Everybody gets annoyed by different things when they surf the Internet. Some people can’t stand pop-up or -under ads, others want better privacy options, and still others want and easy way to manage cookies. Privoxy is a terrific Web proxy for Linux, Mac OS X, and Windows that can manage all those tasks and more.
Often used in conjunction with anonymity network Tor, Privoxy’s default settings will block most ads and other noxious content. Additional actions that can be defined by the user include GIF de-animation, image tag reordering, ad filter by size, and ad filter by link. Since visiting some Web sites can be difficult or impossible with Privoxy running, there’s a handy on/off toggle bookmarklet that lets you control the app right from your browser.
Shashank Sharma included Privoxy in a recent article about Web content filtering tools at our sister site, Linux.com. He writes, “Privoxy is a standalone application full of impressive features. It’s a breeze to install. Its default settings are ideal for most users…Privoxy, with its ease of use and impressive features, should suffice for any home user on most networks.”
When you’re ready to give Privoxy a try, be sure to also check out the popular add-on file from neilvandyke.org. It includes roughly 8,000 rules that improve block Web objects like spyware, tracking scripts, and sites that are advertised in spam.