Latest news with #AdGuard
Entrepreneur
6 days ago
- Business
- Entrepreneur
They May Look Mundane, But They Distract Employees, Compromise Security, and Slow Your Internet
How more business owners have started using this $15 ad blocker to protect themselves. Disclosure: Our goal is to feature products and services that we think you'll find interesting and useful. If you purchase them, Entrepreneur may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our commerce partners. Online security and a clean browsing experience are essential for business owners, especially when work and family life share the same devices. If constant ads, pop-ups, and hidden trackers are slowing you down or putting your data at risk, the AdGuard Family Plan has a practical solution, and it's only $15.97 right now (normally $169.99). What does AdGuard do? AdGuard removes ads across websites and apps, filters out pop-ups and autoplay videos, and helps pages load faster. That means fewer distractions when you're trying to stay focused and more protection from sneaky scripts that collect your data. It also offers a strong privacy layer. AdGuard hides your activity from trackers and analytic tools, reducing the risk of data being collected and sold without your knowledge. On top of that, it includes protection from malware and phishing sites, which helps safeguard your personal and business information. The family plan supports up to nine devices, making it a good fit for households or offices where phones, tablets, and computers are all in play. AdGuard also includes content filters so you can block adult content and restrict access to inappropriate sites, all from the same dashboard. AdGuard works on Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android. It syncs across your devices and runs quietly in the background. One purchase gives you lifetime access with regular updates, so there are no subscription fees to worry about. Use code FAMPLAN to get an AdGuard Lifetime Family Plan on sale for $15.97. Sale ends soon. AdGuard Family Plan: Lifetime Subscription See Deal StackSocial prices subject to change
Gizmodo
7 days ago
- Gizmodo
Tech Companies Are Blocking Microsoft's Creepy ‘Recall' Feature
Microsoft's much-maligned Recall feature, which automatically screenshots everything you do on your Copilot+ PC to create a 'photographic memory,' is not making many fans across the app developer community. According to a report from The Verge, ad blocker AdGuard and privacy-minded browser Brave have decided to block Recall and its prying eyes. Brave announced its plans to block Recall in a blog post published earlier this year, in which it tipped its cap to Signal, the encrypted messaging app that first revealed it would keep Recall from screencapping user activity back in May. Per Brave, Recall will be blocked by default starting with the release of version 1.81 of the browser. It'll offer a toggle for users who want to turn Recall back on and let it screencap their browsing activity, which definitely doesn't feel super vulnerable and invasive to have someone else see. AdGuard joined the chorus of blocking, announcing Friday in a blog post that it'll add a feature that will allow users to disable Recall. The feature, which will appear in version 7.21 of the app, seems to provide a system-wide block of Recall rather than just blinding its eyes from a single app. AdGuard offers a number of other settings to block other Windows tracking features, including the collection of telemetry data. While AdGuard's block is the most wide-ranging, Brave has managed to iterate on Signal's approach in a way that allows users to take their own screenshots while keeping Recall from taking its own snapshots. Signal took a more blunt-force approach, using a Digital Rights Management (DRM) flag to block screenshots entirely, so even the user cannot capture an image of their chats. These companies almost certainly will not be the last to go out of their way to keep Recall from working as intended. Microsoft has had nothing but trouble and pushback since introducing the feature last year. It was set to launch with the introduction of Microsoft's Copilot+ PCs—Windows machines designed to maximize the company's AI features—but was delayed in June, probably because people were creeped out by it. Since then, the company has slowly tried to integrate the feature back into the fold. It started offering Recall to members of the Windows Insider Program first, and has introduced some features meant to quell concerns over privacy violations, including turning Recall off by default, requiring a PIN to access the contents of the feature, and storing screenshots locally and with encryption. And yet, it still feels pretty damn weird. If nothing else, Recall now serves as a useful marketing tool for privacy-focused app developers who want to signal that they're protecting users by blocking it.
