Google’s native ad blocker for Chrome shows up in Android developer build
techcrunch.com
techcrunch.com
uBlock Origin alone has made that switch worth it. No ads in Google results either.
The fatal flaw in Google's approach is that they're primarily focused on visible ad features instead of privacy concerns. I'd rather have an internet full of flashing highway billboards than the current privacy nightmare of today.
I'd be 1000x more inclined to turn off ad blocking if there was any transparency about the data being siphoned up.
More ad blocking isn't the answer. More transparency around data collection is.
From what I understand, the Ad Blocker will work on a per-site basis, rather than a per-ad basis, i.e. if you have bad ads on your site, all ads are blocked in Chrome, including Google Ads.
To enable it in normal browsing, set "privacy.trackingprotection.enabled" to true in about:config.
as mentioned elsewhere in the comments, it's a good idea to set up the default browser in android to use the maximum of privacy and security settings together with the uBlock Origin addin.
these urls provide some good starting points :
https://www.linuxfestnorthwest.org/2017/sessions/security-an...
https://www.privacy-handbuch.de/handbuch_21.htm
the 2nd url is in german but it has great tips (spurenarm surfen = surf without leaving traces)
If you're willing to give Firefox another chance, it's a good time to do so. They've put a lot of effort into performance in the last few releases.
Works out really well, as Focus starts up extremely quickly (uses the native Android Webview), and I usually don't need each and every link in my browsing history, and it also means that my proper Firefox doesn't get filled up with random tabs that I didn't close out of properly.
Do you have a source for that? I see this and things like "Klar has the telemetry turned off by default" thrown around everywhere, but then other people again saying that there's no difference beside the name.
And while I assume, the F-Droid devs actual did do some research, I'm not aware of German privacy laws being so strict that proprietary dependencies or telemetry would have to be taken out. (Klar is the localized version for German-speaking countries.)
Also, I was able to use Firefox Focus on my phone and I don't have the Google Play Services installed, which doesn't say much, but that's what I assumed people meant with that.
* https://gitlab.com/fdroid/rfp/issues/235 * https://gitlab.com/fdroid/fdroiddata/merge_requests/2363
Basically, Focus uses GMS and Analytics. The telemetry is free software, but it is disabled by default for Klar (from what I can tell).
“Block ads from sites that tend to show intrusive ads,”
So google ads don't get blocked? How is this any different than what ABP does.
Anyways qualcomm makes a browser a that blocks ads. They have been doing it for a few years. Here is my compiled version:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.rsbrowser....
I am sure there are other versions too.
That's intrusive.
For other ads, I think it is fair to monetize your site so I don't want those blocked.
I am not sure if video ads in the middle of Youtube videos would count. They seem more like TV commercials and seem to bother people less than audio on a page that only needs text.
But ads before videos probably should count.
It probably depends on monetization settings with the channel holder, but it's really annoying. The former kind, I don't mind, but the latter is almost as bad as cable TV.
http://i.imgur.com/wTbpa8a.png
Excuse the dark theme, it makes the checks a little hard to see.
Can you please give an example. I've never seen anything even close to this.
I don't know what advanced level jiu-jitsu the evil Google product managers are trying to pull off with this adblocker but I am glad I don't have to worry about it anymore. Though I am sad I lost what I once thought was a great champion for users.
There's two (not mutually exclusive) theories:
1: By shipping an adblocker themselves, the number of people who will install a third-party adblocker will dwindle, leading to less development of those and we might eventually end up with the only adblocker being Google-controlled, allowing them to slowly increase the number of ads seeping through without anyone being pissed off enough to write a proper adblocker.
They might even block other adblockers from the Chrome Store on the basis of them being unneeded now and clearly just security risks.
2: Their adblocker blocks ads by completely arbitrary criteria. "Intrusive ads", as Google calls it. But obviously, these criteria are cut out to mostly block ads from other ad networks. For example, Google unsurprisingly doesn't think that user tracking is intrusive.
Also, there's markets that Google can't compete in. Porn & piracy sites, for example. It's commonplace to have visually intrusive (and less broadly privacy intrusive) ads there. Google just doesn't have such ads in their catalogue and it would damage their reputation, if they did. So, by blocking those visually intrusive ads, there's a much higher chance of their ads being used there instead.
The best way to counter that is to redefine "ad blocker" to mean "Google ad server (Chrome)".
Google can't win this fight by telling people to not use ad blockers. They can win this fight by making sure that when you offer to benefit your aunt by installing a real ad-blocker, she responds "that's ok, I hear Chrome already has an ad blocker".
And of course, Google has all of the data needed to keep an eye on public opinion and how well this strategy is working.
Apple's taking the true consumer friendly approach and blocking based on prevalence across multiple sites. Google's approach arguably makes people less likely to install a tool that blocks data hoovering.
I know some people who have.
It is not system-wide, but does extend to Safari View Controllers.
I never encountered an ad on my iPhone since I installed a Safari ad blocker (I don't use any ad-supported free games/applications).
I would get myself two phones. The main one using FOSS exclusively. The other dedicated to the people who refuse to ditch WhatsApp for Signal.
You can also install extensions for Samsung Internet, again without root: https://play.google.com/store/search?q=adblock%20for%20samsu...
I invite you to try my network level Adblock @ https://Datajoy.us.
Block ads for all devices on your wifi with one DNS change. We launched early July and the response so far has been encouraging that such an Adblock is needed.
I think the fundamental issue is that Google's ads are more valuable (because they can target them really well - they literally know what you are looking for), so they don't need to be as obtrusive.
If you just visit a random news site they don't really know what ads to show you (which I guess is why they are more like TV ads - for cars, perfume, etc.) and those adverts are far more speculative and worth less, so they need to be much more obtrusive to earn the same money.
Even if some simple ads could be tolerated, the distribution networks failed. Not even Google can be trusted to show approved, nice ads. They either need a massive change, or they will be blocked completely.
Youtube ads are about as intrusive as ads can get, short of bikini-clad flashing popups.
I don't seem to understand which "problem" you are referring to exactly?
If ads become less intrusive and annoying less people will use an ad blocker, but there would still be a market for the privacy conscious who block ads for privacy rather than convenience.
Disclaimer: I work at Google, I don't work on ads or Chrome, I do use ad blockers, my opinions are my own, etc.
...These include...so-called “prestitial ads” that prevent content from being shown, often tied to a countdown timer.
That sounds a lot like what YouTube puts in the front of videos. Somehow I doubt they will be blocked.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sec.androi...
It could block competitor ads, assuming it will be default enabled later when it hits general availability and the majority of Chrome users do not care about tweaking their settings.
I've downloaded Firefox on my phone and computer and will now be migrating over.
[1] https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.brave.brow...