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Adblock Sold to Mystery Company

businessinsider.com

1–10 of 174 posts

Re: Adblock Sold to Mystery Company

#2
I've always wondered what happens if a browser extension gets taken over by an entity someday that puts in bad code after millions of people have it installed and it gets auto-updated.

Sure it's open-source and will get noticed eventually, but there will be days if not weeks of exposure.

Same thing for all those android apps you have installed. If it doesn't add permissions, you'll never get a warning that something has really changed.

Re: Adblock Sold to Mystery Company

#3
post #2

I've always wondered what happens if a browser extension gets taken over by an entity someday that puts in bad code after millions of people have it installed and it gets auto-updated. Sure it's open-source and will get noticed eventually, but there will be days if not weeks of exposure. Same thing for all those android apps you have installed. If it doesn't add permissions, you'll never get a warning that something…

I'm placing 80% of my bet on Google (Alphabet). The remaining 20% on Yahoo.

Re: Adblock Sold to Mystery Company

#4
I'm glad to see this here. I saw this update yesterday, and the text was so typical of a company-acquisition-I-should-not-trust.

Excerpt: "I believe this is a great thing for you users". Yet this is not accompanied by anything that suggests how users will possibly benefit from any of this.

Can someone suggest alternatives to Adblock that aren't controlled by dubious/secret/obviously-sketchy third parties?

Re: Adblock Sold to Mystery Company

#5

I'm glad to see this here. I saw this update yesterday, and the text was so typical of a company-acquisition-I-should- not -trust. Excerpt: "I believe this is a great thing for you users". Yet this is not accompanied by anything that suggests how users will possibly benefit from any of this. Can someone suggest alternatives to Adblock that aren't controlled by dubious/secret/obviously-sketchy third parties?

uBlock

Re: Adblock Sold to Mystery Company

#6

I'm glad to see this here. I saw this update yesterday, and the text was so typical of a company-acquisition-I-should- not -trust. Excerpt: "I believe this is a great thing for you users". Yet this is not accompanied by anything that suggests how users will possibly benefit from any of this. Can someone suggest alternatives to Adblock that aren't controlled by dubious/secret/obviously-sketchy third parties?

Check out uBlock Origin.

Re: Adblock Sold to Mystery Company

#7
post #2

I've always wondered what happens if a browser extension gets taken over by an entity someday that puts in bad code after millions of people have it installed and it gets auto-updated. Sure it's open-source and will get noticed eventually, but there will be days if not weeks of exposure. Same thing for all those android apps you have installed. If it doesn't add permissions, you'll never get a warning that something…

http://www.pcworld.com/article/2089580/spammers-buy-chrome-e...

Re: Adblock Sold to Mystery Company

#8
post #2

I've always wondered what happens if a browser extension gets taken over by an entity someday that puts in bad code after millions of people have it installed and it gets auto-updated. Sure it's open-source and will get noticed eventually, but there will be days if not weeks of exposure. Same thing for all those android apps you have installed. If it doesn't add permissions, you'll never get a warning that something…

I'm placing 80% of my bet on Google (Alphabet). The remaining 20% on Yahoo.

Didn't get that for a moment, you mean you think Google or Yahoo bought the very product that blocks their income?

Despite all the alternatives that can be installed instantly?

Re: Adblock Sold to Mystery Company

#9
To anyone who is concerned by this change, I recommend taking a look at μBlock Origin [1,2]. It's blazingly fast, very flexible, and under active development. I made the switch about a year ago and it has served me very well.

[1] https://github.com/gorhill/uBlock [2] https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/ublock-origin/cjpa...

Re: Adblock Sold to Mystery Company

#10

I'm glad to see this here. I saw this update yesterday, and the text was so typical of a company-acquisition-I-should- not -trust. Excerpt: "I believe this is a great thing for you users". Yet this is not accompanied by anything that suggests how users will possibly benefit from any of this. Can someone suggest alternatives to Adblock that aren't controlled by dubious/secret/obviously-sketchy third parties?

uBlock

Or uBlock Origin, which seems to be preferred due to disruptions with the developer who took over uBlock.

https://github.com/gorhill/uBlock

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