And the fact that millions of people use these extensions proves that privacy is major priority for many consumers.” “Blocking extensions put a stop to some of the worst practices. “Tracking companies are getting more and more sophisticated, not just watching what you do on your computer but also tying that to what you do on other devices-and offline as well,” says Justin Brookman, privacy director for Consumers Union, the advocacy division of Consumer Reports. That’s what many blocking extensions are designed to fight. This information then gets used to try to figure out which ads will be most enticing to you. These elements frequently embed tiny data files known as cookies and hidden images called web beacons to analyze what you watch and read, and to track your movements when you go to other parts of the web. Behind the scenes, a typical web page pulls in ads, photos and videos, social-network widgets, recommended links, commenting sections, and other elements from dozens of companies’ servers.
