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Google cracks down on VPN based adblockers

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Re: Google cracks down on VPN based adblockers

#261

Post by Spivak »

sofixa wrote: post #221
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.

How do you propose sites/YouTube channels monetise themselves (for sustenance or profit)?

I think the only real response is that isn't my problem to figure out. I'm sure you could come up with 10 highly unethical or outright illegal monetization methods off the top of your head, and the argument against them isn't "well here's an alternative" but instead "these are bad and shouldn't be done full stop." And this is how people view ads, it's a values based judgement rather than a utilitarian one.

Re: Google cracks down on VPN based adblockers

#262

Post by cft »

sofixa wrote: post #200
cft wrote: post #187

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

Those ads will give you 10% of the RPM of the ads that track.

Re: Google cracks down on VPN based adblockers

#263

Post by tananaev »

I use Bromite (Chromium fork + ad block) on Android.

It's pretty sad to see Google stoop so low. Back in the day they used to win because of the innovation, best products and openness. Now they can't build anything new and just trying to squeeze every last penny from what they already have.

Re: Google cracks down on VPN based adblockers

#265

Post by JoshTriplett »

xorcist wrote: post #222
BbzzbB wrote: post #150

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Even then, most apps are just thinly veiled webapps for which the site (with Firefox and uBlock) provides the same or superior experience, ad-free.

Except when said web site detects your mobile web browser, and serves a page telling you to download their app instead.

I've only run into one site (Instagram) that forces the use of the app, and I just close the site instead.

Re: Google cracks down on VPN based adblockers

#266

Post by zeroonetwothree »

alexb_ wrote: post #216
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…

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

I would guess it’s more like 99%

Re: Google cracks down on VPN based adblockers

#267

Post by inglor »

rabuse wrote: post #189
rapnie wrote: post #97

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I use Firefox Focus mostly to watch YouTube vids on my iOS tablet, and it is one big ad-infested experience. Just learned I should look at AdGuard and hope that will bring improvement. Update : On first impression that does not seem to have worked.

I don't believe there is any way for blocking Youtube ads on iOS currently. It's a shame, because those double 15 second ones drive me mad.

The simple way to block YouTube ads on iOS is to pay for YouTube premium - it's unfortunate you can't get SponsorBlock through the regular/legal flow though.

Re: Google cracks down on VPN based adblockers

#268

Post by Firmwarrior »

Loughla wrote: post #253
Yhippa wrote: post #165

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's almost like half the membership here are trying to serve you ads and the other half are trying to avoid them.

I do find the conversations here about ads very interesting. I would assume that some of the people in this forum are actually responsible for what we're literally talking about.

They come out of the woodwork and try to argue their position occasionally, but get buried in downvotes and slink away

The position is usually something along the lines of:

- They ignore the incredibly invasive tracking/profiling/security risks involved with downloading and running malicious third-party unvetted ad code

- It's stealing if you block ads

- Micropayments/subscriptions just don't work well enough

Re: Google cracks down on VPN based adblockers

#269

Post by endemic »

Loughla wrote: post #244
camhart wrote: post #229

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm in a similar boat, except for recipe sites. That's the one time I find myself bothered by ads.

Buy a subscription to America's test kitchen. For just ATK it's like $40 for one site or $80 for all of their sites and free shipping from their shop. And that's if you don't use a discount code (and they are always running some kind of a discount). You get access to ATK, Cook's Illustrated, Cook's Country, their app, and again free shipping. It's worth it to avoid all the bullshit blogspam, even without the ATK rati…

ATK stuff is super high quality. Like you said, probably worth it just to avoid reading the author's life story prior to the recipe on random food blogs.

Re: Google cracks down on VPN based adblockers

#270

Post by jeroenhd »

dvtrn wrote: post #192
snarf21 wrote: post #159

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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

That's my solution but it's bulky and consumes more power than it really needs to. The beauty of using the raspberry pi for these use cases is its small footprint and low power consumption.

You can remove quite a lot of laptop and still keep a working machine (all you need is the power supply and the motherboard, really) but there's no quick and easy way to do it, you'd have to design a custom case and everything. You'd also need a laptop that will just power on without keyboard, screen, and other peripherals connected, which is not necessarily a given.

Maybe if someone designs a modular enough 3D printed case design for common laptop motherboards so that you can create your own laptop server easily. In a few years, when USB C is available in cheap, old, second-hand laptops, I imagine you can build quite the home lab cluster with old laptop motherboards if you can design decent cases for them.

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