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Google cracks down on VPN based adblockers

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Re: Google cracks down on VPN based adblockers

#571

Post by mekster »

nirimda wrote: post #59
inglor wrote: 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.)

Some local news site's article ranking list somehow becomes empty with adblocking but I care less.

Now that I think about it, if a site wants people to disable adblocking, they should make valid contents disappear instead of begging for it with a popup.

Re: Google cracks down on VPN based adblockers

#572

Post by mekster »

anonymousab wrote: post #333
kmlx wrote: post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

there are a multitude of adblockers for ipads and iphones.

iOS blocking is extremely limited and insufficient - it's purely declarative and non-dynamic, and with a hard limit on the actual number of filter rules you can have. It is better than nothing but a world apart from a proper ad blocker and more or less insufficient for modern adtech.

The future of adblocking seems network based as it can't be bypassed by Google's intention.

It's easy to use when most OS can have default DNS over DoT/H that can also block non browser apps or even OS itself from connecting to tracking domains.

Chromium based browsers seem to ignore OS default DNS servers unless instructed to use the system default.

Re: Google cracks down on VPN based adblockers

#573

Post by account42 »

hombre_fatal wrote: post #548
LesZedCB wrote: post #545

Earlier quoted context omitted.

the majority of the best information on the web is free

I don't think I agree with that. Not even Stack Overflow nor Reddit are free in this context since they make money through ads. I don't think any of my staple websites would be around if all we could rely on was their charity, and frankly that's not the internet I want to force on people. I want the people who enrich my life to be able to dedicate their time/energy to that end.

> I don't think I agree with that. Not even Stack Overflow nor Reddit are free in this context since they make money through ads.

The hosts make money through ads, the content creators don't. We could have donation-funded versions of these just like we have Wikipedia.

Re: Google cracks down on VPN based adblockers

#574

Post by account42 »

mmmmmbop wrote: post #51
thepangolino wrote: post #2

Wouldn’t favour the growth of alternative app stores? Upcoming European legislation is forcing eve Apple to allow third party stores on iPhones. I doubt Google would get away much longer with those practices.

Third party app stores have always been allowed on Android.

That is only a half truth with how restricted they are - e.g. they can't even update anything without asking the user for each app.

Re: Google cracks down on VPN based adblockers

#575

Post by mekster »

turkishmonky wrote: post #117
buro9 wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Likewise for NextDNS as Androids Private DNS. This combination of Firefox+uBlock and NextDNS+Private DNS makes Android a pleasurable experience.

On Android, I've become a fan of Kiwi browser - It's a chromium fork that includes the ability to install chrome extensions on mobile. I've been able to keep the same extensions for ublock origin, bypass paywalls, and just read that I do on my desktop chrome environment. It's open source as well.

Use a DNS based adblocking and you're free to use whichever browser you want. Kiwi has clean interface and I still use it nonetheless.

Re: Google cracks down on VPN based adblockers

#576

Post by mekster »

KennyBlanken wrote: post #171
GekkePrutser wrote: post #145

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Or morphs itself into another Chrome in search of more revenue to support their new corporate lifestyle. I'm more worried about that. Since they made it a corporation with all the usual trimmings like an overpaid CEO they are becoming like all the other big tech. Flirting with big investors, looking at ROIs. All those paths lead the same way and it's away from the user.

This really can't be overstated. The CEO's compensation has skyrocketed for years while by every objective measure the Mozilla is struggling if not outright failing at its mission - with a continuously declining market share. It baffles me that Mozilla had/has multiple offices located in some of the most expensive real estate markets in the world. Not just in those markets, but in the very-most expensive parts of sai…

Mozilla had more money than they had ever dreamed thanks to Google contract and they failed to realize how to properly utilize it and must be blind spending.

It feels like a kid who received 5 games for Christmas and doesn't know what to do.

Re: Google cracks down on VPN based adblockers

#577

Post by ghoward »

mbostleman wrote: post #474
a4isms wrote: post #449

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"Developer wages would crash through the floor and all the way down to the centre of the Earth if ad blockers really took off without users also accepting micropayments or subscriptions for web services at the same time. Maybe we should be a little bit glad that the main thing keeping massive amounts of money in tech is accepted by users." Somewhere, somebody is saying, "Maybe we shouldn't sell drugs to children?" An…

Same argument for simplifying the tax code or even completely abolishing the IRS in favor of collection infrastructures already in place (like sales tax) - but what will happen to the multi-billion dollar tax prep industry?

I have a relative that works in the tax prep industry.

She wouldn't mind losing her job if it meant that income taxes went away.

Re: Google cracks down on VPN based adblockers

#578

Post by pwpw »

hedora wrote: post #357
ryandrake wrote: post #345

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And, Pi-hole is basically just dnsmasq, so you don't actually need a Raspberry Pi and the official Pi-hole software if you already have a Linux box on your home network doing other things. Just configure dnsmasq and you've got Pi-hole's functionality. With custom firmware, your Internet router can host dnsmasq, so you don't even need a separate box (this is what I use).

I run pi hole in an x86 docker container on my NAS. No raspberry pi required, despite the name. The reports an dynamic modifications to rule sets are a big advantage of pi hole. Sure, you can do it with dnsmasq conf files and logs, but the web UI has a lot of niceties.

Mind providing more info on how you set that up?

Re: Google cracks down on VPN based adblockers

#579

Post by scarface74 »

nirimda wrote: post #291
scarface74 wrote: post #191

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Reddit

What doesn't work for you? I use it occasionally and I haven't noticed anything in particular that seemed broken.

Scrolling doesn’t work on mobile if you are using mobile view with content blocking on.

Re: Google cracks down on VPN based adblockers

#580

Post by scarface74 »

Nextgrid wrote: post #513
scarface74 wrote: post #190

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well, the only browser on iOS if you exclude the one that’s built in. https://developer.apple.com/documentation/safariservices/saf...

The built-in extensions support isn't enough to support uBlock Origin.

What does uBlock do that 1Blocker can’t if you enable the web extension?
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