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FWIW, Firefox and uBlock on my Android phone will always keep me on that ecosystem. My desire to go into the Apple ecosystem (because of supposed privacy protec

FWIW, Firefox and uBlock on my Android phone will always keep me on that ecosystem. My desire to go into the Apple ecosystem (because of supposed privacy protections) faded as soon as I learned I can't really have a good ad blocking solution there.

kmlx 3y ago
there are many good ad blocking solutions on desktop and mobile safari.
- Nextgrid 3y ago
  They are equivalent to "Manifest V3" blockers (like this one). It's nowhere as good as original uBlock Origin.
  - dharmab 3y ago
    No, there are full ad blocker solutions on iOS: https://browser.kagi.com/faq.html https://browser.kagi.com/faq.html
hnarn 3y ago
I’m not saying that it’s as good technically, but I use AdGuard for Safari together with NextDNS and it seems to do the trick. Probably just using NextDNS would go a long way.
- metadat 3y ago
  Is AdGuard a proprietary product? I recall looking into it and being a bit turned off once I learned it's not FOSS.
  - Nextgrid 3y ago
    Most repos here show GPLv3 as the license: https://github.com/AdguardTeam https://github.com/AdguardTeam
    - metadat 3y ago
      I'd be delighted to be mistaken, because Safari on iPhone sucks with all the ads.
  - SSLy 3y ago
    the iOS one is closed. Linux and browser exts are open.
    - soraminazuki 3y ago
      Could you possibly be referring to the AdguardForiOS code with the GPLv3 license? https://github.com/AdguardTeam/AdguardForiOS/blob/master/COPYING https://github.com/AdguardTeam/AdguardForiOS/blob/master/COP...
      - SSLy 3y ago
        Huh, I didn't know. But it seems like the repo lags behind what's on the appstore by two minor versions. Honestly, no idea.
- Scoundreller 3y ago
  I use these: https://www.reddit.com/r/Adblock/comments/koowte/encrypted_dns_profiles_for_ios_14/ https://www.reddit.com/r/Adblock/comments/koowte/encrypted_d... I like how I don’t need a separate app (just install the profile) but I do wonder if I need to implicitly trust the website that has the profiles for download. So far so good though. I use the mullvad ones. Sometimes it breaks public wifi signins, so I switch to a less restrictive one in those situations (usually CIRA, which is the Canadian domain registrar) The really nice thing about DNS profiles is that they’re system wide, so it works against in-app ads too.
isykt 3y ago
What Adblock features are missing on iOS?
- Zak 3y ago
  Browser extensions, which can block HTML elements based on arbitrary selectors rather than just origin domain.
  - Nextgrid 3y ago
    Safari does actually support CSS selectors in its content blocking API. However, see my other comment on this very subthread, it's nowhere near enough and is trivial for ads to bypass.
- Nextgrid 3y ago
  iOS (and macOS Safari) only has the stupid "declarative blocking" functionality which is trivial for ads to bypass. In addition, it often breaks websites because it can't inject runtime code (like uBlock filters can) to substitute malicious JS payloads with neutered versions that still expose the same API so the rest of the JS doesn't error out.
  - veave 3y ago
    In theory you are right, in practice it works just as well.
    - vorpalhex 3y ago
      No, it really does not. My iPad with safari and safari filters next to my android with firefox + ublock is nowhere near as comprehensive. Even news websites sneak ads into safari.
      - CraigJPerry 3y ago
        Got any example urls handy? I’m using AdGuard and i just don’t recall getting ads anywhere i visit. I’m interested to see if any slip through. The only exception i can recall right now was youtube but SponsorBlock does great there in Safari.
blibble 3y ago
brave supports the ublock filters
leokennis 3y ago
So you’re trading in (supposed) privacy protection for a couple less ad impressions or broken site visits? I mean, to each their own principles but…
fsckboy 3y ago
> FWIW, Firefox and uBlock on my Android phone will always uBlock was the original name for the add-on that subsequently was ethically compromised/"sold out to" advertisers uBlock Origin is the 2nd version written by the original author (gorhill) and is not compromised. Just wasn't sure which you are talking about
- lolinder 3y ago
  I appreciate what you're trying to do here, but when I search for "uBlock" on Firefox's Add-ons, only uBlock Origin comes up in the first 6 pages. It looks like it's still available (and even "Featured") in the Chrome ecosystem, but in the context of Firefox it's no longer ambiguous which one they're referring to. https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/search/?page=1&q=ublock https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/search/?page=1&q=ub...
  - fsckboy 3y ago
    It's good to know people are unlikely to get the wrong one. It's still called uBlock Origin, and in general I don't think keeping track contextually of when you can get away with a name collision is a great way to do things, and this is an area of privacy concern so I think many of the people interested in the space would like to remain educated about it.
dharmab 3y ago
I'm using Orion on iOS which has native ad blocking and supports a good number of Chrome and Firefox extensions. Even without uBO I have a virtually ad-free experience. https://browser.kagi.com/faq.html#safari https://browser.kagi.com/faq.html#safari
- nixass 3y ago
  Every browser on iOS pretending not to be Safari is also huge no.
  - dharmab 3y ago
    Orion on iOS is not a Safari reskin. It uses WebKit, but the similarities end there.
    - NotYourLawyer 3y ago
      If it uses webkit, then it 100% is a Safari reskin.
      - eviks 3y ago
        How is adding ad-blocking a reskin?
    - wahnfrieden 3y ago
      More specifically it uses WKWebView. You can’t compile WebKit yourself to include in an app, which means less flexibility than non-iOS WebKit apps and Chromium forks. Their complaint is valid (“reskinned safari” is just a casual way of saying this)
    - bandergirl 3y ago
      Again: every browser on iOS is a Safari reskin because it cannot be otherwise. Safari and WebKit are essentially the same thing (download WebKit on Mac to find out) Only “remote browsers” like Opera Mini can currently use something other than the system’s webview.
lnxg33k1 3y ago
Mh yeah I am on iOS and at home I have pihole and on the road I have mullvad with ad/tracking/etc. blocking, and can't complain, I never see ads, I think right now all use the same adblock lists more or less so staying in a ecosystem for that seems, I mean everyone do their choices, but there are harder things to overcome
deleted 3y ago
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kmlx 3y ago

