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Focus by Firefox, a Content Blocker for iOS

blog.mozilla.org

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Re: Focus by Firefox, a Content Blocker for iOS

#71

Post by mikeash »

talktime wrote: post #36
lowpro wrote: post #14

"Apple doesn't abuse its power" only allows a Firefox content blocker in safari

And try changing the default browser on your iPad - not possible. I don't know why Apple gets away with anti-competitive behavior that MS was hauled over the coals for two decades ago.

Try obtaining a different browser on your iThing. It can't be done (unless you build one and sideload it through Xcode, or jailbreak). There are "third-party browsers" out there, but they all use the same engine as Safari, by decree of Apple.

However, the reason why Apple gets away with it while Microsoft doesn't should be obvious if you're at all familiar with Microsoft's history and current market share numbers. (Hint: MS got hit for anticompetitive behavior when they owned ~95% of the PC OS market. Apple owns maybe 15% of the world smartphone market.)

Re: Focus by Firefox, a Content Blocker for iOS

#72

Post by pvg »

inglor wrote: post #24

I'm so confused here - I thought Apple added the ability to create content blockers to reduce revenue on the web so that more content providers resort to ADs and they get a bigger slice of the pie. Why would Mozilla help them in their goal? Wouldn't it mean less reliance on the web and less Firefox in the long run? What am I missing here?

I thought Apple added the ability to create content blockers to reduce revenue on the web so that more content providers resort to ADs and they get a bigger slice of the pie.

There's no non-tinfoil evidence of this. A much simpler explanation is that Apple did this because mobile browsing was becoming unusable. Nothing Apple does by tweaking their browser is going to get them a 'bigger slice of the pie' than the 40% of sweet profit on selling you a $600 phone. Unless the browser is so horrible you decide to buy a different phone.

Re: Focus by Firefox, a Content Blocker for iOS

#73

Post by newscracker »

callahad wrote: post #33
inglor wrote: post #24

I'm so confused here - I thought Apple added the ability to create content blockers to reduce revenue on the web so that more content providers resort to ADs and they get a bigger slice of the pie. Why would Mozilla help them in their goal? Wouldn't it mean less reliance on the web and less Firefox in the long run? What am I missing here?

Focus is a tracking blocker, not an ad blocker. Mozilla doesn't have a fundamental problem with display advertising on the web, but we do have a problem with the privacy intrusions associated with invisible trackers.

> Focus is a tracking blocker, not an ad blocker. Mozilla doesn't have a fundamental problem with display advertising on the web, but we do have a problem with the privacy intrusions associated with invisible trackers.

This comment is not directed at you, but is a more general take from your statement. With the state of the web we've had for quite sometime, I think the distinction between advertising on the web and privacy intrusion doesn't exist (barring very few exceptions). Most advertising platforms specialize in and indulge in privacy intrusions.

I know only of The Deck (deck network) that does not track users. And that's used only in a minuscule amount of sites that most non-tech people may not even encounter it.

Additionally, advertising has also become very heavy (in terms of bandwidth), distracting (how many ads can you even show until it becomes irritating and impossible to get to the actual content?) and annoying (just stop it with the popup layers, prompts and auto-playing videos with or without sound).

The entire user experience is completely ruined on many sites because of the insane amount of ads present. Nobody seems to care about this aspect at least until they get hit by ad-blockers. Not even large and popular tech sites do anything about user tracking (Ars, I'm looking at you and other popular sites).

Even if they do care, some or many are unable to change things. The whole system is complex and corrupt. Fighting back with ad-blockers despite "collateral damage" is probably the best way forward since the ad industry is not really stopping and changing things effectively or quickly.

Re: Focus by Firefox, a Content Blocker for iOS

#74

Post by milescrabill »

st3fan wrote: post #54

We just pushed the button on stage at the Mozilla All-hands. It should by live in most countries now. https://itunes.apple.com/app/id1055677337 Ask us anything you want to know about this product. Also, keep an eye on the Github repo. https://github.com/mozilla/focus We are still watching the Keynote but will flip the switch soon.

That Github URL isn't working. Cheers to the team! (I'm way off in the corner of the room) :)

Re: Focus by Firefox, a Content Blocker for iOS

#76

Post by mikeash »

st3fan wrote: post #54

We just pushed the button on stage at the Mozilla All-hands. It should by live in most countries now. https://itunes.apple.com/app/id1055677337 Ask us anything you want to know about this product. Also, keep an eye on the Github repo. https://github.com/mozilla/focus We are still watching the Keynote but will flip the switch soon.

What's the two-word summary of why I'd want to use this app over one of the other content blockers?

Re: Focus by Firefox, a Content Blocker for iOS

#77

Post by pistoriusp »

mikeash wrote: post #76
st3fan wrote: post #54

We just pushed the button on stage at the Mozilla All-hands. It should by live in most countries now. https://itunes.apple.com/app/id1055677337 Ask us anything you want to know about this product. Also, keep an eye on the Github repo. https://github.com/mozilla/focus We are still watching the Keynote but will flip the switch soon.

What's the two-word summary of why I'd want to use this app over one of the other content blockers?

"It's free!"

Re: Focus by Firefox, a Content Blocker for iOS

#78

Post by Munksgaard »

st3fan wrote: post #54

We just pushed the button on stage at the Mozilla All-hands. It should by live in most countries now. https://itunes.apple.com/app/id1055677337 Ask us anything you want to know about this product. Also, keep an eye on the Github repo. https://github.com/mozilla/focus We are still watching the Keynote but will flip the switch soon.

You Github repo is unaccessible at the moment :/

Re: Focus by Firefox, a Content Blocker for iOS

#80

Post by mikeash »

pistoriusp wrote: post #77
mikeash wrote: post #76

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What's the two-word summary of why I'd want to use this app over one of the other content blockers?

"It's free!"

That's certainly an item in the "pro" column, but there are lots of other free ones out there.
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