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The FBI now recommends using an ad blocker when searching the web

standard.co.uk

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Re: The FBI now recommends using an ad blocker when searching the web

#251

Post by Semaphor »

eNV25 wrote: post #220
emacdona wrote: post #203

I recommend using an ad-blocker while visiting that site :-/ Lately, I find myself using more and more plugins to make the "modern web" tolerable. To list a few: Channel Blocker (lets me block channels from search results on Youtube); uBlock Origin; Disconnect; F.B Purity; Consent-O-Matic (auto fill cookie consent forms); Kagi Search; PopUpOFF; Facebook Container; Privacy Badger; ClearURLs; Return YouTube Dislike Bas…

A lot of your privacy related extensions are obsoleted by features in uBlock Origin. Consent-O-Matic: use annoyances filter list PopUpOFF: sounds useless, use filter list Privacy Badger: sounds useless, use filter list ClearURLs: use url cleaning filter list

> Consent-O-Matic: use annoyances filter list

Not the same, COM handles far more than the annoyance feature list.

Re: The FBI now recommends using an ad blocker when searching the web

#252

Post by ketzo »

emacdona wrote: post #238
mmgutz wrote: post #233

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How is no plugins different than private browsing, assuming you don't allow plugins in private browsing. Is private browsing too strict?

That's a good question. I don't know -- I never considered private browsing. If I close a private browsing session, are all traces (ie: cookies, history, etc.) of it erased? If so, I don't think that's what I want. I'm okay with my bank (and websites I trust) setting cookies, for example.

Yeah, private browsing / private session / incognito mode will stop you from storing cookies and session data.

Re: The FBI now recommends using an ad blocker when searching the web

#253

Post by LegitShady »

Terretta wrote: post #184
madars wrote: post #71

Or, in other words, FBI now recommends using Android :-) It's baffling how much better uBlock Origin + Firefox experience on Android is compared to any iOS ad blocker I have tried. They kind-of work but let half of the ads through.

Sounds like you need to try more. 1Blocker is fantastic. AdGuard for iOS is fantastic. MagicLasso is free. You can even run uBlock on Kagi Orion if that's your thing. I use one of the above + NextDNS* and am entirely ad free all the time everywhere. * See also the new AdGuard DNS.

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=34918382

magiclasso isn't free

Re: The FBI now recommends using an ad blocker when searching the web

#254

Post by sailfast »

nulbyte wrote: post #237
emacdona wrote: post #203

I recommend using an ad-blocker while visiting that site :-/ Lately, I find myself using more and more plugins to make the "modern web" tolerable. To list a few: Channel Blocker (lets me block channels from search results on Youtube); uBlock Origin; Disconnect; F.B Purity; Consent-O-Matic (auto fill cookie consent forms); Kagi Search; PopUpOFF; Facebook Container; Privacy Badger; ClearURLs; Return YouTube Dislike Bas…

> Channel Blocker (lets me block channels from search results on Youtube)... I wish this were possible for the phone app. Every now and then I am recommended a video from one YouTuber in particular that I can't stand. Is there an app for that? I don't think you can block within YouTube, which would be great.

You can select "Do not recommend this channel" as one of the options when you see content you don't want to surface anymore. It's not as good as a block, but it does help remove some clickbait algo trash from your feed.

Re: The FBI now recommends using an ad blocker when searching the web

#255

Post by sailfast »

madars wrote: post #71

Or, in other words, FBI now recommends using Android :-) It's baffling how much better uBlock Origin + Firefox experience on Android is compared to any iOS ad blocker I have tried. They kind-of work but let half of the ads through.

Firefox Focus is pretty good for iOS.

Re: The FBI now recommends using an ad blocker when searching the web

#256

Post by bdlowery »

emacdona wrote: post #227
emacdona wrote: post #203

I recommend using an ad-blocker while visiting that site :-/ Lately, I find myself using more and more plugins to make the "modern web" tolerable. To list a few: Channel Blocker (lets me block channels from search results on Youtube); uBlock Origin; Disconnect; F.B Purity; Consent-O-Matic (auto fill cookie consent forms); Kagi Search; PopUpOFF; Facebook Container; Privacy Badger; ClearURLs; Return YouTube Dislike Bas…

For anyone curious as to how I solve the problem right now, I just have two separate Firefox profiles. One has a ton of plugins; I use it to browse the web. The other has no plugins; I use it to visit my bank's website.

I do the same, but because I think it’s important to see what the average use will when using the web. Especially if you’re working professionally with the web in anyway.

Re: The FBI now recommends using an ad blocker when searching the web

#257

Post by agiacalone »

SamuelAdams wrote: post #178
agiacalone wrote: post #115

Earlier quoted context omitted.

NextDNS (or a similar DNS ad-blocker solution like PiHole) works wonders on iOS.

This assumes you never leave the house (which is true for me lol)

As others have said, .mobileconfig or official app work great.

I geek out a bit and use Surge for iOS (pricey and not for non-techie users) and run a few proxies. It'll also allow for DNS override, which I use NextDNS's DNS over HTTPS.

https://www.nssurge.com/

Re: The FBI now recommends using an ad blocker when searching the web

#258

Post by bdlowery »

happybuy wrote: post #101
madars wrote: post #71

Or, in other words, FBI now recommends using Android :-) It's baffling how much better uBlock Origin + Firefox experience on Android is compared to any iOS ad blocker I have tried. They kind-of work but let half of the ads through.

I develop a popular iOS and macOS ad blocker that block almost all ads[1] including all YouTube ads. Will be interested to hear if you've tried it out and what may have been missing? The only things we don't block at the moment is some non-English content and Adult sites. With a small team these haven't been the primary focus for the time being. Other than those though we should stop pretty much everything else. [1]…

What’s the difference between this app and AdGuard?

Re: The FBI now recommends using an ad blocker when searching the web

#259

Post by Animats »

BLKNSLVR wrote: post #206
sircastor wrote: post #143

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Maybe I’m naive here, but aren’t the vast majority of ads brokered by Meta and Google these days? Am I thinking too high level?

Google and Meta seem to have no idea what's going on within their own advertising networks. Similarly to all the stories (with two currently in the front page of HN, eBay and PayPal) about algorithms that are just insufficient for the range of realistic scenarios these companies must deal with on a regular basis. It's merely the equation of profit outweighing customer service. Admittedly, they're working on a scale t…

> Google and Meta seem to have no idea what's going on within their own advertising networks.

Which is the problem.

Distributors of ads need a solid Know Your Customer program, so you can find the crooks. Otherwise, they have to accept liability for scams they help promote.

Re: The FBI now recommends using an ad blocker when searching the web

#260

Post by bdlowery »

hilbert42 wrote: post #173
hailwren wrote: post #86

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, android trades browser ads for system wide tracking. I’m not really sure that’s a good deal.

Right, Android trades ads for system wide tracking and that's rotten for the user. Moreover, Android's tacking mechanism is brilliantly effective—one has to admire Google's ingenuity for its receiver/signalling system. It's so integral to Android that one can view the O/S as built around it rather than it as an addition/add-on to the O/S. Essentially, Android is an O/S built around an ingenious spying system. It's ju…

Man, some people are just crazy. You’re so hell bent on using android you limit the functionality of your phone to it essentially just being a brick.

Buy an iPhone, install an ad blocker, disable all the tracking, and be done with it while still being able to use the features of the phone you bought.

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