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Tech-savvy audiences block Google Analytics

plausible.io

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Re: Tech-savvy audiences block Google Analytics

#71

Post by happybuy »

telesilla wrote: post #52
happybuy wrote: post #27

As a developer of an ad blocker[1] our stats would seem to back up what Plausible has found: - Despite having equivalent desktop (macOS) and mobile (iOS) apps, most of our users (> 75%) use the app primarily on desktop - Most users say the key reason for use is for privacy protection; even with Safari providing some inbuilt privacy tracking protection - Our app is focused on providing a simple 'set and forget' ad blo…

Can you make this for Android?

Google has no incentive to support effective ad blocking on platforms they control (Android and Chrome). This has made us reluctant to develop for or invest time on these platforms – the platform owner would be working against what we would be trying to achieve.

Re: Tech-savvy audiences block Google Analytics

#72

Post by azalemeth »

lambdaba wrote: post #16
Yuioup wrote: post #2

It would be 100% if I could do it on mobile.

On Android I use personaldnsfilter ( https://f-droid.org/en/packages/dnsfilter.android/ ), which creates a local VPN, there are also actual VPN apps that allow blocking ad hosts, and you can also use AdGuard DNS directly.

Out of curiosity, what does this bring you over hosts file blocking, and how much does it affect battery life? I use dead-simple modifications to /etc/hosts and it seems to be remarkably good. Do you MITM yourself for further adblocking, or just use it for the modified DNS?

Re: Tech-savvy audiences block Google Analytics

#73

Post by timdaub »

thinkingemote wrote: post #58

One of the reasons for mobile apps is that adblocking is disabled. Explains why Reddit promotes it so much. Similarly, wrapping websites like Discord or Slack in Electron also gives the website owners full telemetry and tracking that they can't get in a tech savvy browser. Would an always on VPN, a remote pihole be the only way for privacy?

Honestly, if they'd abuse their power given through electron - surely, we the users would start boycotting one way or another. Ultimately, this purpusefully regressing UX for revenue - nobody likes it except the finance department.

Re: Tech-savvy audiences block Google Analytics

#74

Post by 8fingerlouie »

happybuy wrote: post #27

As a developer of an ad blocker[1] our stats would seem to back up what Plausible has found: - Despite having equivalent desktop (macOS) and mobile (iOS) apps, most of our users (> 75%) use the app primarily on desktop - Most users say the key reason for use is for privacy protection; even with Safari providing some inbuilt privacy tracking protection - Our app is focused on providing a simple 'set and forget' ad blo…

I'm curious how does this compare/align with 1Blocker ?

Re: Tech-savvy audiences block Google Analytics

#75

Post by CerebralCerb »

jokoon wrote: post #49

Are there relevant studies on the effectiveness of advertising? I remember spotting such study. I still wonder if advertising is always worth spending on, beacuse google and facebook make a big amount of money with it, but I'm still skeptical when I see the actual amount of people "engaging" in ads, when you see how much it actually costs.

Every business with a competent marketing department will continuously track and measure the effect of the ads they run, like how many users who click the ads turn into paying users.

My startup has tried a variety of marketing strategies from in-person campaigns on the street, video ads on YouTube, "free" PR through newspapers etc. In order to measure the effect of each approach we only did one at a time.

For us paid marketing on Facebook/Instagram was, unexpectedly, the most efficient form of marketing by far. But I would not assume that applies to all, or even most, businesses. So you should experiment with different strategies for your business.

Re: Tech-savvy audiences block Google Analytics

#76

Post by poisonborz »

thinkingemote wrote: post #58

One of the reasons for mobile apps is that adblocking is disabled. Explains why Reddit promotes it so much. Similarly, wrapping websites like Discord or Slack in Electron also gives the website owners full telemetry and tracking that they can't get in a tech savvy browser. Would an always on VPN, a remote pihole be the only way for privacy?

A DNS with adblock blacklist is a simpler solution. Also, it's the only way for system-wide adblock for rootless Android.

Re: Tech-savvy audiences block Google Analytics

#77

Post by slaw »

telesilla wrote: post #52
happybuy wrote: post #27

As a developer of an ad blocker[1] our stats would seem to back up what Plausible has found: - Despite having equivalent desktop (macOS) and mobile (iOS) apps, most of our users (> 75%) use the app primarily on desktop - Most users say the key reason for use is for privacy protection; even with Safari providing some inbuilt privacy tracking protection - Our app is focused on providing a simple 'set and forget' ad blo…

Can you make this for Android?

On Android you can use Firefox + uBlock Origin.

Re: Tech-savvy audiences block Google Analytics

#78

Post by TeMPOraL »

thinkingemote wrote: post #58

One of the reasons for mobile apps is that adblocking is disabled. Explains why Reddit promotes it so much. Similarly, wrapping websites like Discord or Slack in Electron also gives the website owners full telemetry and tracking that they can't get in a tech savvy browser. Would an always on VPN, a remote pihole be the only way for privacy?

Not sure if VPN would help you much against telemetry in a mobile app. A native foothold in your phone's system gives them access to much better data than they could infer on the server side.

E.g. if I wanted to know where you're hailing from, I'd browbeat you into granting me Location access privileges. If that's too difficult, I'd get you to grant me Files/Photos privileges (this one won't raise too many alarm bells with apps like Discord or Reddit), and then try to read EXIF geotags off your recent photos.

Re: Tech-savvy audiences block Google Analytics

#79

Post by 8fingerlouie »

I used to have Google Analytics blocked on my home networks (through Pihole/Adguard Home) with the exception of one network which my wife uses. She works with SoMe so not having access kinda interferes with her job.

I've since moved to NextDNS.io to have network agnostic ad/malware filtering. Still keep a "special" configuration for my wife :)

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