How To: Hide the Facebook News Ticker in Firefox and Google Chrome

Facebook has been "improving" their interface in several different ways in attempt to combat the threat of Google+. One big change is the introduction of a news ticker in the top right corner that constantly feeds updates from friends and organizations you are connected with on Facebook. Not only do some people find the ticker annoying due to the constant stream of text flowing across it, but many felt unnerved by the fact that every "Like" or comment on a profile could instantly be seen across potentially hundreds of other profiles at that same instant.

Not everyone has transitioned over to Google+ yet, and who knows if the people that do will ever completely stop using Facebook, so here's a trick I picked up that I figured I would share on the Google+ Insider's Guide. If you're a Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox user and you're looking for a guide on how to remove the Facebook news ticker, follow these steps to get rid of it once and for all.

Google Chrome:

1. Head over to Unannoying Facebook extension for Google Chrome, in the Chrome Web Store.
2. Click the "Add to Chrome" button and select "Install" when the dialogue box comes up.
3. Look for the message in the top right corner of the browser confirming the install occurred.
4. Now access Facebook in a new browser tab, you should see the news ticker no longer shows up!

Mozilla Firefox:

1. Visit the F.B. Purity homepage. F.B Purity is an extension that provides several tools for customizing Facebook, including spam management and more. It is safe to use and has been featured in many different publications.
2. Click the blue "Install F.B. Purity" link located on the front page. You will need to click the second "Install F.B. Purity – Extension" green button on the following page.
3. In the top left corner, Firefox may inform you that the install has been blocked. Click the "Allow" button.
4. After the download is complete, select "Install Now" on the dialogue screen that appears.
5. Firefox will need to restart. After it does, open up Facebook and notice that the news ticker is still there. That's okay!
6. A new F.B. Purity link will appear under your status update box at the top of your Facebook page. This will allow you to access the F.B. Purity tools and check the "hide" box next to the Facebook Ticker option.
7. Reload the page and notice that the Facebook news ticker is now gone!

Too much text? Take a look at this video for a walkthrough of both installations:

Facebook needs to realize that their users do not always appreciate the "upgrades" they make to the site. For many, the news ticker may be a great addition, but there should be an easier way to turn it off than installing an extension into your browser. Here's to hoping that they introduce an "off switch" for the news ticker in the future.