ad blocker Ad Blocker-Blocking Websites Might Be Violating European Privacy Laws

[Reefa]

The ad-blocking wars are getting ugly again.

 

In the latest phase of the conflict, several high-traffic websites have started denying entry to users whenever they detect their browsers running ad-blocking extensions like uBlock Origin and Adblock Plus. These new ad-blocker-blocking scripts typically present offending readers with a choice: Either disable your blockers by whitelisting the site, or pay a small subscription fee to help keep the lights on.

 

But that might not fly in Europe, where using these detection scripts could be a violation of local privacy laws, according to a letter from the European Commission.

 

Under European law, websites are required to get users' consent before they can send you cookies, the tiny blobs of data that live in your browser and allow sites to recognize and target you with ads. The letter suggests that since the law's scope isn't limited to cookies, scripts that scan your browser looking for ad-blocking extensions without consent might be verboten too.

 

“Article 5.3 does not limit itself to any particular type of information or technology, such as cookies,” the European Commission wrote in response to a letter from privacy advocate Alexander Hanff. “In light of the above, Article 5(3) would also apply to the storage by websites of scripts in users' terminal equipment to detect if users have installed or are using ad blockers.”

 

The ad-blocker-blocking trend is already highly contentious, given that ad networks have become a massive vector for malware. While meant as a form of defense for online publications that depend on ad revenue, overall traffic seems to be suffering on sites that use anti-ad-blocking measures, according to stats from the web analytics firm Alexa. The sites' scripts also tend to not distinguish between ad-blockers and tracker-blockers such as Ghostery and Privacy Badger; the latter category doesn't block ads, but prevents third party tracking code from gathering massive amounts of data about users' browsing habits.

 

The premise of Hanff's argument could be a hard sell. Browsers already automatically transmit data about your computer whenever you visit a website, including your browser and operating system version and even some limited hardware information. To make their case, privacy advocates will need to prove that anti-ad-blocking scripts retrieve specific, sensitive information from users' machines without their consent.

 

In the meantime, Hanff says he'll be starting a “Name and Shame” campaign next week to identify sites using anti-ad-blocking code, to make legal challenges easier.

https://motherboard.vice.com/en_uk/read/ad-blocker-blocking-websites-might-be-violating-european-privacy-laws

 

[Jordan]

Without adblockers, browsing internet is a pain.

 

When i disable my adblocker for testing purposes, i get immediately submerged by ads, pop-up windows and too much annoying other things!

When it comes to download something, without adblockers and anti-ads scripts, you can even harm your computer.

 

Adblockers are a must! just add an exclusion for our beloved site nsanforums though!

[Reefa]

Me to if a site says i have an ad-block enabled and to disable i'm of i don't bother with scripts if the site don't want it i ain't going there i can find it elsewhere on the internet anyways..

[Reefa]

I have even noticed lately..Huge streaming sites like prime-wire or movie4k a lot of there links for example are using the you have ad-block enabled strategy.

 

As i mentioned before if i see this i am gone..I can find another link in seconds..

[steven36]

1 hour ago, Reefa said:

I have even noticed lately..Huge streaming sites like prime-wire or movie4k a lot of there links for example are using the you have ad-block enabled strategy.

 

As i mentioned before if i see this i am gone..I can find another link in seconds..

Maybe  for streaming it's easy to find another link,   but a lot times If I want to download something i have to fight anti adblock  . I been using scripts to bypass anti adblock,  since  for like 5 years besides it fun to see if i can get around  something and still block there ads

[Reefa]

Different strokes well you no..http://www.alluc.ee/

 

 

[Karlston]

3 hours ago, Reefa said:

several high-traffic websites have started denying entry to users whenever they detect their browsers running ad-blocking extensions like uBlock Origin and Adblock Plus.

 

They're not necessarily detecting the ad blocker extensions/add-ons.  I also block many of the ad crap provider domains in the router, and still get blocked on devices not running ad blocker software.

[Reefa]

6 minutes ago, Karlston said:

They're not necessarily detecting the ad blocker extensions/add-ons.  I also block many of the ad crap provider domains in the router, and still get blocked on devices not running ad blocker software.

 

Thanks for the extra info @Karlston ..I am sure this will help a lot of users..

[DKT27]

2 hours ago, Karlston said:

 

They're not necessarily detecting the ad blocker extensions/add-ons.  I also block many of the ad crap provider domains in the router, and still get blocked on devices not running ad blocker software.

 

Wonder if your router supports such in a list or you add these links manually. Asking as I am searching for some links to block via router for mobile devices and such.

[Jordan]

2 hours ago, Karlston said:

They're not necessarily detecting the ad blocker extensions/add-ons.  I also block many of the ad crap provider domains in the router, and still get blocked on devices not running ad blocker software.

 

True!

"you are using adblockers bla bla bla...." is fake on many website. they throw it in your face just in case!

 

@steven36 is right about situations where you have to disable your adblocker for a moment to download something rare!

[Jordan]

3 hours ago, Reefa said:

..http://www.alluc.ee/

 

i already have it in my browser favourites. Very useful!

