4 ms·

Just change the alpha values in the `coverContainer` function in `utils.js` and it actually blocks ads. Patched `utils.js`: https://pastebin.com/YLyN2uJ8 https

by make3 10y ago

Just change the alpha values in the `coverContainer` function in `utils.js` and it actually blocks ads. Patched `utils.js`: https://pastebin.com/YLyN2uJ8 https://pastebin.com/YLyN2uJ8

sauwan 10y ago
This is probably obvious, but where is that file?
- make3 10y ago
  The chrome extension file (.crx) is a zip file (with meta data). Just unzip it and you'll find the files, including the 'utils.js'.
  - deleted 10y ago
    [deleted]
imglorp 10y ago
Covering is not as good as not loading. Loading brings all the malware, the tracking, and the bandwidth/load times.
- derefr 10y ago
  "Not loading" doesn't make sense in the case where the ad is inline in the response body (i.e. "part of the site", like Facebook's ads are.) Which is the case where this ad-blocker uniquely shines. Besides which, the algorithm involved is a computer-vision one, so the ad needs to be rendered before the algorithm can recognize it as an ad. The best solution here, if you want maximum privacy, would be to use a traditional ad-blocker as a first-line defence, and this algorithm as a second-line, for the ads which make it past regular ad-blocking (and which are therefore probably inline-content ads anyway.)
  - SomeStupidPoint 10y ago
    You could feed back the visually blocked ads to a system that profiles their HTML/etc and then generates new rules for the first line blocking (which is usually itself a combination of not loading and not rendering).
  - the8472 10y ago
    > where the ad is inline in the response body That only applies to the HTML, which generally is fairly lightweight. They still load additional images, videos, do XHRs for tracking etc.
  - visarga 10y ago
    There's a big chance that the AD blocking AI would consume much more power than the AD scripts and make browsing slower.
- make3 10y ago
  I agree, it's a limitation of the perceptual blocker, as it needs to `see` the ads to detect them. However, combined with a regular ad blocker to catch the ads that the regular ad blocker missed, it seems like a reasonable solution.
- jkaptur 10y ago
  But the whole point of this approach (as I understand it) is that companies may be able to deliver the ads in the same HTTP response as the content, they may render the whole page as a <canvas>, they may go to crazy lengths, but by sitting on top of all of that, this software can still block pixels that look like an ad.
jkoebler 10y ago
Hey—I wrote this article ... if anyone forks this and makes it real please let me know. @jason_koebler on twitter or jason.koebler@vice.com
- deleted 10y ago
  [deleted]
- deleted 10y ago
  [deleted]
owenversteeg 10y ago
Anyone know if it interferes with uBlock? I'm on mobile and can't test now.
bhollander823 10y ago
I made a repo for the patched extension: https://github.com/byrnehollander/perceptual-adblocker-edited/ https://github.com/byrnehollander/perceptual-adblocker-edite...

by make3 10y ago

Just change the alpha values in the `coverContainer` function in `utils.js` and it actually blocks ads. Patched `utils.js`: https://pastebin.com/YLyN2uJ8 https://pastebin.com/YLyN2uJ8

sauwan 10y ago

This is probably obvious, but where is that file?

make3 10y ago
The chrome extension file (.crx) is a zip file (with meta data). Just unzip it and you'll find the files, including the 'utils.js'.
- deleted 10y ago
  [deleted]

imglorp 10y ago

Covering is not as good as not loading. Loading brings all the malware, the tracking, and the bandwidth/load times.

derefr 10y ago
"Not loading" doesn't make sense in the case where the ad is inline in the response body (i.e. "part of the site", like Facebook's ads are.) Which is the case where this ad-blocker uniquely shines. Besides which, the algorithm involved is a computer-vision one, so the ad needs to be rendered before the algorithm can recognize it as an ad. The best solution here, if you want maximum privacy, would be to use a traditional ad-blocker as a first-line defence, and this algorithm as a second-line, for the ads which make it past regular ad-blocking (and which are therefore probably inline-content ads anyway.)
- SomeStupidPoint 10y ago
  You could feed back the visually blocked ads to a system that profiles their HTML/etc and then generates new rules for the first line blocking (which is usually itself a combination of not loading and not rendering).
- the8472 10y ago
  > where the ad is inline in the response body That only applies to the HTML, which generally is fairly lightweight. They still load additional images, videos, do XHRs for tracking etc.
- visarga 10y ago
  There's a big chance that the AD blocking AI would consume much more power than the AD scripts and make browsing slower.
make3 10y ago
I agree, it's a limitation of the perceptual blocker, as it needs to `see` the ads to detect them. However, combined with a regular ad blocker to catch the ads that the regular ad blocker missed, it seems like a reasonable solution.
jkaptur 10y ago
But the whole point of this approach (as I understand it) is that companies may be able to deliver the ads in the same HTTP response as the content, they may render the whole page as a <canvas>, they may go to crazy lengths, but by sitting on top of all of that, this software can still block pixels that look like an ad.

jkoebler 10y ago

Hey—I wrote this article ... if anyone forks this and makes it real please let me know. @jason_koebler on twitter or jason.koebler@vice.com

deleted 10y ago
[deleted]
deleted 10y ago
[deleted]

owenversteeg 10y ago

Anyone know if it interferes with uBlock? I'm on mobile and can't test now.

bhollander823 10y ago

I made a repo for the patched extension: https://github.com/byrnehollander/perceptual-adblocker-edited/ https://github.com/byrnehollander/perceptual-adblocker-edite...