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I have never seen an ad on Android, ever (not in youtube, and not in apps)
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harry newton
Oct 26, 2017, 6:33:17 PM10/26/17
to
As I have said, I have *never* (that I can remember) seen an ad on Android,
and I *only* use free apps (only the best are what I use).
For example, I use the "real" New Pipe opensource youtube app, which
*never* has ads and searches/watches/downloads/extracts youtube videos.
<https://f-droid.org/packages/org.schabi.newpipe/>
However, New Pipe only works with Youtube videos, and I've *still* never
seen an ad *anywhere* on Android, even though I use all freeware and only
freeware (and I have about 350 freeware apps installed to date).
However...
I just realized, while I was explaining to the Windows people how to
maintain the same HOSTS file on Android and on Windows, that I have an
ad-blocking app that modifies my hosts file:
Here's the app link I use for this ad blocker which adds to the hosts file:
<https://f-droid.org/packages/org.adaway/>
Maybe *that's* why I have never seen an ad on Android, ever?
I wonder what the ads look like?
and I *only* use free apps (only the best are what I use).
For example, I use the "real" New Pipe opensource youtube app, which
*never* has ads and searches/watches/downloads/extracts youtube videos.
<https://f-droid.org/packages/org.schabi.newpipe/>
However, New Pipe only works with Youtube videos, and I've *still* never
seen an ad *anywhere* on Android, even though I use all freeware and only
freeware (and I have about 350 freeware apps installed to date).
However...
I just realized, while I was explaining to the Windows people how to
maintain the same HOSTS file on Android and on Windows, that I have an
ad-blocking app that modifies my hosts file:
Here's the app link I use for this ad blocker which adds to the hosts file:
<https://f-droid.org/packages/org.adaway/>
Maybe *that's* why I have never seen an ad on Android, ever?
I wonder what the ads look like?
Andy Burns
Oct 27, 2017, 5:06:10 AM10/27/17
to
harry newton wrote:
> I use the "real" New Pipe opensource youtube app, which
> *never* has ads and searches/watches/downloads/extracts youtube videos.
As has been pointed out to you previously, that may hide ads, but it
> I use the "real" New Pipe opensource youtube app, which
> *never* has ads and searches/watches/downloads/extracts youtube videos.
breaks Google's T&C
"you agree not to access Content through any technology or means other
than the video playback pages of the Website itself, the YouTube Player,
or such other means as YouTube may explicitly designate for this purpose"
M.L.
Oct 27, 2017, 8:34:53 AM10/27/17
to
>As I have said, I have *never* (that I can remember) seen an ad on Android,
>Here's the app link I use for this ad blocker which adds to the hosts file:
><https://f-droid.org/packages/org.adaway/>
>
>Maybe *that's* why I have never seen an ad on Android, ever?
>I wonder what the ads look like?
No surprise that a rooted phone supports a root app that can block ads
><https://f-droid.org/packages/org.adaway/>
>
>Maybe *that's* why I have never seen an ad on Android, ever?
>I wonder what the ads look like?
system-wide.
harry newton
Oct 27, 2017, 10:04:10 AM10/27/17
to
He who is Andy Burns said on Fri, 27 Oct 2017 10:06:08 +0100:
This isn't misc.legal so we all can have an *opinion* ... in which you
bring up an interesting legal point which I don't know the legal answer to.
The interesting "legal" point is that I never once visited the Google web
pages when I used the New Pipe open-source app.
It's sort of like driving to Pennsylvania to buy ethanol (where, let's say,
it's legal to sell) and then bringing it back into New York (where it might
be illegal to sell) - where it's legal to drink in both states.
To that point, I certainly don't even have a Google account, so, while the
*app* makes use of Google's *public* api, where did the *user* of that app
ever agree to *anything* on the Google youtube site?
Of course, Google's TOS are that simply *using* their "web page" search,
constitutes an "agreement", but remember, New Pipe used whatever it used,
not me. <https://youtu.be/ugKOWtP2K9U>
Simiilarly, but very different in some ways, if I'm on Linux, and all I do
is run the following command which *does* have me "visit" a Google site,
where did I agree to *anything* on Google's site?
$ youdube-dl https://youtu.be/ugKOWtP2K9U
In the end, even if we were all lawyers, I'm sure we'd have a different
opinion, but let's be realistic that this thread has nothing to do with
Google's license agreement (unless that's what you want it to be).
This thread is about not seeing *any* ads *ever* on *any* app on Android.
bring up an interesting legal point which I don't know the legal answer to.
The interesting "legal" point is that I never once visited the Google web
pages when I used the New Pipe open-source app.
It's sort of like driving to Pennsylvania to buy ethanol (where, let's say,
it's legal to sell) and then bringing it back into New York (where it might
be illegal to sell) - where it's legal to drink in both states.
To that point, I certainly don't even have a Google account, so, while the
*app* makes use of Google's *public* api, where did the *user* of that app
ever agree to *anything* on the Google youtube site?
Of course, Google's TOS are that simply *using* their "web page" search,
constitutes an "agreement", but remember, New Pipe used whatever it used,
not me. <https://youtu.be/ugKOWtP2K9U>
Simiilarly, but very different in some ways, if I'm on Linux, and all I do
is run the following command which *does* have me "visit" a Google site,
where did I agree to *anything* on Google's site?
$ youdube-dl https://youtu.be/ugKOWtP2K9U
In the end, even if we were all lawyers, I'm sure we'd have a different
opinion, but let's be realistic that this thread has nothing to do with
Google's license agreement (unless that's what you want it to be).
This thread is about not seeing *any* ads *ever* on *any* app on Android.
harry newton
Oct 27, 2017, 10:10:55 AM10/27/17
to
He who is M.L. said on Fri, 27 Oct 2017 07:34:52 -0500:
>>Maybe *that's* why I have never seen an ad on Android, ever?
