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YouTube's Adblock detection might break the law in the EU

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Re: YouTube's Adblock detection might break the law in the EU

#21

Post by pessimizer »

mksybr wrote: post #12
drexlspivey wrote: post #7

I don't think this argument has any legs. You request a page from a web server, the server gives you back some html and some javascript, you execute the javascript which detects if you are using an adblocker. There is no tracking involved, if you believe the js you got back is spyware you can refrain from running it and you can't watch the vid. Should every website ask for your consent to serve you javascript now?

> Should every website ask for your consent to serve you javascript now? Ideally, yes.

Unwanted javascript is a job for the browser to refuse. Which is why the people who ship browsers try to make refusing as difficult or confusing as possible.

-----

Turns out that youtube also has:

1) the dominant browser;

2) the same interests as, multiple partnerships with, and very little actual competition with the company that runs the next biggest browser in a walled garden, and

3) been completely funding the development of the browser that continually press releases as if youtube's aims are pure evil and that they are the only opposition.

Re: YouTube's Adblock detection might break the law in the EU

#22

Post by Scion9066 »

wnevets wrote: post #14
Scion9066 wrote: post #9

From the linked EU memo in the YouTube description: https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/MEMO_1... Can users still use ad blockers? The proposal does not regulate the use of ad blockers. Users have the freedom to install software on their devices that disables the display of advertisement. At the same time, the Commission is aware that 'free' content on the internet is often funded by advertisement r…

Sounds like this video is trash then?

The video is what had a link to the memo and is what pointed out the apparent contradiction. The memo is from half a decade ago and what alexanderhanff was able to get them to say in the referenced letter was separate[0]. It will probably need to be decided more definitively in court or by some commission somewhere, since it seems like the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing.

[0]: https://twitter.com/alexanderhanff/status/722861362607747072

Re: YouTube's Adblock detection might break the law in the EU

#23

Post by doublerabbit »

freedomben wrote: post #18
mksybr wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Should every website ask for your consent to serve you javascript now? Ideally, yes.

uMatrix implements that. Highly recommend.

While highly recommended. Outside of the tech crowd, uMatrix is a maze to organise and most folk don't care that they are planted with tracking cookies.

Re: YouTube's Adblock detection might break the law in the EU

#24

Post by Retr0id »

LtWorf wrote: post #19
gyc wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Please don't give the EU any more ideas.

I could do without js.

As the "cookie consent" debacle showed us, websites won't stop using JS, they'll just bombard you with consent dialogs until you click the button that makes them go away fastest, which is likely the one that involves consenting to run their JS.

Re: YouTube's Adblock detection might break the law in the EU

#25

Post by andrewxdiamond »

mksybr wrote: post #12
drexlspivey wrote: post #7

I don't think this argument has any legs. You request a page from a web server, the server gives you back some html and some javascript, you execute the javascript which detects if you are using an adblocker. There is no tracking involved, if you believe the js you got back is spyware you can refrain from running it and you can't watch the vid. Should every website ask for your consent to serve you javascript now?

> Should every website ask for your consent to serve you javascript now? Ideally, yes.

Pointless, you are already in complete control of this. Just disable JS, enable it when you want.

If a website doesn’t support your usecase, that’s on you, there is no ADA requirement for JS-free websites

Re: YouTube's Adblock detection might break the law in the EU

#26

Post by renewiltord »

drexlspivey wrote: post #7

I don't think this argument has any legs. You request a page from a web server, the server gives you back some html and some javascript, you execute the javascript which detects if you are using an adblocker. There is no tracking involved, if you believe the js you got back is spyware you can refrain from running it and you can't watch the vid. Should every website ask for your consent to serve you javascript now?

Every HTTP request should ideally be preceded by a dialog button and if affirmative consent is not provided, the request shouldn't be made.

For example, I did not consent to this y18.svg file that this website has served to me. This is a non-consensual violation of my computational autonomy. Just to put a logo up? Horrific.

Re: YouTube's Adblock detection might break the law in the EU

#27

Post by impeplague »

tekla wrote: post #11
blibble wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

you can make the request and hide the result from the user

Which defeats about 75% of the reason to use the adblocker.

In the specific case of YouTube, it does not. The content and ads providers are the same.

Re: YouTube's Adblock detection might break the law in the EU

#28

Post by graphe »

tekla wrote: post #11
blibble wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

you can make the request and hide the result from the user

Which defeats about 75% of the reason to use the adblocker.

I'd say closer to 99.9999% of users who can stream YouTube aren't trying to save data and just want to AdBlock.

Re: YouTube's Adblock detection might break the law in the EU

#29

Post by blibble »

tekla wrote: post #11
blibble wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

you can make the request and hide the result from the user

Which defeats about 75% of the reason to use the adblocker.

if there's no other option it's a still infinitely better than seeing HOT SINGLES IN YOUR AREA or another MANSCAPED ad

if it gets to that point I wouldn't mind the adblocker even automatically clicking the ad some percentage of the time, just to punish Google

Re: YouTube's Adblock detection might break the law in the EU

#30

Post by eli »

downrightmike wrote: post #15
drexlspivey wrote: post #7

I don't think this argument has any legs. You request a page from a web server, the server gives you back some html and some javascript, you execute the javascript which detects if you are using an adblocker. There is no tracking involved, if you believe the js you got back is spyware you can refrain from running it and you can't watch the vid. Should every website ask for your consent to serve you javascript now?

It allows them to create a profile of the users. Same reason android no longer has an api to detect which apps are installed along side yours.

The profile being a "Uses Ad Blocker Y/N" ?
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