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Google cracks down on VPN based adblockers

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Re: Google cracks down on VPN based adblockers

#581

Post by leokennis »

laundermaf wrote: post #490
smileybarry wrote: post #162

I started using NextDNS years ago and it's been a blessing. Blocks almost every ad on a DNS level on mobile devices, and on PC I still augment it with uBlock Origin. Per-device logs also let me debug connectivity if something breaks, and it's great for mapping local device names without mDNS debugging or some dnsmasq resolver lying around.

I regularly find websites that don’t work until I disable the Adblock, usually on mobile. This isn’t intentional generally. How do you deal with that? Are you just not going to buy a plane ticket on the airline’s website just ‘cause?

There is a blocklist with the explicit goal to not break sites (at the expense of sometimes being tracked or seeing an ad): https://oisd.nl/

> Why this list?

> Where most other blocklists go for the "block ads/trackers and when something breaks it's up to the user to figure out what to whitelist"-approach ..

>

> This list prioritizes functionality over blocking.

>

> Thís is the list to use at home, at work or at your (grand-)parents place.

> Users report it "passes the girlfriend-test" ;)

I used to run more strict lists and then whitelist domains or temporarily disable blocking, but I have to say I switched to oisd only and now I'm seeing maybe 0.5% more ads without having to go through that hassle, which is a fine compromise for me.

Re: Google cracks down on VPN based adblockers

#582

Post by Nextgrid »

scarface74 wrote: post #580
Nextgrid wrote: post #513

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The built-in extensions support isn't enough to support uBlock Origin.

What does uBlock do that 1Blocker can’t if you enable the web extension ?

uBlock has full control over the browser's network access and can run code to determine the outcome of the request.

1Blocker/AdGuard/etc use two mechanisms:

1) declarative blocking - where you can specify rules to allow/deny requests matching a certain pattern. Those rules need to be declared in advance, you can't do matching at runtime using custom code.

2) they inject a bit of JS into the page to try and tamper with malicious scripts that can't be touched by the declarative blocking. This is error-prone and potentially slow, and is not guaranteed to be bulletproof as the injected code runs with the same privileges as the malicious code. I could see potential race conditions where the malicious code manages to run and exfiltrate sensitive data before the blocking code has a chance of defusing it.

The second approach is a horrible hack that only exists because extensions no longer have full control over the browser's networking, under the excuse of "security".

Re: Google cracks down on VPN based adblockers

#584

Post by AlwaysRock »

jaywalk wrote: post #358
AlwaysRock wrote: post #299

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I dont browse on my phone that often. I have a iphone 16 mini and it isnt that fun to browse with. I pretty much only use it when I have to to search something on the go.

Whoa, you have an iPhone 16 Mini??? What's the future like??

13? 14? Whatever the version is that came out this year.

Re: Google cracks down on VPN based adblockers

#585

Post by haswell »

cortesoft wrote: post #423
haswell wrote: post #396

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I believe marketplaces could/would form, acting as aggregators for sellers to list and promote their goods, and for consumers to go shopping. In the 2020s, the web is nearing a level of criticality to a functioning society as the neighborhoods, towns, cities we access it from. Those physical properties are heavily regulated and with good reason.

A marketplace is limited… if you create a product that addresses an entirely new market, you wouldn’t be found. Also, physical properties are heavily regulated partially because there is a limited amount of physical space for them.

On the first point, I’m referring to a new kind of marketplace. Essentially something made explicitly to address the problem you mentioned. A generic marketplace that enables the discovery of new products/markets is conceivable.

Regarding regulation, physical spade is definitely one part of it. But the public is also generally against nuisances, including too many advertisements. It’s an imperfect analogy, but not too far off.

Re: Google cracks down on VPN based adblockers

#586

Post by Terretta »

kahnclusions wrote: post #476
Terretta wrote: post #207

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> The experience is so awful when I browse on my iPad, instead of my Android phone with Firefox+UBlock. I really don't understand how most people can stand to browse with all the ads. Most people don’t. Most people who use anything for iOS tend to use things like: - 1Blocker - super full featured, including custom script and css rules. business model is paid software, not ‘acceptable ads’ paying them for placement or…

> Most people don’t. Most people who use anything for iOS tend to use things like: … “Most people” don’t have a clue what any of those things are. The only non-tech people I know who have any of what you mentioned only have it because I installed it for them.

You quoted but didn’t reply to the rest of the owl:

> Most people who use anything for iOS tend to use

OP cited U-Block Origin and Firefox, so I’m replying to them as a persona, the sort of person that would use something, with things that can help them.

The broader point is to share a clue.

Re: Google cracks down on VPN based adblockers

#587

Post by barbazoo »

squeaky-clean wrote: post #554
barbazoo wrote: post #542

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Only if video creators get a cut, otherwise it won't work.

Video creators do get a higher amount of money per-minute-viewed from YT Premium subscribers than the do from free users with ads. But the sponsorship slots from NordVPN and the like can pay just as much as the video earns in youtube revenue, so youtube would have to pay a lot more.

Thanks, I didn't know that.

Re: Google cracks down on VPN based adblockers

#588

Post by JohnFen »

onion2k wrote: post #347
alexb_ wrote: post #216

Earlier quoted context omitted.

95% of users have no idea what any of this is.

Developer wages would crash through the floor and all the way down to the centre of the Earth if ad blockers really took off without users also accepting micropayments or subscriptions for web services at the same time. Maybe we should be a little bit glad that the main thing keeping massive amounts of money in tech is accepted by users. The key thing that most people in tech don't appear to grok very easily is that…

> The end of online advertising is an existential threat for a massive part of the tech industry.

You say that like it's a bad thing. If an industry relies on the abuse of their "customers" for survival, that industry needs to go.

Or, more likely, change their business model to be less abusive.

Re: Google cracks down on VPN based adblockers

#589

Post by mbostleman »

ghoward wrote: post #577
mbostleman wrote: post #474

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Same argument for simplifying the tax code or even completely abolishing the IRS in favor of collection infrastructures already in place (like sales tax) - but what will happen to the multi-billion dollar tax prep industry?

I have a relative that works in the tax prep industry. She wouldn't mind losing her job if it meant that income taxes went away.

Good for her!

Re: Google cracks down on VPN based adblockers

#590

Post by MiddleEndian »

thepangolino wrote: post #2

Wouldn’t favour the growth of alternative app stores? Upcoming European legislation is forcing eve Apple to allow third party stores on iPhones. I doubt Google would get away much longer with those practices.

https://www.theverge.com/2022/3/25/22996248/apple-sideloadin...

Even better news than third party app stores, sideloading. No gatekeepers required at all.

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