there are many good ad blocking solutions on desktop and mobile safari.

Nextgrid 3y ago
They are equivalent to "Manifest V3" blockers (like this one). It's nowhere as good as original uBlock Origin.
- dharmab 3y ago
  No, there are full ad blocker solutions on iOS: https://browser.kagi.com/faq.html https://browser.kagi.com/faq.html

hnarn 3y ago

I’m not saying that it’s as good technically, but I use AdGuard for Safari together with NextDNS and it seems to do the trick. Probably just using NextDNS would go a long way.

metadat 3y ago
Is AdGuard a proprietary product? I recall looking into it and being a bit turned off once I learned it's not FOSS.
- Nextgrid 3y ago
  Most repos here show GPLv3 as the license: https://github.com/AdguardTeam https://github.com/AdguardTeam
  - metadat 3y ago
    I'd be delighted to be mistaken, because Safari on iPhone sucks with all the ads.
- SSLy 3y ago
  the iOS one is closed. Linux and browser exts are open.
  - soraminazuki 3y ago
    Could you possibly be referring to the AdguardForiOS code with the GPLv3 license? https://github.com/AdguardTeam/AdguardForiOS/blob/master/COPYING https://github.com/AdguardTeam/AdguardForiOS/blob/master/COP...
    - SSLy 3y ago
      Huh, I didn't know. But it seems like the repo lags behind what's on the appstore by two minor versions. Honestly, no idea.
Scoundreller 3y ago
I use these: https://www.reddit.com/r/Adblock/comments/koowte/encrypted_dns_profiles_for_ios_14/ https://www.reddit.com/r/Adblock/comments/koowte/encrypted_d... I like how I don’t need a separate app (just install the profile) but I do wonder if I need to implicitly trust the website that has the profiles for download. So far so good though. I use the mullvad ones. Sometimes it breaks public wifi signins, so I switch to a less restrictive one in those situations (usually CIRA, which is the Canadian domain registrar) The really nice thing about DNS profiles is that they’re system wide, so it works against in-app ads too.

isykt 3y ago

What Adblock features are missing on iOS?

