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Google cracks down on VPN based adblockers

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Re: Google cracks down on VPN based adblockers

#231

Post by SketchySeaBeast »

YetAnotherNick wrote: post #213
alickz wrote: post #193

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

I don't get the hate on Youtube TBH, when they provide youtube premium.

Yeah, I want an ads-free music streaming service so getting YouTube ads free is just the icing on the cake.

If one is unwilling to pay for a service but still use it one needs to realize some other form of monetization will be required.

Re: Google cracks down on VPN based adblockers

#232

Post by nuker »

red_trumpet wrote: post #27

Going on a tangent, how is the adblocking story on iOS? As there is not Firefox+uBlock available, is it possible to block ads via VPN or DNS?

> As there is not Firefox+uBlock available

Install Firefox Focus, it istalls Content Blocker which you then enable in Safari settings. Plus Ka-Block!. These two together do the trick.

Re: Google cracks down on VPN based adblockers

#233

Post by topicseed »

alickz wrote: post #193
disintegore wrote: post #178

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.

Pay for YouTube Premium?

Re: Google cracks down on VPN based adblockers

#234

Post by flerchin »

causi wrote: post #103

In my experience the biggest problem with VPN-based adblocking is the battery drain when the signal is poor. I regularly spend time in a well-insulated room and forgetting to turn my VPN off has a very noticeable impact at the end of the day. Which is a shame, because Chrome is a hell of a lot snappier than Firefox Android.

Is it? Chrome is definitely not snappier than Firefox with ublock origin on Android.

Re: Google cracks down on VPN based adblockers

#235

Post by alex3305 »

b0ner_t0ner wrote: post #158
alex3305 wrote: post #104

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Whenever I try to use Firefox, I always tend to go back to Chrome after a week or so. I'm visually impaired and Firefox just messes up the accessibility on certain (news) websites for me. While on Chrome it's mostly working fine. I guess it's mostly attributed to the website handling accessibility wrong, but using the web is more important to me I guess.

Install Stylus for Firefox Android, set your own legible font families, sizes and weights; that's even better than Chrome.

Thanks for this. I will check it out.

Re: Google cracks down on VPN based adblockers

#236

Post by ignoramous »

tssva wrote: post #210
ignoramous wrote: post #61

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…

You left off an important part of the exception statement. "Exceptions include apps that require a remote server for core functionality such as:" It is followed by the list you posted above. This is completely in line with the original post which states that their prior version which did on device filtering would be banned and their current version which works in conjunction with a remote server to perform the filter…

> This is completely in line with the original post which states that their prior version which did on device filtering would be banned and their current version which works in conjunction with a remote server to perform the filtering would be allowed.

On-device filtering was never allowed. For as long as I can remember, it has always been against Play Store terms of use. That part isn't new at all.

Though, it could very well be that Google may come down with stringent / permanent bans on VPN-based apps starting November (they, notoriously, only allow two violations before permanently banning a developer account; in some instances, developers have gotten two strikes at once, leaving them unable to appeal).

Re: Google cracks down on VPN based adblockers

#237

Post by TEP_Kim_Il_Sung »

danwee wrote: post #77
Larrikin wrote: post #18

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

> I really don't understand how most people can stand to browse with all the ads In my case, I browse a limited number of web sites that offer no ads (or a minimum amount). The moment I visit a web site with tons of ads, I just close it immediately and just ignore my original intention of visiting that website (e.g., this happens sometimes in HN: people link websites of newspapers, but I don't last in them more than…

Just push it through an arichiving service?

Re: Google cracks down on VPN based adblockers

#238

Post by Philip-J-Fry »

disintegore wrote: post #178

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.

That is quite unrealistic though. You either need to pay up or put up with the consequences of wanting a free service, such as dealing with the never ending battle of blocking ads.

I wish companies would offer the opportunity to pay what you want to remove ads. People with adblock are probably more likely to pay for it, because anyone not running ads is probably not bothered by them anyway. And people running adblock are unmonetisable. So a little bit of money is better than no money.

Re: Google cracks down on VPN based adblockers

#239

Post by vachina »

the_gipsy wrote: post #123
lloeki wrote: post #43

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Seconding AdGuard. Also, while not an ad blocker, Hush helps reclaim a bit of sanity regarding all these nagging GRPR/cookies "privacy" popups.

Just installed (enabled under Settings->Safari->Ad blockers) and it doesn't work at all on some sites I tried. From what I know, it never will as long as Apple only allows shitty request inspection with allow/deny result. It just cannot work nowhere near as well as uBlock Origin.

Have you tried initing or refreshing the filters?

Adguard’s blocking is quite potent I.e. YouTube ads don’t play

Re: Google cracks down on VPN based adblockers

#240

Post by yuvalr1 »

alickz wrote: post #193
disintegore wrote: post #178

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.

I simply use an ad blocker. Blocks all the annoying YouTube videos
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