The Controversial Way To Make Your Phone WAY Better

In the digital world, there's not much that's more annoying than tapping a link (say, from Twitter), and then having to wait 30 seconds while an ad loads. If you've got a smartphone, you don’t have to deal with that anymore. Long used on desktop browsers, ad blockers are now available for your iPhone, too. But there are a few things you should know before you download one.

Ad blockers are among the most popular browser extensions available today. Millions of people use them to keep their browsing experience free of unwanted advertising and malicious scripts.

However, there is a heated controversy surrounding ad blockers, particularly those used on mobile devices. One side argues that ad blockers are essential to combatting privacy intrusion and improving phone performance, while others point to the way such software inherently hurts content creators by taking away their revenue.

Not sure where you stand? Here’s what you need to know about ad blocking on your phone — and what to do if it’s right for you.