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Google cracks down on VPN based adblockers

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Re: Google cracks down on VPN based adblockers

#191
post #59
post #46

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What's wrong with Firefox Focus as a Safari content blocker? I barely see ads on my iPhone and websites breaking because I have an ad blocker is more common than seeing ads.

I've never knowingly encountered a website breaking because I have an adblocker, but I've being running adblockers of one sort or another for about as long as there's been ads on the web - so maybe there's just features I don't know I should experience. Can you give an example of a website that breaks with an adblocker? (Please describe what breaks as well. Otherwise I might not notice it.)

Reddit

Re: Google cracks down on VPN based adblockers

#192

I will never stop to talk about PiHole and how much changed my home browsing experience: https://pi-hole.net/ I suggest everybody to give it a spin

We need a $20 appliance that is plug and play. Most users aren't installing Docker containers.

Crazy though, but hear me out: what about an old laptop

Re: Google cracks down on VPN based adblockers

#193

I categorically reject ads. I want them completely abolished. I will do everything that's in my power to get them out of my machines. If I had just a little bit more courage I would go out at night with cans of spray paint and deface billboards.

I purposely look away when YouTube starts playing ads.

It's silly I know, but I get a tiny amount of satisfaction from not letting them advertise to me.

Re: Google cracks down on VPN based adblockers

#194
post #113

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Even without the ads, you still have multiple cookie popups and banners, floating videos and newsletter notifications to closes before getting to the content. And of course as you scroll down some of those come back (floating videos in particular). There was a time where you could just close the tab if it was that bad, but now pretty much all websites are like this so there's no choice.

Well, the cookie popups are only there because of regulation. You are right about all the rest.

Please don’t spread the ad company’s lies.

There is no need for pop ups under the gdpr. If you are handling personal information, giving cookies etc which aren’t required (E.g to sign in), then ask at the point of signing in/up. Otherwise you don’t need to set cookies, you might want to, to track and monetise your visitors, but that’s different.

Re: Google cracks down on VPN based adblockers

#195

Firefox for Android with ublock origin makes my mobile web browsing sane again. Highly recommended.

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. The modern web is so much worse than the pop up ads of the old web.

Best browser for ad blocking on mobile I found is Vivaldi.

Benchmarked on reach plc websites. If I open one in Chrome it actually freezes it up

Re: Google cracks down on VPN based adblockers

#196
post #154

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I really don't understand how most people can stand to browse with all the ads People don't browse, they app.

And they'll still see a ton of YouTube ads.

Not unless they pay for YouTube Premium (or share it with someone else paying for it). It's well worth it, IMHO.

Re: Google cracks down on VPN based adblockers

#197

I co-develop a FOSS VPN-based (tcp/udp) firewall for Android. The original policy is documented here: https://web.archive.org/web/20220818100735/https://support.g... What the post misses is Google has exceptions for: - Parental control and enterprise management apps. - App usage tracking. - Device security apps (for example, anti-virus, mobile device management, firewall). - Network related tools (for example, remote…

> Ads that appear ... during the beginning of a content segment are not allowed. > Here are some examples of common violations: Unexpected ads that appear ... during the beginning of a content segment (for example, after a user has clicked on a button, and before the action intended by the button click has taken effect). These ads are unexpected for users, as users expect to ... engage in content instead. ??? isn't t…

You are glossing over an important word in your quote, "unexpected". YouTube ads maybe unwanted but they aren't unexpected ads. 3rd party apps are allowed to have similar expected ads.

Re: Google cracks down on VPN based adblockers

#199

I will never stop to talk about PiHole and how much changed my home browsing experience: https://pi-hole.net/ I suggest everybody to give it a spin

I use pfsense+pfblockerng; the end result is similar. It was eye opening how much better browsing is for anything where uBlock isn't an option.

Re: Google cracks down on VPN based adblockers

#200
post #187

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> As a result, less and less of the independent web is getting traffic Tracking cookies are not mandatory. You are not obligated to present cookie banner: you can simply drop nonessential cookies.

Getting money for running websites is also non-mandatory? Are we going to fund them from the government 5-year plans yet? Our hosting expenses alone are 8k per month.

You can serve ads without tracking users across sites/apps to gain revenue. Not to mention other income generating activities such as partnerships, subscriptions, donations, etc.
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