The proliferation of #malware delivered by online advertising has made it easy for me and other #cybersafety advocates to unambiguously recommend using various ad blocking methods to effectively protect users from nasty #malvertising, persistent tracking and influence operations.

Not so for law enforcement and other government agencies, whose objective is to offer guidance without undermining what we have been told is the economic engine of the interwebs.

Click to read referenced article: Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) | Cyber Criminals Impersonating Brands Using Search Engine Advertisement Services to Defraud Users

In this and other advisories, the #FBI carefully treads the fine line between recommending complete blocking of online ads and discreetly letting industry know that they don't really want to hurt their #profits. All in all, we need to remember that good people do great work every day and are working within the constraints of their roles as they offer official, authoritative guidance both explicitly and between the lines:

"Before clicking on an advertisement, check the URL to make sure the site is authentic. "

"Use an ad blocking extension when performing internet searches. Most internet browsers allow a user to add extensions, including extensions that block advertisements. These ad blockers can be turned on and off within a browser to permit advertisements on certain websites while blocking advertisements on others."