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This is why you must block all ads always. No exceptions.

by Apreche 8mo ago

YetAnotherNick 8mo ago
It's not about blocking ads, but blocking tracking. If you connect to internet you are being tracked even though you block known tracking URLs. e.g. Hacker news uses no tracking url but uses Cloudflare which tracks the user across sites for things like bot detection.
- anonym29 8mo ago
  You are not powerless. https://0xacab.org/dCF/deCloudflare https://0xacab.org/dCF/deCloudflare
  - obsequiosity 8mo ago
    The prominent link there not protected by https redirects to the wikipedia page for "uphill battle"...who and why about that redirect is the question being posed perhaps but how alarmist do we want to be?
  - michaelsshaw 8mo ago
    I love your URL!
Larrikin 8mo ago
Do one better, block ads and give them false data on your profile using a solution like Ad Nauseam.
- armadyl 8mo ago
  Ad Nauseam unironically gives ad networks massively more information and data points to track you than if you just straight up blocked the ads.
  - Larrikin 8mo ago
    Do you have a source besides yourself?
globalnode 8mo ago
Not sure that blocks device ID tracking through timing metrics for example. You can turn off java but then you become a beacon of suspicious activity.
entuno 8mo ago
I've argued for a long time that adblocking isn't just a quality of life thing, it's an essential security control for browsing the Internet in the same way that patching your system and running malware protection is. I didn't expect it to be protecting your physical security quite so soon.. This sort of thing should also help put the "adblocking is unethical" argument to bed.
- subscribed 8mo ago
  OS security was in the previous step: > Intellexa also uses malicious ads on third-party platforms to fingerprint visitors and redirect those who match its target profiles to its exploit delivery servers. -- https://www.malwarebytes.com/blog/news/2025/12/leaks-show-intellexa-burning-zero-days-to-keep-predator-spyware-running https://www.malwarebytes.com/blog/news/2025/12/leaks-show-in... Not blocking ads is bordering a self-destructive behaviour now.
- trinsic2 8mo ago
  >This sort of thing should also help put the "adblocking is unethical" argument to bed. Finally. There are a lot of high profile YouTubers who have been saying this like LinusTechTips.

This is why you must block all ads always. No exceptions.

by Apreche 8mo ago

This is why you must block all ads always. No exceptions.

It's not about blocking ads, but blocking tracking. If you connect to internet you are being tracked even though you block known tracking URLs. e.g. Hacker news uses no tracking url but uses Cloudflare which tracks the user across sites for things like bot detection.

anonym29 8mo ago
You are not powerless. https://0xacab.org/dCF/deCloudflare https://0xacab.org/dCF/deCloudflare
- obsequiosity 8mo ago
  The prominent link there not protected by https redirects to the wikipedia page for "uphill battle"...who and why about that redirect is the question being posed perhaps but how alarmist do we want to be?
- michaelsshaw 8mo ago
  I love your URL!

Larrikin 8mo ago

Do one better, block ads and give them false data on your profile using a solution like Ad Nauseam.

armadyl 8mo ago
Ad Nauseam unironically gives ad networks massively more information and data points to track you than if you just straight up blocked the ads.
- Larrikin 8mo ago
  Do you have a source besides yourself?

globalnode 8mo ago

Not sure that blocks device ID tracking through timing metrics for example. You can turn off java but then you become a beacon of suspicious activity.

entuno 8mo ago

I've argued for a long time that adblocking isn't just a quality of life thing, it's an essential security control for browsing the Internet in the same way that patching your system and running malware protection is. I didn't expect it to be protecting your physical security quite so soon.. This sort of thing should also help put the "adblocking is unethical" argument to bed.

subscribed 8mo ago
OS security was in the previous step: > Intellexa also uses malicious ads on third-party platforms to fingerprint visitors and redirect those who match its target profiles to its exploit delivery servers. -- https://www.malwarebytes.com/blog/news/2025/12/leaks-show-intellexa-burning-zero-days-to-keep-predator-spyware-running https://www.malwarebytes.com/blog/news/2025/12/leaks-show-in... Not blocking ads is bordering a self-destructive behaviour now.
trinsic2 8mo ago
>This sort of thing should also help put the "adblocking is unethical" argument to bed. Finally. There are a lot of high profile YouTubers who have been saying this like LinusTechTips.