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Not the GP you are asking, but I do not use an ad blocker because I predominantly use Safari as my browser. I would absolutely love one, but after Apple made al

Not the GP you are asking, but I do not use an ad blocker because I predominantly use Safari as my browser. I would absolutely love one, but after Apple made all those API changes years back, I gave up trying to find one that works well and is privacy friendly.

azinman2 2y ago
The changes Apple made were to increase privacy. Content blockers that have access to the page have no network access. A separate process that does can only update the blocking rules. I quite like Ka-block
- gerdesj 2y ago
  "The changes Apple made were to increase privacy" Apple gobbles personal data too and processes it and sells it etc. They are simply rather better at looking ... friendly. They really are very good at that.
  - azinman2 2y ago
    Where is Apple tracking your usage across the web? This data is sold to who? These are big claims. Disclosure: I work at Apple, and have seen zero evidence of anything but trying to make things continuously more secure and private. This in fact makes my job (machine learning) much harder because I don’t have user datasets to leverage.
  - dahart 2y ago
    > Apple gobbles personal data too What data and how do you know? This seems to be a popular talking point, but I’ve yet to see evidence. It doesn’t make that much sense to frame Apple’s privacy stance as similar to Google’s or Facebook’s. Apple isn’t an ad business, and Google and Facebook are, plain and simple. I don’t work for Apple, and I don’t use an Apple laptop or desktop, but I don’t buy this Apple is as bad as businesses that are primarily built on ad revenue and are actively eroding privacy. I’m sure they’re not perfect, but I feel like Apple is relatively serious about privacy, making real changes that generally protect consumers, and setting a better example than many big tech companies. Are you sure they don't look better because they really are better?
    - shiroiushi 2y ago
      >I’m sure they’re not perfect, but I feel like Apple is relatively serious about privacy, making real changes that generally protect consumers Then why do they push their crappy browser on iOS which doesn't allow ad-blockers?
      - dwighttk 2y ago
        Safari does allow ad blockers.
        shiroiushi 2y ago
        It does? I see constant complaints online from iPhone users asking how to, for instance, block ads on YouTube, only to be told "buy an Android and install Firefox" because ad-blockers on iOS don't seem to do this.
        dahart 2y ago
        Are you talking about the browser or the YouTube app? Most iOS users watching YouTube use the YouTube app, not the Safari App, so they’re obviously asking how to block ads because the app isn’t a browser, not because Safari doesn’t allow ad blockers.
        shiroiushi 2y ago
        I'm talking about the browser. On Android, you can install Firefox + uBO and watch YouTube without ads. You can also install another handy extension so you can turn off the screen and the video won't pause, so you can listen to music on YouTube that way. You can't do this stuff in the official YT app.
        dahart 2y ago
        > You can’t do this stuff in the official YT app. So? That’s true on Android too. If you want to use a browser with an ad-blocker, you can on iOS, just like on Android. What’s your claim again?
  - chithanh 2y ago
    I don't think Apple (or Google, Microsoft, …) sells your data. Or can you point me to the website where I can buy user data from them? What I would admit is that Apple is maybe not as motivated to protect your data from unintentional leaking. Without user data, Google would be almost nothing. So they have to be extremely careful to maintain the trust of their users. For Apple (or Microsoft) their business is still sizeable enough with out user data.
internetter 2y ago
Check this out: https://kaylees.site/wipr.html https://kaylees.site/wipr.html. It's no UBlock Origin, but it still does an excellent job on many sites.
- stogot 2y ago
  How do I know tools like this don’t send data home? Does Apple’s API work in a specific way to deny that?
carlosjobim 2y ago
NextDNS, Adguard, Wipr are a few that work.
Nextgrid 2y ago
AdGuard is pretty good when it comes to Safari, and has a way to convert uBlock-style rules into the Safari blocking framework (well at least as much as it can), so you can use Easylist/etc.
dwighttk 2y ago
I use 1Blocker
gitaarik 2y ago
Why don't you just use a different browser that gives you more control?
- hirvi74 2y ago
  I find the ecosystem integration and cohesion to be the most compelling reason. Everything "just works." Apple keychain is good enough that I stopped using other password managers and works great with Safari, Messages.app and Mail.app integrate well with Safari, AppleScript works well with Safari, etc.. I do have other browsers, but I only use them for specific needs. Like I keep some version of a Chrome-based browser around solely for if I need to Chromecast something. Other wise, I do not enjoy using third party browsers like Chrome, Firefox, etc., which I use at work all day. Safari's web developer tools are not my favorite compared to other browsers, so I try not to develop much with Safari other than testing.
tpierce89 2y ago
I use the DNSCloak app and run the Adguard DNS VPN from their list. It is free and blocks many ads in safari.