Engadget
7 days ago
- Engadget
Brave and AdGuard now block Microsoft Recall by default
The Brave web browser and the ad-blocker AdGuard have both announced that they are blocking Microsoft Recall by default . For the uninitiated, Recall is an AI-powered tool that accompanies Windows 11 and it records everything on a PC's screen . It's pretty obvious why a privacy-minded web browser like Brave and an ad-blocker would make this move. AdGuard said the decision was made due to a "privacy concern," going on to say that "the very idea of background screen captures is unsettling." A blog post on the matter suggested that the tool could "snap a screenshot of a private chat window, an online form where you're entering your credit card or simply something personal you didn't want saved." 🚨 Microsoft Recall — new threat or improvement? In May 2024, Microsoft introduced a new feature in Windows 11 that was actively taking screenshots of everything happening on the screen, including messages in WhatsApp and Signal. These screenshots were stored on the device… — AdGuard (@AdGuard) July 15, 2025 Brave also cited privacy concerns, suggesting that a user's "entire browsing history" could be captured by the tool. "We think it's vital that your browsing activity on Brave does not accidentally end up in a persistent database, which is especially ripe for abuse in highly-privacy-sensitive cases," the company wrote in a blog post. The chat app Signal made a similar move back in May , urging "AI teams building systems like Recall" to think "through these implications more carefully in the future." Brave says it was "partly inspired" by Signal. AdGuard and Brave both offer toggles to bring Recall back into the mix. Microsoft's controversial tool lets people jump to whatever was previously on a screen. This includes web pages, images, documents, emails, chat threads or whatever else. It actually sounds like a pretty nifty productivity tool, despite the privacy concerns. It's available with some Copilot+ PCs. If you buy something through a link in this article, we may earn commission.
The Verge
25-07-2025
- The Verge
Microsoft's controversial Recall feature is now blocked by Brave and AdGuard
Microsoft's controversial Recall feature, that automatically screenshots nearly everything on a Copilot Plus PC, is meeting resistance from app developers. Signal kicked off a trend of blocking Recall earlier this year, with AdGuard and the Brave browser now also blocking the Windows AI feature. AdGuard calls Recall a 'privacy concern' in a blog post outlining why it's blocking Microsoft's AI tool. 'The very idea of background screen captures is unsettling,' says AdGuard. 'At any given moment, the system could snap a screenshot of a private chat window, an online form where you're entering your credit card, or simply something personal you didn't want saved.' Brave admits it was 'partly inspired by Signal's blocking of Recall,' for its decision to also block Recall from accessing its browser. 'We will disable it by default for Windows 11+ users, with a toggle to turn it back on for users who really want Recall,' says Brave. Signal first started blocking Windows 11's Recall screenshots in May, while also highlighting that Microsoft 'has launched Recall without granular settings for app developers that would enable Signal to easily protect privacy, which is a glaring omission that limits our choices.' Signal's block involves using a DRM flag, which means it blocks any screenshot or accessibility tools from accessing the messaging app. Brave is able to offer access to screenshot and accessibility tools and still disable Recall, because Microsoft lets browser apps granularly disable Recall. 'While it's heartening that Microsoft recognizes that Web browsers are especially privacy-sensitive applications, we hope they offer the same granular ability to turn off Recall to all privacy-minded application developers,' says Brave. Posts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All by Tom Warren Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All AI Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All Microsoft Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All News Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All Privacy Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All Tech Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All Windows
Yahoo
29-06-2025
- Yahoo
You Only Have to Pay for AdGuard Once to Eliminate Ads, and Now It's Only $16
The following content is brought to you by PCMag partners. If you buy a product featured here, we may earn an affiliate commission or other compensation. Ever feel like ads are taking over the internet? Maybe it's the banners that recount your latest online shopping trip or the video ads interrupting your YouTube binges, but it's enough to frustrate anyone. This AdGuard subscription gives you a much-needed break. During this limited-time StackSocial price drop, you no longer have to pay $169.99 for this ad blocker—only $15.97 with code FAMPLAN. It works on Windows and Mac desktops and mobile devices, but only on browsers. Finally, you can read articles, scroll social media, and watch videos without being plagued by advertisements. At the same time, AdGuard also helps you avoid accidentally clicking on harmful ads, phishing attempts, and malware attacks. If you're a parent, you'll also enjoy the option for custom content controls. With them, you can set up filters that block inappropriate websites or types of content from the backend to protect your kids online. Get access to AdGuard and stop ads in their tracks, plus keep your data private for just $15.97 (reg. $169.99) when you enter coupon code FAMPLAN at checkout. Prices subject to change. PCMag editors select and review products independently. If you buy through StackSocial affiliate links, we may earn commissions, which help support our testing.
