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Ad block: Difference between revisions

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Outlined the technological landscape of the practice
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There are efforts to use copyright law (e.g., DMCA/spotify/revanced, and German court case) to force consumers to play ads or run other programs on devices.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Claburn |first=Thomas |date=2025-08-15 |title=No more Blocktoberfest? German court throws book at ad blockers |url=https://www.theregister.com/2025/08/15/german_court_ruling_ad_blocking/ |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260113010801/https://www.theregister.com/2025/08/15/german_court_ruling_ad_blocking/ |archive-date=13 Jan 2026|website=The Register}}</ref>
There are efforts to use copyright law (e.g., DMCA/spotify/revanced, and German court case) to force consumers to play ads or run other programs on devices.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Claburn |first=Thomas |date=2025-08-15 |title=No more Blocktoberfest? German court throws book at ad blockers |url=https://www.theregister.com/2025/08/15/german_court_ruling_ad_blocking/ |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260113010801/https://www.theregister.com/2025/08/15/german_court_ruling_ad_blocking/ |archive-date=13 Jan 2026|website=The Register}}</ref>


== Technologies ==
==Technologies==
Diversity of advertisements has prompted the use of diverse technologies to block them.
Diversity of advertisements has prompted the use of diverse technologies to block them.


=== Web browsers ===
===Web browsers===
Web browser extensions that block ads are some of the most popular extensions,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Top rated extensions |url=https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/search/?promoted=recommended&sort=rating&type=extension |url-status=live |access-date=2026-03-23 |website=Add-ons for Firefox}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Top charts |url=https://chromewebstore.google.com/top-charts/popular |url-status=live |access-date=2026-03-23 |website=Chrome Web Store}}</ref> some browsers even have ad blocking built in.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Vivaldi Browser Features |url=https://vivaldi.com/features/ |url-status=live |access-date=2026-03-23 |website=Vivaldi Browser}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=uazo/cromite |url=https://github.com/uazo/cromite |url-status=live |access-date=2026-03-23 |website=GitHub}}</ref> This is likely in response to [[advertising overload]] that has made the Web difficult to use prior to their inception, though the problem has remained to this day.
Web browser extensions that block ads are some of the most popular extensions,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Top rated extensions |url=https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/search/?promoted=recommended&sort=rating&type=extension |url-status=live |access-date=2026-03-23 |website=Add-ons for Firefox}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Top charts |url=https://chromewebstore.google.com/top-charts/popular |url-status=live |access-date=2026-03-23 |website=Chrome Web Store}}</ref> some browsers even have ad blocking built in.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Vivaldi Browser Features |url=https://vivaldi.com/features/ |url-status=live |access-date=2026-03-23 |website=Vivaldi Browser}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=uazo/cromite |url=https://github.com/uazo/cromite |url-status=live |access-date=2026-03-23 |website=GitHub}}</ref> This is likely in response to [[advertising overload]] that has made the Web difficult to use prior to their inception, though the problem has remained to this day.


=== Network level ===
===Network level===
Installed by a network's administrator or into a device's operating system, such solutions provide access to the internet through a filter that blocks communication with ad platforms, forcing them to function as if access to the internet is unavailable. This typically prevents them from functioning, as ads have to be downloaded from the internet in order to be displayed.
Installed by a network's administrator or into a device's operating system, such solutions provide access to the internet through a filter that blocks communication with ad platforms, forcing them to function as if access to the internet is unavailable. This typically prevents them from functioning, as ads have to be downloaded from the internet in order to be displayed.


This technology makes it possible to block ads even on devices where software does not allow this function, but does connect to the internet through means provided by the user. Control over the means of internet access is what makes this possible.
This technology makes it possible to block ads even on devices where software does not allow this function, but does connect to the internet through means provided by the user. Control over the means of internet access is what makes this possible.


For example, [https://pi-hole.net/ Pi-hole] and [https://adguard.com/en/adguard-home/overview.html AdGuard Home] are installed as DNS servers for the local network (typically a single router at home), while [https://adguard.com/ AdGuard] and [https://rethinkdns.com/ RethinkDNS] provide a similar effect on one device (and not the rest of the local network) where users can install applications of their choice.
For example, [[wikipedia:Pi-hole|Pi-hole]] and [https://adguard.com/en/adguard-home/overview.html AdGuard Home] are installed as DNS servers for the local network (typically a single router at home), while [[wikipedia:AdGuard|AdGuard]] and [https://rethinkdns.com/ RethinkDNS] provide a similar effect on one device (and not the rest of the local network) where users can install applications of their choice.


It's not a perfect solution as it is only able to detect and block ads that are served through infrastructure that is separate from the rest of the application or service. Implementing it this way makes it easier to integrate ads into software, which is why this is often the case and a reason why this technique is effective.
It's not a perfect solution as it is only able to detect and block ads that are served through infrastructure that is separate from the rest of the application or service. Implementing it this way makes it easier to integrate ads into software, which is why this is often the case and a reason why this technique is effective.


=== Application specific ===
===Application specific===
Some ad blocking technologies are limited to specific applications.
Some ad blocking technologies are limited to specific applications.


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!"Do Not Track" feature
!"Do Not Track" feature
!DuckDuckGo Privacy Essentials
!DuckDuckGo Privacy Essentials
![https://noscript.net/ NoScript]
![[wikipedia:Noscript|NoScript]]
![https://privacybadger.org/ Privacy Badger]
![[wikipedia:Privacy_Badger|Privacy Badger]]
![https://ublockorigin.com/ uBlock Origin]
![[wikipedia:UBlock_Origin|uBlock Origin]]
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|'''[https://brave.com/ Brave]'''
|'''[[Brave browser|Brave]]'''
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|'''[https://www.google.com/chrome/ Chrome]'''
|'''[[Google Chrome|Chrome]]'''
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|'''[https://duckduckgo.com/app DuckDuckGo]'''
|'''[[wikipedia:DuckDuckGo_Private_Browser|DuckDuckGo]]'''
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|'''[https://microsoft.com/edge Edge]'''
|'''[[Microsoft Edge|Edge]]'''
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|'''[https://www.firefox.com/ Firefox]'''
|'''[[Firefox]]'''
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|[https://mullvad.net/en/browser Mullvad Browser]
|'''[[Mullvad]] Browser'''
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|'''[https://www.apple.com/safari/ Safari]'''
|'''[[wikipedia:Safari_(web_browser)|Safari]]'''
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|[https://www.torproject.org/ Tor Browser]
|[[wikipedia:Tor_(network)#Tor_Browser|'''Tor Browser''']]
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|'''[https://vivaldi.com/ Vivaldi]'''
|'''[[wikipedia:Vivaldi_(web_browser)|Vivaldi]]'''
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|'''[https://www.waterfox.net/ Waterfox]'''
|'''[[wikipedia:Waterfox|Waterfox]]'''
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