azinman2 2y ago

The changes Apple made were to increase privacy. Content blockers that have access to the page have no network access. A separate process that does can only update the blocking rules. I quite like Ka-block

gerdesj 2y ago
"The changes Apple made were to increase privacy" Apple gobbles personal data too and processes it and sells it etc. They are simply rather better at looking ... friendly. They really are very good at that.
- azinman2 2y ago
  Where is Apple tracking your usage across the web? This data is sold to who? These are big claims. Disclosure: I work at Apple, and have seen zero evidence of anything but trying to make things continuously more secure and private. This in fact makes my job (machine learning) much harder because I don’t have user datasets to leverage.
- dahart 2y ago
  > Apple gobbles personal data too What data and how do you know? This seems to be a popular talking point, but I’ve yet to see evidence. It doesn’t make that much sense to frame Apple’s privacy stance as similar to Google’s or Facebook’s. Apple isn’t an ad business, and Google and Facebook are, plain and simple. I don’t work for Apple, and I don’t use an Apple laptop or desktop, but I don’t buy this Apple is as bad as businesses that are primarily built on ad revenue and are actively eroding privacy. I’m sure they’re not perfect, but I feel like Apple is relatively serious about privacy, making real changes that generally protect consumers, and setting a better example than many big tech companies. Are you sure they don't look better because they really are better?
  - shiroiushi 2y ago
    >I’m sure they’re not perfect, but I feel like Apple is relatively serious about privacy, making real changes that generally protect consumers Then why do they push their crappy browser on iOS which doesn't allow ad-blockers?
    - dwighttk 2y ago
      Safari does allow ad blockers.
      - shiroiushi 2y ago
        It does? I see constant complaints online from iPhone users asking how to, for instance, block ads on YouTube, only to be told "buy an Android and install Firefox" because ad-blockers on iOS don't seem to do this.
        dahart 2y ago
        Are you talking about the browser or the YouTube app? Most iOS users watching YouTube use the YouTube app, not the Safari App, so they’re obviously asking how to block ads because the app isn’t a browser, not because Safari doesn’t allow ad blockers.
        shiroiushi 2y ago
        I'm talking about the browser. On Android, you can install Firefox + uBO and watch YouTube without ads. You can also install another handy extension so you can turn off the screen and the video won't pause, so you can listen to music on YouTube that way. You can't do this stuff in the official YT app.
        dahart 2y ago
        > You can’t do this stuff in the official YT app. So? That’s true on Android too. If you want to use a browser with an ad-blocker, you can on iOS, just like on Android. What’s your claim again?
- chithanh 2y ago
  I don't think Apple (or Google, Microsoft, …) sells your data. Or can you point me to the website where I can buy user data from them? What I would admit is that Apple is maybe not as motivated to protect your data from unintentional leaking. Without user data, Google would be almost nothing. So they have to be extremely careful to maintain the trust of their users. For Apple (or Microsoft) their business is still sizeable enough with out user data.

internetter 2y ago

Check this out: https://kaylees.site/wipr.html https://kaylees.site/wipr.html. It's no UBlock Origin, but it still does an excellent job on many sites.

stogot 2y ago
How do I know tools like this don’t send data home? Does Apple’s API work in a specific way to deny that?

carlosjobim 2y ago

NextDNS, Adguard, Wipr are a few that work.

Nextgrid 2y ago

AdGuard is pretty good when it comes to Safari, and has a way to convert uBlock-style rules into the Safari blocking framework (well at least as much as it can), so you can use Easylist/etc.

dwighttk 2y ago

I use 1Blocker

gitaarik 2y ago

Why don't you just use a different browser that gives you more control?

hirvi74 2y ago
I find the ecosystem integration and cohesion to be the most compelling reason. Everything "just works." Apple keychain is good enough that I stopped using other password managers and works great with Safari, Messages.app and Mail.app integrate well with Safari, AppleScript works well with Safari, etc.. I do have other browsers, but I only use them for specific needs. Like I keep some version of a Chrome-based browser around solely for if I need to Chromecast something. Other wise, I do not enjoy using third party browsers like Chrome, Firefox, etc., which I use at work all day. Safari's web developer tools are not my favorite compared to other browsers, so I try not to develop much with Safari other than testing.

tpierce89 2y ago

I use the DNSCloak app and run the Adguard DNS VPN from their list. It is free and blocks many ads in safari.