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Ad Fraud Scheme Drained Users’ Batteries By Running Hidden Video Ads In Android

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Re: Ad Fraud Scheme Drained Users’ Batteries By Running Hidden Video Ads In Android

#92

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Just as if you were to buy a child’s toy that has a secret embedded camera that streams to some foreign server. It may be the manufacturers fault, but the person who sold it to you (the provider) is liable. Should be the same here

Right, and from the POV of the child, the parent is liable.

The child is crying, because the parent took the toy away.

Re: Ad Fraud Scheme Drained Users’ Batteries By Running Hidden Video Ads In Android

#93

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Right, and from the POV of the child, the parent is liable.

Liable is a bit strong word here, liability without fault is mainly rejected concept in modern world.

If so, why is the retailer liable but not the parent?

Re: Ad Fraud Scheme Drained Users’ Batteries By Running Hidden Video Ads In Android

#94
post #74

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> What a weird way to start off. You should probably elaborate on that The point I'm trying to get across is that something can be critical to a functioning system even if on its own it doesn't look very impressive. Voters are the scourge of every democracy, they push for all sorts of stupid policies and usually get them. > Regarding number 1: like what? Literally everything? You've identified 3 product categories fo…

> The point I'm trying to get across is that something can be critical to a functioning system even if on its own it doesn't look very impressive. Voters are the scourge of every democracy, they push for all sorts of stupid policies and usually get them. I'd love if you could expand how this applies to advertising. Voters are critical to democracy. Advertising isn't critical to society, it's mostly a way for a lot of…

> Voters are critical to democracy. Advertising isn't critical to society

Advertising is absolutely critical to society. Without advertising we can't figure out what companies are selling, because they can't tell us. That puts a real crimp of having a functioning economy.

I don't have statistics handy, but I assure you that if advertising were generally banned there would be a lot less, say, smartphone owners. If you think the average person is capable of figuring out what is available from word of mouth you are grossly overestimating what a normal person is capable of.

> Advertising isn't critical to society, it's mostly a way for a lot of people to waste a lot of time, man-hours and natural resources on zero-sum game

It isn't a zero sum game. It is value add. People can't exchange money for goods and services they want if they can't find a vendor selling said goods and services.

Re: Ad Fraud Scheme Drained Users’ Batteries By Running Hidden Video Ads In Android

#95
post #74

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Voters are also usually not responsible enough to handle democracy either, and yet here we are. What a weird way to start off. You should probably elaborate on that for it to make any sense outside of a high school economics class. Regarding number 1: like what? I’ve never met anyone who looked really happy about seeing an ad for hot singles in their area, that they should feel insecure about how they look in linge…

> What a weird way to start off. You should probably elaborate on that The point I'm trying to get across is that something can be critical to a functioning system even if on its own it doesn't look very impressive. Voters are the scourge of every democracy, they push for all sorts of stupid policies and usually get them. > Regarding number 1: like what? Literally everything? You've identified 3 product categories fo…

Oh, ok, so it’s his/her fault for seeing the “wrong” ads? Gotcha.

Re: Ad Fraud Scheme Drained Users’ Batteries By Running Hidden Video Ads In Android

#96
post #94

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> The point I'm trying to get across is that something can be critical to a functioning system even if on its own it doesn't look very impressive. Voters are the scourge of every democracy, they push for all sorts of stupid policies and usually get them. I'd love if you could expand how this applies to advertising. Voters are critical to democracy. Advertising isn't critical to society, it's mostly a way for a lot of…

> Voters are critical to democracy. Advertising isn't critical to society Advertising is absolutely critical to society. Without advertising we can't figure out what companies are selling, because they can't tell us. That puts a real crimp of having a functioning economy. I don't have statistics handy, but I assure you that if advertising were generally banned there would be a lot less, say, smartphone owners. If you…

> if you weren't allowed to advertise, say, smartphones there would be a lot less smartphone owners.

That would certainly be a net benefit to societies mental health.

Re: Ad Fraud Scheme Drained Users’ Batteries By Running Hidden Video Ads In Android

#97

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Right, and from the POV of the child, the parent is liable.

Liable is a bit strong word here, liability without fault is mainly rejected concept in modern world.

"without fault"? Is it reasonable to assume that a cheap internet connected toy with a video camera and microphone is secure enough to use without any precautions?

Re: Ad Fraud Scheme Drained Users’ Batteries By Running Hidden Video Ads In Android

#98

Isn’t the real issue here a technical one with MoPub’s ad platform? How is it possible that a banner ad can open hidden off-screen views, and play video ads using a different (fraudulent) publisher ID? Can’t banners be sandboxed in order to prevent such activity, or at least detect it?

I think I have written than more than a dozen times already :)

NoRoot Firewall for android devices. You make a Global Filter (aka firewall rule) that writes: asterisk.XYZ.com:asterisk and you are done with that specific tracker/advertiser. Sometimes they don't use URLs but IPs, in which case I take the extra 30 seconds to check who does the IP belong to on www.ipaddress.com and if it is a CDN, I allow it (only for the app), if it is MoPub, Adjust, etc. they get a royal block on 123.123.asterisk.asterisk:asterisk to get done with it.

NoRoot firewall also has a "Access Log" tab which shows which connections have gone through and which are rejected, so you can fine tune further.

Edit: replaced asterisks with the word "asterisk"

Re: Ad Fraud Scheme Drained Users’ Batteries By Running Hidden Video Ads In Android

#99
post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Advertising is a scourge upon society. I understand where you're coming from, but that's painting with a pretty broad brush. Advertising covers everything from the signage stating the name of the mom-and-pop shop on the corner (which is why cities often limit the size of logos/names on building) to billboards on the side of the freeway. It covers movie trailers I seek out ant watch to see what's coming soon to comm…

Have you tried not seeking out movie trailers and seeing how your life changes as a result? Between my television avoidance, adblocking, and theater avoidance, I've not seen a movie trailer in many years. Instead of deliberately blasting your brain with fast paced A/V propaganda for a minute or two, try learning about movies through word of mouth with people who share your general interests.

Yes, but then I miss stuff I would have wanted to watch, or more accurately miss it longer than I would have wanted to. If a show or movie is genuinely engaging or thought provoking then I want to know, because material like that has value to me.

Re: Ad Fraud Scheme Drained Users’ Batteries By Running Hidden Video Ads In Android

#100

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Liable is a bit strong word here, liability without fault is mainly rejected concept in modern world.

If so, why is the retailer liable but not the parent?

I think retailer's liability here is also limited.

Imagine you are a shop selling cola in can.

If coca cola company put some unhealthy stuff in, you are not liable just for selling it. But if you made the stuff unhealthy because you stored it in direct sunlight long time, you are liable.

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