{{Infobox software | name = Internet Junkbuster | logo = | screenshot = | caption = | collapsible = | author = Junkbusters Corporation | developer = | released = | latest release version = | latest release date = 1998 | latest preview version = | latest preview date = | programming language = | operating system = | platform = | size = | genre = Filtering proxy | license = GNU General Public License | website = http://internet.junkbuster.com/ }} {{Portal|Free and open-source software}} The '''Internet Junkbuster''' is a web proxy that can block ads, cookies, and other unwanted content from web traffic.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3jqBnS4b3EgC |title=Maximum Security |date=2003 |publisher=Sams Publishing |isbn=978-0-672-32459-8 |page=155 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Gilles |first=John |title=Junkbuster Strips Banners, Cookies |url=https://www.wired.com/1997/02/junkbuster-strips-banners-cookies/ |access-date=2025-12-27 |work=Wired |language=en-US |issn=1059-1028}}</ref> It was developed by the Junkbusters Corporation and released under the GNU General Public License (GPL).<ref>{{Cite web |date=February 3, 2001 |title=The GNU General Public License |url=http://www.junkbusters.com/ht/en/gpl.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010203123300/http://www.junkbusters.com/ht/en/gpl.html#tnc |archive-date=February 3, 2001 |access-date=October 17, 2025 |website=Junkbusters}}</ref> It was developed mainly during the late 1990s. it functioned by checking requested URLs, including those for images, against a blocklist.<ref name=":1">{{Cite magazine |last=Orubeondo |first=Ana |date=11 September 2000 |title=Junkbuster blocks unwanted Web content |magazine=InfoWorld |page=64}}</ref> The last official release of Internet Junkbuster was version 2.0.2, released in 1998.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=Privoxy Copyright, License and History |url=https://www.privoxy.org/faq/copyright.html |access-date=2025-12-27 |website=www.privoxy.org}}</ref> As it was released under the GPL, the source code could legally be copied, modified, and redistributed by others.
After 1998, some developers maintained and patched Junkbuster's code to add small improvements, including simple additional filtering like banner image replacements and basic pop‑up blocking.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |title=General Information |url=https://www.privoxy.org/faq/general.html |access-date=2025-12-27 |website=www.privoxy.org}}</ref> This effort resulted in a minor build known as version 2.0.2‑10 around the year 2000.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" /> However, the original project itself did not see further official updates, and the original Junkbusters website is no longer maintained.<ref>{{Cite web |date=18 November 2024 |title=junkbusters.com, 18 November 2024 |url=https://www.junkbusters.com/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241118104341/https://www.junkbusters.com/ |archive-date=18 November 2024 |access-date=2024-12-03 |website=Internet Archive}}</ref>
As Junkbuster's codebase was released under an open‑source license, other developers were able to build a successor project. This led to the creation of '''Privoxy''', a more advanced web proxy that expanded filtering capabilities, added configuration flexibility, and improved support for modern web protocols.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Nek |first=Dimitri |date=2023-07-09 |title=What is Privoxy? How it Works, Features, Functions, and Benefits Explained {{!}} Web Hosting Geeks' Blog |url=https://webhostinggeeks.com/blog/privoxy-features-functions-benefits/ |access-date=2025-12-27 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Privoxy |url=https://www.spi-inc.org/projects/privoxy/ |access-date=2025-12-27 |website=www.spi-inc.org}}</ref> Privoxy's first stable release (version 3.0) was released in August 2002, and it continues to be actively maintained by volunteer developers.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" />
== Guidescope and Related Projects == Junkbuster's developers also released Guidescope, a consumer-oriented version of Junkbuster, which is no longer actively developed.<ref name=":0" />
== Reception == A review by InfoWorld in 2000 gave it a score of "Good" but criticized it for the technical knowledge needed to modify the blocklist by manually editing a .ini file.<ref name=":1" />
== See also ==
== References == {{Reflist}} ''The article contains material from InfoAnarchy''
== External links == *[http://internet.junkbuster.com/ Official website] *[https://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~cs8k-cyu/gp/index_e.html Galactica Proxy] - proxy that shows the state of your Web surfing in realtime (based on Junkbuster, created in 2001)
Category:Internet Protocol based network software Category:Privacy software