Zak 3y ago
Browser extensions, which can block HTML elements based on arbitrary selectors rather than just origin domain.
- Nextgrid 3y ago
  Safari does actually support CSS selectors in its content blocking API. However, see my other comment on this very subthread, it's nowhere near enough and is trivial for ads to bypass.
Nextgrid 3y ago
iOS (and macOS Safari) only has the stupid "declarative blocking" functionality which is trivial for ads to bypass. In addition, it often breaks websites because it can't inject runtime code (like uBlock filters can) to substitute malicious JS payloads with neutered versions that still expose the same API so the rest of the JS doesn't error out.
- veave 3y ago
  In theory you are right, in practice it works just as well.
  - vorpalhex 3y ago
    No, it really does not. My iPad with safari and safari filters next to my android with firefox + ublock is nowhere near as comprehensive. Even news websites sneak ads into safari.
    - CraigJPerry 3y ago
      Got any example urls handy? I’m using AdGuard and i just don’t recall getting ads anywhere i visit. I’m interested to see if any slip through. The only exception i can recall right now was youtube but SponsorBlock does great there in Safari.

blibble 3y ago

brave supports the ublock filters

leokennis 3y ago

So you’re trading in (supposed) privacy protection for a couple less ad impressions or broken site visits? I mean, to each their own principles but…

fsckboy 3y ago

> FWIW, Firefox and uBlock on my Android phone will always uBlock was the original name for the add-on that subsequently was ethically compromised/"sold out to" advertisers uBlock Origin is the 2nd version written by the original author (gorhill) and is not compromised. Just wasn't sure which you are talking about

lolinder 3y ago
I appreciate what you're trying to do here, but when I search for "uBlock" on Firefox's Add-ons, only uBlock Origin comes up in the first 6 pages. It looks like it's still available (and even "Featured") in the Chrome ecosystem, but in the context of Firefox it's no longer ambiguous which one they're referring to. https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/search/?page=1&q=ublock https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/search/?page=1&q=ub...
- fsckboy 3y ago
  It's good to know people are unlikely to get the wrong one. It's still called uBlock Origin, and in general I don't think keeping track contextually of when you can get away with a name collision is a great way to do things, and this is an area of privacy concern so I think many of the people interested in the space would like to remain educated about it.

dharmab 3y ago

I'm using Orion on iOS which has native ad blocking and supports a good number of Chrome and Firefox extensions. Even without uBO I have a virtually ad-free experience. https://browser.kagi.com/faq.html#safari https://browser.kagi.com/faq.html#safari

nixass 3y ago
Every browser on iOS pretending not to be Safari is also huge no.
- dharmab 3y ago
  Orion on iOS is not a Safari reskin. It uses WebKit, but the similarities end there.
  - NotYourLawyer 3y ago
    If it uses webkit, then it 100% is a Safari reskin.
    - eviks 3y ago
      How is adding ad-blocking a reskin?
  - wahnfrieden 3y ago
    More specifically it uses WKWebView. You can’t compile WebKit yourself to include in an app, which means less flexibility than non-iOS WebKit apps and Chromium forks. Their complaint is valid (“reskinned safari” is just a casual way of saying this)
  - bandergirl 3y ago
    Again: every browser on iOS is a Safari reskin because it cannot be otherwise. Safari and WebKit are essentially the same thing (download WebKit on Mac to find out) Only “remote browsers” like Opera Mini can currently use something other than the system’s webview.

lnxg33k1 3y ago

Mh yeah I am on iOS and at home I have pihole and on the road I have mullvad with ad/tracking/etc. blocking, and can't complain, I never see ads, I think right now all use the same adblock lists more or less so staying in a ecosystem for that seems, I mean everyone do their choices, but there are harder things to overcome

deleted 3y ago

[deleted]