A bit about a privacy project!

A few years ago, I created a website called https://canihazprivacy.com/, which compiles a comprehensive list of websites that contain spam, malware, ads, and other harmful content. By removing duplicates and presenting the aggregated data, users can easily identify and avoid dangerous online destinations. The list is updated every Sunday using a sophisticated algorithm to ensure it remains current and effective in safeguarding online experiences. It's a valuable project for anyone who wants to protect themselves online and has saved me a lot of time.

You can load the list into your computer's hosts file or use an ad blocker like uBlock Origin. The hosts file is a text file that allows your operating system to map hostnames to IP addresses. It can be used to override the DNS server and map a hostname to a different IP address or block access to a particular hostname altogether. The great thing about https://canihazprivacy.com/ is that it's pre-created by adding entries that map to ad servers, malware, spam, and other harmful hostnames to the IP address 0.0.0.0, effectively blocking access to those toxic domains.

Editing the hosts file is simple, but it's important to exercise caution and avoid removing any existing entries that could disrupt your computer's normal operation. It's also crucial to periodically update the list of blocked hostnames to ensure that new ad servers, malware, spam, and other harmful hosts are being blocked effectively. That's why I recommend using uBlock Origin, as it updates regularly automatically.

To import the filter list from https://canihazprivacy.com/ to uBlock Origin, follow these instructions:

1. Open your web browser and click on the uBlock Origin icon in your browser's toolbar to navigate to the dashboard.
2. Click on the "Settings" tab in the uBlock Origin dashboard.
3. Scroll down to the "Filter lists" section, where you'll see a list of filter lists that are currently active.
4. To add a new filter list, scroll down to the bottom of the page and click on the "Import..." link to open a new window.
5. In the new window, add the URL of the filter list you want to import: https://canihazprivacy.com/.
6. Click on the "Apply changes" button to import the filter list.
7. The filter list will now be added to uBlock Origin and will start blocking ads and other unwanted content based on the filter rules defined in the list.

It should look something like this:

Using the hosts file to block ads has some advantages over other ad-blocking methods. It's a system-level solution that blocks ads across all applications, including web browsers and mobile apps. It also works independently of any specific ad-blocking software, which can sometimes be detected and bypassed by websites.

I do hope this information has been helpful for you in learning a bit about privacu and how you can use it to protect your online experience. Stay safe out there!