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Google cracks down on VPN based adblockers

community.blokada.org

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Re: Google cracks down on VPN based adblockers

#61

Post by ignoramous »

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 access).

- Web browsing apps.

- Carrier apps that require the use of VPN functionality to provide telephony or connectivity services.

The part where manipulation of ad-based monetization isn't allowed has always been there in one form or another.

A firewall can also be used to firewall ads/trackers though, and so it remains to be seen what Google makes of such apps (there are plenty!) come November (supposed deadline for compliance). Blokada v5 (and below), otoh, isn't a firewall, but a UDP-only DNS client.

Re: Google cracks down on VPN based adblockers

#62

Post by pryelluw »

lloeki wrote: post #43
heywire wrote: post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

AdGuard works great on iOS. Plenty of other options too.

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

Thanks for posting. Just installed. Was looking for something similar.

Re: Google cracks down on VPN based adblockers

#63

Post by Algent »

buro9 wrote: post #12
bloopernova wrote: post #5

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

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

Does dns filtering work well with android ?

I've noticed most of the recent android based handled scanner we got at office refuse to even use our dhcp provided dns including to resolve local address (forcing us to use IP instead of dns for our internal warehouse apps) and complain about "no internet" because 8.8.8.8 is not open.

Re: Google cracks down on VPN based adblockers

#65

Post by teekert »

heywire wrote: post #39
teekert wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I use wireguard + adguard home. Both docker containers (in a docker-compose.yaml), easy to set adguard as the dns resolver for any wireguard connection. It runs from my basement. I also hear great things about TailScale, will also try that (soon I'll be "forced" off my fiber/fixed-ip connection).

AdGuard Home really is great. One really doesn’t need to set up docker if they don’t want, since it’s a single self-contained binary.

Indeed, I hear that some people even run in on their EdgeRouterX (Debian afaik) for example.

But I also ave Traefik in the same docker-compose file for DNS and certs :) (currently still wrestling with the ports and certs for stuff within my lan though.)

Re: Google cracks down on VPN based adblockers

#66

Post by smusamashah »

Larrikin wrote: post #18
bloopernova wrote: post #5

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.

Use brave instead. It's actually chrome with uBlock built in, kind of.

Re: Google cracks down on VPN based adblockers

#67

Post by buro9 »

Algent wrote: post #63
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.

Does dns filtering work well with android ? I've noticed most of the recent android based handled scanner we got at office refuse to even use our dhcp provided dns including to resolve local address (forcing us to use IP instead of dns for our internal warehouse apps) and complain about "no internet" because 8.8.8.8 is not open.

It works fine against all of the apps, but I don't expect it to work fine for Google things.

Re: Google cracks down on VPN based adblockers

#69

Post by mccorrinall »

Larrikin wrote: post #18
bloopernova wrote: post #5

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.

Try Orion browser on iOS/iPad. Afaik it’s the only browser that implements web extensions, therefore you can install any native firefox or chrome extension from the store.

It’s by the makers of kagi.

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