#ad blocker

anywayyyyyy here's a link to ublock origin, which you should definitely all be using for other reasons than ads interrupting your dragon hole posting but especially for that too

right hand to god i will never pay money for this fucking website. go complain about this. go to the app store and tank their fucking ratings. send a shitload of support emails, and in the meantime armor up against any other ads

TL;DR:

duckduckgo has joined Brave in blocking ads on YouTube by default

It seems that it’ll be also blocking video ads in general but YouTube is the focus

iOS, Windows, and Mac is on by default, but android is gonna be default later, with users able to turn it on in settings

It’s based filter list from Ublock origin, which is open source

full thing

“The browser is using filters from the uBlock Origin ad blocker to detect and block commercials on YouTube's website. “

DuckDuckGo says that

“DuckDuckGo now blocks most video ads! Use our free browser to get the full YouTube experience, minus the ads.

YouTube Ad Blocking joins our powerful lineup of browsing protections that manage cookie pop-ups, protect you from invasive tracker-based web ads, and more.

YouTube Ad Blocking is already on by default for most iPhone, Windows, and Mac users!

It will be auto-enabled for Android soon, but users can opt in via browser Settings in the meantime.”

It seems that it will include video ADS even beyond YouTube, but YouTube is the main focus here

“This new feature blocks ads that run before and during your videos, letting you watch YouTube without the interruptions.”

They’ve been protecting their users from ADs for a while now

“We block tracker-powered web ads before they can load.

We have Global Privacy Control enabled by default, expressing your opt-out rights by telling websites not to sell or share your personal information.

We can even manage cookie pop-ups behind the scenes, so you don’t have to deal with the distraction.”

They are joining the Brave browser that also turn off ads by default

how to turn on

It’s on by default if your on, default for iOS, Windows, and Mac

For android, it’ll be on by default soon, but you just need to go into settings and than ad blocking

You can do this for all devices to turn it off and and on

“Please note: if you’re on a mobile device, links to YouTube videos may open in the YouTube app by default.

To enjoy DuckDuckGo’s YouTube Ad Blocking, you need to open the YouTube website in the DuckDuckGo browser. It won’t work in the YouTube app.”

how it works

Their using a community driven filter list from Ublock Origin

This is open source and updated regularly

“As with most ad blockers, using our ad blocker can lead to some additional buffering times. But once your video loads, you won't be interrupted with ads.”

Google is a massive tech oligarchy (although recently declared a monopoly) that in the past few years ALONE, had to pay out over a billion dollars in fines for multiple cases of privacy breaches through YouTube.

YouTube is also discouraging users from taking measures recommended by the FBI to ensure online safety, such as using Adblock. And there's speculation of them doing the same thing for VPNs as a means to bypass the newly rolled-out age verification AI.

I myself don't feel comfortable putting my sensitive personal information, biometrics, and online data in the hands of a corporation with that kind of reputation. The problem is, being as large as they are, it is near impossible to boycott Google entirely, especially for Android users.

One option is to switch to Apple (the other large oligarchy), but then you're still facing the same issue, just with a different company. We could also go back to analog means of communicating and ditch our phones entirely, but nowadays, this is impractical for anyone with a job or a bank account. So, what else can we do?

Below is a GitHub compilation of privacy-focused alternatives to (almost) everything Google owns.

I encourage Android users to look at this list and make the necessary changes BEFORE 2026, when Google is scheduled to restrict unverified APKs (mobile apps) outside of the Google Play store.

I will admit, de-Googling your devices is tedious and risky. You need a good understanding of technical navigation and troubleshooting skills. If you fuck up, Android repair centers may void your warranty (If that happens, you have protections under the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act. Research this and make them prove that your alterations are what caused the malfunction). This is a full-time job, and even with the amount of time I have (and continue to) dedicate to this, I will still walk away with multiple Google products installed on my phone simply because it's the only or the best option right now.

I cannot go over everything on how to de-google your devices on this post alone. But I can leave you with a few tips and resources to begin:

The easiest de-googling you can do as a beginner is to get rid of your Google search engine and Chrome web browser. When finding a replacement, ensure it is one that is not owned by Google and prioritizes user privacy. Reference this website to determine what browser is best for you in terms of privacy.

Install anti-tracker and ad-blocker browser extensions on your non-Chromium browser. I personally use Privacy Badger and uBlock Origin.

When deciding which VPN to use, look up that company's country of origin. It may fall within the Eyes of Alliance and will not actually be safe at protecting your data. It is recommended you do NOT get a VPN based in these 14 countries. I personally recommend either NordVPN or ProtonVPN.

When choosing which Play Store apps to download, click on the app first and scroll down and select Data Safety. You will see a box that looks like this:

You want to look for an app that only collects necessary information in order to function, will NOT share your information with third parties without a legitimate reason to do so (i.e. DoorDash may share your info with the restaurant you ordered from), encrypts your data, and provides you a means to delete your account and collected data upon request. Other APK store apps should have similar disclosures displayed.

Turn off your smart device's ability to respond to an audio command to activate ("Hey, Google", "Alexa", etc.). The fact that the device is actively listening for that command means that it is ALWAYS listening and collecting everything you're saying to share with advertisers (That's the best case scenario. Worse case scenario, imagine there is a data breach and your private conversations are shared with people with malicious intent). Get in the habit of pressing a button first in order to activate voice assistant if you must use it.

I recommend watching videos to guide you on what to disable, enable, or modify for your Android device or Google accounts to better ensure your privacy. You can check out these playlists by Payette Forward, The Hated One, Naomi Brockwell, and DeGoogled Life. These channels have plenty of resources on iOS devices as well.

Yes, you.

I've been seeing people lately complaining that they can't install ad blockers on their phones or tablets, but you can and it's pretty easy to do.

First, stop installing apps that just load websites. That means don't install the youtube app, the tumblr app, the twitter app, the reddit app, or anything else that you could just open in a web browser instead. Some services require the apps for specific functions, but you can browse almost any website with just a web browser, same way you would on a PC.

Second step is to download Firefox (On android, apple hates you) Even the android version of Firefox supports addons, including Ublock Origin. The full version of Ublock Origin, not some watered down version. You can load all the same lists as the PC version, and there's even ones you can toggle in the settings that will remove those stupid "This website is better on the App!!!" banners. You can also install SponsorBlock to skip ads baked into youtube videos. Disabling the youtube app (Most phones won't let you uninstall it, but you can still disable it) will also stop youtube links from opening the app and open the videos in your default web browser instead (Firefox)