Free software blocks spybot tracking on the web

Have you ever noticed after you surf — particularly if you’re looking to make a purchase — that you can go to other sites and the ads you’re served are for the same company you were visiting prior or for one of their competitors? Chalk it up to sophisticated tracking software.

For example, I was recently looking at The 12, a $12/monthly wireless offer from Page Plus. Ever since clicking on that info, it seems almost every ad I see on other web pages is all about cell phones. Again, it’s because of spybot trackers that are so common today.

A lot of people feel truly creeped out by all the tracking and are turning to do-not-track software to maintain privacy. USA Today reports Adblock Plus has been downloaded 140 million times. Others free services include Do Not Track Plus, Ghostery and TrackerBlock (for Firefox users.)

But the whole thing with tracking is that there are both bad and good aspects to it.

On the plus side, if you are actively shopping for something, you could learn about a product or service that’s better or cheaper that you wouldn’t have known about if you hadn’t seen an ad on your computer.

Yet if the whole idea of Big Brother bothers you, download one of these free services. If not and you like picking up bargains, let them continue spying on you!