Amazon tends to release new Kindle updates every few months or so, and even though there are changelogs for each individual model, Amazon rarely bothers to list all of the actual changes, instead opting to point out that bug fixes and other improvements were made, basically ensuring these release notes are more often than not useless (thanks, Amazon). May’s recent update to 5.18.3 is a perfect example.
Thanks to a report by The eBook Reader, we now know the most recent 5.18.3 update brought more to the table than Amazon had divulged in its release notes (shocker). It would appear that there is a brand new setting that finally allows users to “hide ads that may not be appropriate for everyone” on Kindle models that display advertisements on their lockscreen (these models are available at a cheaper price, subsidized by the ads).
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Hide inappropriate advertisements on your Kindle lockscreen for good
Flip the new toggle to protect your eyes
Source: The eBook Reader
You see, for the last 14 years, since ads were introduced on Kindle lockscreens, it has been impossible to adjust what kind of ads are served (if you opted to purchase an ad-supported model), and many of these ads are based on your reading patterns.
Now, take a wild guess at what kind of ads are served up to those who read romance novels and manga. Yep, inappropriate ones you surely wouldn’t want your friends and family eyeing on your Kindle’s lockscreen (that is, when the ads aren’t flooded with AI slop). While users have relied on putting their Kindle into Kids Mode as a workaround to avoid lascivious ads, Amazon is finally rolling out a setting that lets users hide advertisements that aren’t appropriate.
Now, like me, you may be wondering why Amazon allows questionable ads to be served to Kindles, especially when it is now clear Amazon is aware users don’t want to see them (hence the new setting). Of course, making money with ads appears to be more important than keeping smut off our screens, and so instead of simply not allowing inappropriate ads across the board to keep Kindle users protected, you’ll have to dip into your Kindle’s settings to find a new listing to hide said ads. While this will not remove ads entirely from your lockscreen, this new setting should keep the more questionable content away for good.
Right now, it appears the feature is still rolling out, and having checked all of my Kindle models, I can say I don’t see the option despite my hardware being up to date on version 5.18.3. Perhaps the setting doesn’t show unless your Kindle is ad-supported, but for those who have reported seeing the new setting, it can be found nested in Settings > Your Account > Lockscreen Ads.
All in all, this is a welcome change that was a long time coming; no longer will users have to suffer seeing inappropriate ads on their Kindle lockscreen if they don’t want to. Still, you really have to wonder why Amazon chooses to serve undesirable advertisements that require a toggle to hide them in the first place. Ultimately, the revenue from ad space takes precedence over user needs, which is why I’ve always avoided Kindle devices with ads. You can’t trust a company to prioritize your needs, as evidenced by the 14-year wait for this toggle.
