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【Pacific Technology News】Recently, Apple added an innovative feature to the Safari browser, Distraction Control, in the latest updates of iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS 15 Sequoia Beta 5. This feature is designed to help users effectively reduce the interference caused by cluttered information when surfing the Internet.

Unlike common ad blocking, "Distraction Control" focuses on elements on web pages that may distract users. This includes but is not limited to forced subscription pop-ups and requests to use cookies. The purpose of this feature is not to completely block ads, but to improve the user's browsing experience.

Using this feature is very simple. After logging into a website, click the page menu button in the search bar, select "Hide distractions", and specify the part of the page that needs to be filtered. Safari will remember the user's preference and automatically block these contents on subsequent visits to the same website.

Several key points of the "Distraction Control" function:

Non-permanent deletion: This feature does not permanently remove ads or dynamically update content. For example, regular banner ads will still appear the next time a user visits.

User-directed: Users can decide which web page elements to hide, and the system will not automatically detect them through AI. The selected area will be displayed with a blue outline, and the user can actively choose to block it.

Content update response: If blocked content (such as headlines or ads) changes, they will reappear the next time the user visits.

Applicable to specific domain names: This feature is only valid for specific domain names and is not universally applicable to all websites.

Moreover, users can also use the "distraction control" function to hide the cookie consent request dialog box in compliance with GDPR regulations. After choosing to block, the website will indicate that the request has been closed and no further information will be exchanged.

It is not clear how Distraction Control will deal with the paywall problem of websites, especially those with different protection measures. The specific application effect of this feature needs further observation and evaluation.

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