Over the years I've used various Chrome extensions and felt OK with AdBlocker Plus and it worked block ads and the whole accept-cookies pop-ups.

However as I read more on how websites, especially small ones need ads and that cookies to stay afloat financially, I stopped using any such blockers - including one extension called "I don't care about cookies", another one called "Auto Accept Cookies" (but it doesn't do anything as far as I can tell.

One of the valid reasons is that ads and such help promote the very viability of the Net - R &D, etc.

Of course, there is also abuse or at least over-use of this: mining data of how people use websites to at times mind-blowing detail, trackers, tailoring ads to where one has been online, etc.

In short, a tension between privacy and that when one visits a website, one should abide by their turf for one is visiting it, one does not own it.

While I don't like ads, I can put up with them and if a site is unusually obnoxious about them, I can and do turn on my AdBlocker temporarily. But the constant "accept cookies" still occurs and is freakin' irritating.

I live in the U.S. but the E.U. has passed a far stricter privacy and security law called GDRP. It's over my head as laws are complicated animals, but at least they are trying to strike a balance.

There is now even a Chrome extension called GDRP Please developed by a university in Denmark and one called Consent-O-Matic that I thought they dealt with the cookies thing, but when activated, the nuke all ads too.

"Breaking" websites is not what I want to do for there are legitimate reasons for such trackers and so on. On the other hand, it can be really invasive and just a plain nuisance too.

Have you found some ethical balance in all of this?
If so I welcome your suggestions.