5 ms·

I'm interested in eventual Google's reaction to ad-blocking software. Will they try to weld ads to web technologies or they'll accept the current situation?

by mehdix 10y ago

Kenji 10y ago
I guess they'll just raise inconvenience to block the ads higher and higher, just like they did on Android phones, where Chrome did not have any extensions and apps serve ads that cannot be blocked without you getting root access to your phone (which is another inconvenience) and editing your hosts file or something like that.
- userbinator 10y ago
  This is where MITM can be very useful. You can still configure the DNS server to one you control, and which blocks the domains you don't want. I believe you can still install your own certificates and MITM the rest of the traffic too, filtering it through a proxy like Privoxy or Proxomitron. The availability of VPN means you don't need to be at home to have a filtered connection, but you do need another machine running the endpoint+proxy.
- zant95 10y ago
  Blocking ads is the only reason that makes me depend on root. I built a script[1] that generates flashable zip and from time to time I update it on my phone. [1] https://github.com/zant95/hBlock https://github.com/zant95/hBlock
  - chei0iaV 10y ago
    If you weren't aware, if you have root there's AdAway: https://f-droid.org/repository/browse/?fdfilter=adaway&fdid=org.adaway https://f-droid.org/repository/browse/?fdfilter=adaway&fdid=...
    - zant95 10y ago
      I know that app, but I have enjoyed creating my own project and currently I use it not only on my phone, but also on my laptop and router (with Tomato firmware ad blocker).
- micheljones 10y ago
  The primary motivation for rooting the phone in order to be able to modify the hosts file was to block ads in ad-supported free apps. Another low-tech method for achieving this was to put the phone into airplane mode while using the apps. When it comes to the browser itself, another common method for adblocking was for the adblocker to function as a proxy server that you'd setup in chrome, and you didn't need root for this. Also, you can just use Firefox for android, which lets you install same extensions as on the PC version, including adblockers.
- denim_chicken 10y ago
  That's why you should be using Firefox.
matheusmoreira 10y ago
Google's reaction is to try and make better ads so that people won't want to block them. A 2016 interview¹ with Google's Senior VP-Ads reveals their focus is on a better ad experience; figuring out what's OK and what's not and respecting that. ¹ http://adage.com/article/digital/google-s-ad-boss-ad-blocking-amp-enhanced-campaigns/302341/ http://adage.com/article/digital/google-s-ad-boss-ad-blockin...
AlexandrB 10y ago
> Will they try to weld ads to web technologies... Yes, it's called AMP.

I'm interested in eventual Google's reaction to ad-blocking software. Will they try to weld ads to web technologies or they'll accept the current situation?

by mehdix 10y ago

I'm interested in eventual Google's reaction to ad-blocking software. Will they try to weld ads to web technologies or they'll accept the current situation?

Kenji 10y ago

I guess they'll just raise inconvenience to block the ads higher and higher, just like they did on Android phones, where Chrome did not have any extensions and apps serve ads that cannot be blocked without you getting root access to your phone (which is another inconvenience) and editing your hosts file or something like that.

userbinator 10y ago
This is where MITM can be very useful. You can still configure the DNS server to one you control, and which blocks the domains you don't want. I believe you can still install your own certificates and MITM the rest of the traffic too, filtering it through a proxy like Privoxy or Proxomitron. The availability of VPN means you don't need to be at home to have a filtered connection, but you do need another machine running the endpoint+proxy.
zant95 10y ago
Blocking ads is the only reason that makes me depend on root. I built a script[1] that generates flashable zip and from time to time I update it on my phone. [1] https://github.com/zant95/hBlock https://github.com/zant95/hBlock
- chei0iaV 10y ago
  If you weren't aware, if you have root there's AdAway: https://f-droid.org/repository/browse/?fdfilter=adaway&fdid=org.adaway https://f-droid.org/repository/browse/?fdfilter=adaway&fdid=...
  - zant95 10y ago
    I know that app, but I have enjoyed creating my own project and currently I use it not only on my phone, but also on my laptop and router (with Tomato firmware ad blocker).
micheljones 10y ago
The primary motivation for rooting the phone in order to be able to modify the hosts file was to block ads in ad-supported free apps. Another low-tech method for achieving this was to put the phone into airplane mode while using the apps. When it comes to the browser itself, another common method for adblocking was for the adblocker to function as a proxy server that you'd setup in chrome, and you didn't need root for this. Also, you can just use Firefox for android, which lets you install same extensions as on the PC version, including adblockers.
denim_chicken 10y ago
That's why you should be using Firefox.

matheusmoreira 10y ago

Google's reaction is to try and make better ads so that people won't want to block them. A 2016 interview¹ with Google's Senior VP-Ads reveals their focus is on a better ad experience; figuring out what's OK and what's not and respecting that. ¹ http://adage.com/article/digital/google-s-ad-boss-ad-blocking-amp-enhanced-campaigns/302341/ http://adage.com/article/digital/google-s-ad-boss-ad-blockin...

AlexandrB 10y ago

> Will they try to weld ads to web technologies... Yes, it's called AMP.