[Karlston]

3 hours ago, DKT27 said:

Wonder if your router supports such in a list or you add these links manually. Asking as I am searching for some links to block via router for mobile devices and such.

 

Am running Tomato firmware on my Netgear R7000.

 

In "Access Restrictions", I created a new Schedule that applies 24/7, and then I manually added ad serving and tracking domains to this schedule, for example doubleclick.net, doubleclick.com, googleadservices.com, etc...

 

Most router firmware has something like this, may be called differently, like "Parental Controls" designed to stop the kids accessing Facebook/Twitter/... when they should be doing their homework and/or to block porn domains 24/7.

 

AFAIK, only domains can be filtered, and maybe subdomains too. I'm fairly certain that links to images can't be filtered.

 

The beauty of doing it at the router level is that all devices accessing the net through the router use the filters.

[DKT27]

38 minutes ago, Karlston said:

 

Am running Tomato firmware on my Netgear R7000.

 

In "Access Restrictions", I created a new Schedule that applies 24/7, and then I manually added ad serving and tracking domains to this schedule, for example doubleclick.net, doubleclick.com, googleadservices.com, etc...

 

Most router firmware has something like this, may be called differently, like "Parental Controls" designed to stop the kids accessing Facebook/Twitter/... when they should be doing their homework and/or to block porn domains 24/7.

 

AFAIK, only domains can be filtered, and maybe subdomains too. I'm fairly certain that links to images can be filtered.

 

The beauty of doing it at the router level is that all devices accessing the net through the router use the filters.

 

I see.

 

Mine is ASUSWRT official firmware.

 

It does have an URL Filter where I can block non-HTTPS sites, even blocked some bad sites or bad ads sites there.

 

I think only domains are allowed in it.

 

I agree. That's what I'm looking at. Running an adblocker on Android takes a lot of RAM.

 

I'm actually trying to find a good list of such ads domains if you can provide some of them.

[Karlston]

56 minutes ago, DKT27 said:

I think only domains are allowed in it.

 

You're correct. I typed "can" when I meant "can't", sorry, have edited my post.

 

56 minutes ago, DKT27 said:

I'm actually trying to find a good list of such ads domains if you can provide some of them.

 

Sure. no worries, this is my current list, they're mostly ad serving domains, some are tracking ones, and a few are ones that irritate me (intellitxt.com for example)...

 

ad-center.com
adblade.com
adblade.net
adcash.com
adexprt.com
adexprts.com
admedo.com
adnxs.com
adroll.com
adrotator.se
adwords.com
adwords.net
amazon-adsystem.com
content.aimatch.com
view.atdmt.com
clkads.com
decknetwork.net
doubleclick.com
doubleclick.net
exoclick.com
google-analytics.com
googleadservices.com
googleads.com
gravity.com
intellitxt.com
imgg.mgid.com
mg.mgid.com
mgid.com
outbrain.com
pheedo.com
popads.net
propellerads.com
pagead2.googlesyndication.com
revcontent.com
taboola.com
a.tribalfusion.com
tribalfusion.com
vglink.com
vibrantmedia.com
vungle.com
zemanta.com

[Jordan]

Huge list of ads domains

[DKT27]

18 hours ago, Karlston said:

 

You're correct. I typed "can" when I meant "can't", sorry, have edited my post.

 

 

Sure. no worries, this is my current list, they're mostly ad serving domains, some are tracking ones, and a few are ones that irritate me (intellitxt.com for example)...

 

Spoiler

ad-center.com
adblade.com
adblade.net
adcash.com
adexprt.com
adexprts.com
admedo.com
adnxs.com
adroll.com
adrotator.se
adwords.com
adwords.net
amazon-adsystem.com
content.aimatch.com
view.atdmt.com
clkads.com
decknetwork.net
doubleclick.com
doubleclick.net
exoclick.com
google-analytics.com
googleadservices.com
googleads.com
gravity.com
intellitxt.com
imgg.mgid.com
mg.mgid.com
mgid.com
outbrain.com
pheedo.com
popads.net
propellerads.com
pagead2.googlesyndication.com
revcontent.com
taboola.com
a.tribalfusion.com
tribalfusion.com
vglink.com
vibrantmedia.com
vungle.com
zemanta.com

 

 

Thanks. Appreciate it. Good to see you not having our ad service in your list.

 

1 hour ago, jordan4x said:

Huge list of ads domains

 

Nice list. Crashed my Firefox though.

[Jordan]

Just now, DKT27 said:

Nice list. Crashed my Firefox though.

 

Light one

 

[DKT27]

24 minutes ago, jordan4x said:

Light one

 

I See. I think I have seen it before. Nice one.

 

@Karlston: Forgot to mention, here are the three badware like ad sites I had added previously in my router:

 

Quote

traffichaus.com

syndication.traffichaus.com

adxpansion.com

 

Not much, but atleast something I can give back or so.

[Karlston]

16 minutes ago, DKT27 said:

Forgot to mention, here are the three badware like ad sites I had added previously in my router:

 

Thanks for those. Added to my router's list.