Tan Mot Cu is a content creator and often produces online advertising content on social media. However, he sometimes gets annoyed by intrusive advertisements and repetitive suggested content while browsing the web.
Breaking the loop of suggested content
Eighty percent of Tan’s workday is spent online, surfing various websites to update information and delve into related knowledge. One unconscious action Tan noticed is that when he opens the web browser, he quickly clicks on familiar websites or on news articles suggested by the browser based on his daily search habits.
However, “the suggested content feature both aids in creative work and limits creative work. The biggest limitation of these repetitive content recommendations is the lack of diversity and variety.”
To temporarily break free from the loop of suggested content on information platforms, Tan actively searches for information using new keywords to find deeper and fresher suggestions rather than relying solely on pre-loaded suggestions. Additionally, Tan has multiple YouTube accounts that follow different content niches to concentrate the suggested content. This is a way of balancing between “new” and “familiar” needs.
Ad blockers blocking ads
The suggested content is a supervised machine learning algorithm based on users’ past behaviors. Advertisements are one of the results of this algorithm. Everything can be personalized so that each user sees different products that align with their needs and preferences. However, this is not always the ideal situation.
“I do feel annoyed when abrupt video advertisements appear,” Tan shared.
Tan sometimes feels annoyed when he sees advertisements. Photo: Tan Mot Cu
Short pop-up advertisements lasting a few seconds to a few dozen seconds can be acceptable, but when videos that are several minutes or even an hour long are inserted as intrusive advertisements, it becomes truly bothersome. Especially when the content is not genuinely relevant, it interrupts the emotions of the main content being presented. At this point, ad-blocking software or features start to take effect.
Users who block and avoid watching advertisements will impact the income of YouTubers. Tan said, “I accept trading a little bit of income to provide a better experience for users on my channel. If you find it seamless, interesting, and satisfying, you will keep coming back. I gain more benefits from that.”
Changing browsing habits to take control of personal data and web browsing experience
Every user’s action in the online space can be “tracked” to allocate appropriate content, but it is not always aligned with the user’s needs. Moreover, the collection of personal information can lead to the risk of personal information leakage and many other serious consequences.
Using ad-blocking software or features is just a temporary method. To completely prevent advertising and content loops, it is necessary to block tracking, monitoring, and algorithmically arranging content based on the “traces” left behind on the Internet.
Tan has tried a new web browser, which serves as the gateway to all information access and interaction in the online space.
Herond is a new web browser developed by a Vietnamese technology startup. Photo: Tan Mot Cu
“Herond Browser is a web browser developed by Vietnamese people on the blockchain platform. It is an ecosystem integrated with multiple features. Users don’t need to download and install additional extension applications,” Tan Mot Cu commented.
Herond is a comprehensive web browser, integrating an ecosystem of solutions to empower users to take control of their web browsing experiences. Photo: Herond
In addition, the ad-blocking feature is built into the browser, automatically blocking advertisements, protecting devices from malware, and most importantly, preventing tracking by advertisers.
The “Herond Shield” uses AI to detect and block malware, scams, and other online threats; it analyzes website content, links, and attachments to identify potential threats.
The page loading time is three times faster than normal. “Forums or websites from foreign countries usually take a long time to load, but with Herond, the speed is very fast and smooth,” Tan Mot Cu added.
With Herond, the ad-blocking feature is integrated directly into the browser. Photo: Herond
Herond Browser is built on the Chromium platform. Sharing the same platform as popular browsers enables easy access and experiences for ordinary users. Instead of using multiple extension applications to achieve a complete experience, just a small change in web browsing behavior allows users to take control of their data and cut off data trackers and behaviors on the online space. This can lead to significant improvements in user information security and web browsing experiences.
Herond Browser has versions for Windows and MacOS operating systems. Learn more at: https://herond.org
