Ghostery has been a fantastic extension for ad-blocking as well as monitoring scripts and other items on sites that I visit throughout the course of my day. In my line of work, Growth & Product, it is handy to see how things are performing and identify any issues with 3rd party tools we have on our sites.

Awhile back I switched from Privacy Badger (the Electronic Frontier Foundation [or EFF]'s extension) to Ghostery after the EFF's own "Cover Your Tracks" website (which tests, among other things, whether or not your browser is leaving a unique "fingerprint" as you browse the web, which is used by data brokers and other businesses to track you via a process known as "fingerprinting."

Companies build a "fingerprint" of your computer/browser combo - even if you've opted out of all forms of tracking and are blocking third-party cookies and/or are using a traditional ad blocking extension - by gathering and analyzing data re: the way your computer's hardware and web browser display data to you as you surf the web. The vast majority of computers - even two that have the same exact hardware spec - can leave a unique fingerprint based on small quirks/differences in the way the hardware in your machine interacts with your network connection and web browser software (i.e. your web browser) interacts with that network connection. Two machines with the exact same hardware may respond to network requests with slightly different cadences, and that gives potential bad actors one key piece of data with which they can start to build a profile on you so that they can track you even when you've done everything you can to maintain your privacy (be that preventing them from leaving tracking cookies on your machine, using a VPN to mask your true location, etc...).

I was stunned to find that after installing Ghostery, my browser *no longer left a unique fingerprint* in the EFF's own "Cover Your Tracks" web test at https://coveryourtracks.eff.org/. Not only does Ghostery help block inline and pop-up ads on the sites I most commonly visit, it even helps prevent browser fingerprinting! I couldn't tell you *how* it does that, but in my experience, the proof is in the pudding, and when the Ghostery extension prevented the EFF's own fingerprinting test from seeing a unique fingerprint coming from my machine (when the EFF's OWN tool designed to prevent that from happening failed!) it's hard not to feel like Ghostery is an essential tool in your privacy toolbox.

I could not recommend Ghostery more. Not only is it 100% free (and OPEN SOURCE, which is huge as it allows independent developers like myself full access to view the extension's code and ensure that the app's developers stay on the straight and narrow), but it does what it says it does incredibly well.

If you (and your family's) online privacy matters to you, get Ghostery, turn it on, and know that you've added one of the best, most effective tools for achieving and maintaining that privacy on an ever-more-invasive web... all for FREE!

Ghostery is the best ad blocker, whether you use its extension or switch to its own hardened browser, it can enhance your privacy and browsing experience. It not only blocks ads, but also prevents data collection and profiling by ad networks. It also has a great feature that automatically responds to cookie privacy prompts, saving me time.
Benefits of using Ghostery:
One of the main benefits of using Ghostery's ad blocker is that it prevents targeted ads from appearing on your screen. This can enhance your privacy and reduce unwanted advertisements.
Ghostery's ad blocker extension can also help you browse faster and save power consumption. It claims to save up to 25% on power consumption and allows for a faster browsing experience.

After many a year using AdBlock Plus without any qualms, gripes, annoyances, or other issues specifically to block Youtube ads, Google made the brilliant decision to start a self-fulfilling prophecy by blocking access to the site for those that use such an extension

Barring the fact this is the web equivalent of mandating the installation of cameras on every television set, (such that the cable provider can remove service from those whom aren't confirmed to be watching and listening throughout the entirety of every break) even if I disabled AB+ (Something I didn't even consider doing due to Google;'s increasingly anti-creator, way-too-particular rules), I would likely be seeing the popups anyway as a result of NextDNS being implemented across the entire household, and me browsing almost-exclusively in Private/Incognito mode.

As such, my journey found me happening upon Ghostery, and after a bit of research, I figured it was worth a go.

Overall, I'm quite pleased with the decision to swap over, as I didn't realise how much I'd rather just go right into a site without any cookies needing to be configured, and start doing what I actually came to.

However, while the extension did as-promised and blocked off the unwanted window, it only did that for a time, as the window popped up again this most recent session

Oddly, though, it went away and stopped showing up after a time, so it seems as though it still blocks the lockout, but not the window itself.

I suspect this to be fixed in a future update, though, and also will revise this review to 5 stars if it is, but either way, if you'd like total privacy not just on Youtube, but literally everywhere, give this a go!

Since I'm concerned about my online privacy, I've been using Ghostery for many years now. I've never had to complain about anything; on the contrary, I've discovered some unexpected trackers when browsing certain websites. What's more, I really like to read their newsletter about data privacy and cybersecurity. As I don't work in this domain, it let me get informed without the need to search for news.

After a time it just causes issues and have to disable it re enable it or just uninstall it and reinstall it weird this is new.
Some time also bugs out and cant click on links or just will broke the links.
Web page log in some time brakes as well.
Overall its good but to much to debug here.

yes it helps but every few days it stops working and i need to remove it and install it again, does anyone know how to fix this problem?? its extremely annoying...

Has to be the best overall privacy protector I have ever had the privilege of using.
Many others have come and gone but Ghostery goes from strength to strength and it is quite evident from the dedication of the team that it will do so into the increasingly problematic future.
Thank you Team. You deserve the highest accolades.

since i have had Ghostery i have many warning of sites and what the security industry and corporations are up to.