension is much more for saving you from looking at random stupid links when you should be working. If you can not keep yourself focused, you may need to add this to your own Firefox install.
Flashblock – Tired of seeing the offers to punch President Bush, the Pope or any other important person to win an iPod? The Flashblock add-on has your back as it will block all flash until it is told not to.
Adblock Plus – How could you not love Adblock Plus? Filter out the ads you don’t want to see – and automatically subscribe to filters so you don’t waste time setting these things up yourself. Not to mention, I did interview the creator of the script a few months back (very awesome guy!).
NoScript – NoScript allow JavaScript, Java and other executable content to run only from sites you trust. Some feel it is better to browse the Web this way to make sure you don’t get bit by something nasty by randomly surfing through pages.
CookieSafe – This extension will allow you to easily control cookie permissions. It will appear on your statusbar. Just click on the icon to allow, block, or temporarily allow the site to set cookies.
Know of another blocking or filtering tool that does a better job?
Ad Free RSS Feed for Firefox Facts
I have decided to remove the FeedBurner ads from the Firefox Facts RSS feed. In all honesty it just wasn’t really returning enough of the green stuff to be worth it to me – and if it means I can get a few more subscribers and visitors to FirefoxFacts.com, then ditching them is well worth it.
So might be time to pass this URL to all your friends, amigos and buddies:
http://feeds.feedburner.com/firefoxfacts
Now ad free but still full of goodies!
Anti-Firefox Loons Go Off Deep End
Now there is no secret that thee are a number of folks out there that don’t like Firefox. Many of them say it is because the browser has a very dedicated fan base. These guy though (at whyfirefoxisblocked.com) prove they must swim on the shallow end of the intellectual pool.
The Mozilla Foundation and its Commercial arm, the Mozilla Corporation, has allowed and endorsed Ad Block Plus, a plug-in that blocks advertisement on web sites and also prevents site owners from blocking people using it. Software that blocks all advertisement is an infringement of the rights of web site owners and developers.
That last line is what gets to me. I have been back on forth on this issue a few times, but for the most part I have to side with the users. I don’t mind some ads (I think most AdSense ads are fine and actually helpful) – but other do deserve to be blocked. It isn’t the user’s fault the links are not getting clicked for those ads – it is the ads fault for not giving the consumer what they want.
Tech Blorge also has an interesting article written up about it that tells more of the story. So what do you think about the anti-Firefox crowd?
Block New Yahoo! Mail Beta Ads
I have been fighting my own battle with the new Yahoo! Mail beta ads for some time now. Thanks to their partnership with my DSL provider AT&T, I now have the new “ads” feature and for some darn reason I just can not warm up to it. Well thanks to a reader submission I now have a way to ditch them and go back to the clean Yahoo! Mail beta interface.
All you need to do is to pick up this user script for the Greasemonkey extension. The Yahoo Mail Cleaner is a great fix for this really annoying issue.
Interview With Asa Dotzler
Asa is a very interesting guy. I have to thank him somewhat for the popularity of Firefox Facts and him making mention of it on his blog (as well as giving me feedback on the eBook). Check out this interview with him as he discusses the new commercials that Mozilla is going to be pushing out to a TV near you – sometime soon.
Later today Firefox will begin broadcasting, for the first time, four “fan-produced” commercials on prime time television. Initially the ads will only run in the San Francisco and Boston regions, but this will be expanded over time.
The 4 video ads are a sampling of approximately 300 clips which were submitted to Mozilla’s Firefox Flicks program. The theme of the ads is that Firefox is “the safest, fastest and most enjoyable way to experience the Web.” The ads are also partly sponsored by Firefox fans – and Mozilla will insert the names of those sponsors at the end of each commercial.
Get Yourself Into the Firefox Ads
You know you want to be rich and famous. Well, I can not help you with the money side of things, but I can point you in the direction of getting your name on TV.
So here’s your chance to be a part of history by joining in on the first test run. Our first TV test will work like this: With help from you all, we selected 4 ads to send to television. The first 72 sponsors to partner with Mozilla by adding $10 dollars to our Flicks ad fund will have their names appear on the air as part of actual ads.
Purchase Text Links, Support Firefox Facts!
A few people have asked me about adding text link ads via the Web site here, so I have done so. All you need to do is click this link and go through the order process. The price right now is $35 per link for an entire month. Not too shabby for one of the most popular Firefox blogs out there today.
+ Purchase Text Link Ads on FirefoxFacts.com!
I have room for four of them, so be sure to act quickly! The links will appear under the search box on every single page here on FirefoxFacts.com. Help support this Web site and get to purchasing.
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