Blockads
Security and privacy
ad blocking
SHOW HN2016
How HN took it
22 positive, 19 neutral or asking, 2 mixed, 18 critical, out of 61 comments about the project. Thread score -0.04.
Idea: 11 for, 8 againstPrivacy: 7 for, 1 againstExecution: 0 for, 6 againstPerformance: 2 for, 1 againstDesign: 2 for, 1 against
The thread, comment by comment
Each row is a top-level comment and its replies, in HN's order. Select a cell to open that comment on HN.
positive neutral or mixed critical about another commenter or something else the maker
What HN said
Objections
Ad blocking harms the revenue that funds free websites
From 3 comments
I don't get it. A big part of the web is paid by ads. Lots of websites rely on (non-invasive) ads to sustain themselves and provide content to anyone for free. It's safe to say…
agopaul on HNAds pay for some web sites. People pay for ads because they want the attention of the sites' readers to get them to buy their products. People buy their products, which pays for…
morsch on HNI've never seen a group so ready and willing to destroy their chances at future success. Ads are pretty much the only way to make a living when you are bootstrapping. These…
bobby_9x on HN
Blocker detection misses host-file and other blocking methods
From 4 comments
I'm using Dan Pollock's hosts file method[1] which is detected by Wired and Forbes, but not this site. [1]: http://someonewhocares.org/hosts/
accommodavid on HNChecked Firefox and Chrome, with uMatrix in a typical configuration that blocks all but first-party requests and external images and CSS by default and a default set of common AD…
drdaeman on HNI visited the site from an iOS device with Purify installed and enabled for 'Ads and Tracking'. The site told me It didn't detect an ad blocker.
rahimnathwani on HNDoesn't appear to detect the use of Privacy Badger on Firefox.
psynapse on HN
Ad blocking is a misnomer; the real concern is tracking and malware
From 2 comments
Ad blocking is a rhetorical misnomer. It's not ad blocking, it's malware blocking. I have no problem with ads and would allow to be subjected to them if cookies, trackers,…
SCAQTony on HNIt's mostly about tracking for me.
Touche on HN
Requests
Detect more blocking methods such as host files and other blockers
From 3 comments
I'm using Dan Pollock's hosts file method[1] which is detected by Wired and Forbes, but not this site. [1]: http://someonewhocares.org/hosts/
accommodavid on HNChecked Firefox and Chrome, with uMatrix in a typical configuration that blocks all but first-party requests and external images and CSS by default and a default set of common AD…
drdaeman on HNI visited the site from an iOS device with Purify installed and enabled for 'Ads and Tracking'. The site told me It didn't detect an ad blocker.
rahimnathwani on HN
Link to the right extension for the user's browser instead of uBlock Origin on GitHub
From 1 comment
I visited it on Firefox mobile and it correctly detected that I didn't have adblock (as I tend to only read HN and technical blogs on my phone), but the link send me to uBlock…
Coding_Cat on HN
Support Ghostery and Privacy Badger detection
From 2 comments
I'm simply using Ghostery to block any ad trackers and other scripts. Which this site tells me it's apparently not enough.
ricardolopes on HNDoesn't appear to detect the use of Privacy Badger on Firefox.
psynapse on HN
Questions
Why should people block ads when ads fund the web?
From 2 comments
The "Why?" text didn't convince me at all, so... why? I'm serious. I don't mind ads and I don't mind being tracked. On the contrary I've found interesting products on banners,…
Kiro on HNI don't get it. A big part of the web is paid by ads. Lots of websites rely on (non-invasive) ads to sustain themselves and provide content to anyone for free. It's safe to say…
agopaul on HN
Alternatives named
uBlock Origin
From 2 comments
I visited it on Firefox mobile and it correctly detected that I didn't have adblock (as I tend to only read HN and technical blogs on my phone), but the link send me to uBlock…
Coding_Cat on HNHmm. I'm conflicted. I am very much against tracking, and ads that track retarget and abuse me, so am very restrictive in terms of what I let near my browser. I'd also be very…
anexprogrammer on HN
Adblock Plus
Privacy Badger
From 1 comment
One thing about this, is that I don't particularly want an ad-blocker per se: I want a malicious-or-annoying-stuff blocker. So I primarily use Privacy Badger, which dynamically…
andrewaylett on HN
Ghostery
From 1 comment
I'm simply using Ghostery to block any ad trackers and other scripts. Which this site tells me it's apparently not enough.
ricardolopes on HN