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I block "in-app" ads the same way I block "web" ads. Most ads use the same third party DNS services which makes blocking even easier.

by gwu78 11y ago

egze 11y ago
How do you block them?
- joshuapants 11y ago
  Hosts file, I assume
  - gwu78 11y ago
    But Apple users (who do not "jailbreak") are prevented from accessing their own device's files, e.g., the HOSTS file. Apple denies the user reasonable control of the device they purchased. (Denying access to the HOSTS file is unreasonble in my opinion.) But Apple does not (yet) exercise control over the network(s) that the user has joined. As long as the user can still control at least some aspects of her own network (yes, she still can), then the user can block ads. In my case, I use DNS to block ads. It is remarkably effective. But there are certainly other ways to do it.
kazinator 11y ago
Apps can be written to refuse to run if they can't fetch their ads. This can be baked into compiled code. Apps can be written to download and cache ads periodically as part of their "update" process, and display these ads even when you don't have an internet connection. If they are not able to update these ads for some time (say 60 days), they can then refuse to run: "the application has expired and needs an update; please connect to the Internet". New ads are fetched when the user connects and lets the app update.
- gwu78 11y ago
  Have not encountered any apps like you describe. Examples?
- Tinyyy 11y ago
  I can also not use these kinda apps lol. Whats the point of putting in all these features to stop people if it merely results in an uninstall?
  - kazinator 11y ago
    The point is that you may have a really good app that users want/need, and which presents ads, but in some unobtrusive way that users don't mind. If you don't put in "anti-ad-circumvention" methods, then the ads will fall victim to some simple blanket blocking scheme that users set up before they even installed your app, not targetting your app specifically. Analogy: a website with great content and very unobtrusive ads has them filtered by AdBlock anyway.
    - Tinyyy 11y ago
      Currently the people who block in-app ads are people who have taken the effort to root / jailbreak their device. I find it hard to believe that they would put up with the ads.
  - s73v3r 11y ago
    90% of users won't uninstall.

I block "in-app" ads the same way I block "web" ads. Most ads use the same third party DNS services which makes blocking even easier.

by gwu78 11y ago

I block "in-app" ads the same way I block "web" ads. Most ads use the same third party DNS services which makes blocking even easier.

egze 11y ago

How do you block them?

joshuapants 11y ago
Hosts file, I assume
- gwu78 11y ago
  But Apple users (who do not "jailbreak") are prevented from accessing their own device's files, e.g., the HOSTS file. Apple denies the user reasonable control of the device they purchased. (Denying access to the HOSTS file is unreasonble in my opinion.) But Apple does not (yet) exercise control over the network(s) that the user has joined. As long as the user can still control at least some aspects of her own network (yes, she still can), then the user can block ads. In my case, I use DNS to block ads. It is remarkably effective. But there are certainly other ways to do it.

kazinator 11y ago

Apps can be written to refuse to run if they can't fetch their ads. This can be baked into compiled code. Apps can be written to download and cache ads periodically as part of their "update" process, and display these ads even when you don't have an internet connection. If they are not able to update these ads for some time (say 60 days), they can then refuse to run: "the application has expired and needs an update; please connect to the Internet". New ads are fetched when the user connects and lets the app update.

gwu78 11y ago
Have not encountered any apps like you describe. Examples?
Tinyyy 11y ago
I can also not use these kinda apps lol. Whats the point of putting in all these features to stop people if it merely results in an uninstall?
- kazinator 11y ago
  The point is that you may have a really good app that users want/need, and which presents ads, but in some unobtrusive way that users don't mind. If you don't put in "anti-ad-circumvention" methods, then the ads will fall victim to some simple blanket blocking scheme that users set up before they even installed your app, not targetting your app specifically. Analogy: a website with great content and very unobtrusive ads has them filtered by AdBlock anyway.
  - Tinyyy 11y ago
    Currently the people who block in-app ads are people who have taken the effort to root / jailbreak their device. I find it hard to believe that they would put up with the ads.
- s73v3r 11y ago
  90% of users won't uninstall.