>>I wonder what the ads look like?
>
> No surprise that a rooted phone supports a root app that can block ads
> system-wide.
Actually, what's surprising is that it's so *easy* to do.
Rooting my phone was as easy as downloading a single file and executing it
(no need for a computer, no need for anything. Just one file).
https://root-apk.kingoapp.com/kingoroot-download.htm
I used that method because my USB port has been broken for years, but there
are plenty of other methods for rooting, all of which are done in seconds.
Once you have the phone rooted, you can modify the hosts file, which is
where the magic lies in the app that I use to block all ads.
<http://wetakepic.com/images/2017/10/10/hosts8407d.jpg>
It seems to me that anyone who does *not* root their phone, has to be
afraid of having the power to do what they want, sort of like how some
people are afraid of chainsaws because they're 'too powerful' a tool.
Having the same hosts file on all your devices just makes sense but
realistically, what it does best is block all ads.
I'm not sure *why* the apps must be using an easily blocked mechanism
though, as if I wanted ad revenue, I'd not make the ad so easily blocked as
a download and button press on the part of the user.
>>Maybe *that's* why I have never seen an ad on Android, ever?
>>I wonder what the ads look like?
>
> No surprise that a rooted phone supports a root app that can block ads
> system-wide.
Rooting my phone was as easy as downloading a single file and executing it
(no need for a computer, no need for anything. Just one file).
https://root-apk.kingoapp.com/kingoroot-download.htm
I used that method because my USB port has been broken for years, but there
are plenty of other methods for rooting, all of which are done in seconds.
Once you have the phone rooted, you can modify the hosts file, which is
where the magic lies in the app that I use to block all ads.
<http://wetakepic.com/images/2017/10/10/hosts8407d.jpg>
It seems to me that anyone who does *not* root their phone, has to be
afraid of having the power to do what they want, sort of like how some
people are afraid of chainsaws because they're 'too powerful' a tool.
Having the same hosts file on all your devices just makes sense but
realistically, what it does best is block all ads.
I'm not sure *why* the apps must be using an easily blocked mechanism
though, as if I wanted ad revenue, I'd not make the ad so easily blocked as
a download and button press on the part of the user.
Piet
Oct 27, 2017, 10:40:27 AM10/27/17
to
harry newton wrote:
> ...
I start will query an unknown number of search engines on my behalf, but
I don't know which one(s) and I couldn't care less. The implication is
that I know nothing about the TOS of the queried search engines.
-p
> ...
> To that point, I certainly don't even have a Google account, so, while the
> *app* makes use of Google's *public* api, where did the *user* of that app
> ever agree to *anything* on the Google youtube site?
>
> Of course, Google's TOS are that simply *using* their "web page" search,
> constitutes an "agreement", but remember, New Pipe used whatever it used,
> not me. <https://youtu.be/ugKOWtP2K9U>
It's comparable to using Ixquick/Startpage as search engine. Any search
> *app* makes use of Google's *public* api, where did the *user* of that app
> ever agree to *anything* on the Google youtube site?
>
> Of course, Google's TOS are that simply *using* their "web page" search,
> constitutes an "agreement", but remember, New Pipe used whatever it used,
> not me. <https://youtu.be/ugKOWtP2K9U>
I start will query an unknown number of search engines on my behalf, but
I don't know which one(s) and I couldn't care less. The implication is
that I know nothing about the TOS of the queried search engines.
-p
harry newton
Oct 27, 2017, 12:26:11 PM10/27/17
to
He who is Piet said on Fri, 27 Oct 2017 16:40:26 +0200:
> It's comparable to using Ixquick/Startpage as search engine. Any search
> I start will query an unknown number of search engines on my behalf, but
> I don't know which one(s) and I couldn't care less. The implication is
> that I know nothing about the TOS of the queried search engines.
I don't disagree, and I don't think any of us (even if we were lawyers)
would be able to definitively say whether the Google TOS will hold true,
but I still don't see what that has to do with not seeing ads.
To wit...
1. If Android users use the open-source New Pipe app (don't use the one
from Google Play as it's an imposter), then they will *never* see ads when
they watch YouTube, or when you download those YouTube videos, or when you
extract the audio from those YouTube videos or when you just run a search
in the app for YouTube videos.
As far as I can tell, the NewPipe app is Youtube, but without ads and with
the ability to download whatever you want.
Who could argue against that?
You don't even need to be root.
NewPipe works on all Android phones (as far as I know).
2. If Android users want to manage their hosts file to match that of all
their other devices in the household, that would require root, but root is
*easy* on Android (just one downloand and one button press & mine was
done).
Once they have root, the "adaway" app manages the hosts file for you, by
adding what "it" (the app) thinks is a good set of 127.0.0.1 domain blocks.
All I can say to the rest of the Android community is that I do those two
things (which obviously are separate in their effects), and that I *never*
see ads in any of my apps (of which I have over 350 freeware apps
installed).
It's so transparent that I've never even noticed that I've never seen an ad
on Android until I tried out an app on iOS and the obnoxious ads hit me
like a brick wall (my iOS device is not jailbroken).
So I just wanted to let the Android community know that it seems that you
don't have to ever see an ad if you don't want to, inside your apps. (I
don't use browsers all that much on Android but the hosts file handles
those ads too.)
BTW, here's a great hosts file if you don't already have a good one:
<http://winhelp2002.mvps.org/hosts.htm>
I've been using that file for so long on all my devices that I don't
remember how long it has been - but it works great!
> It's comparable to using Ixquick/Startpage as search engine. Any search
> I start will query an unknown number of search engines on my behalf, but
> I don't know which one(s) and I couldn't care less. The implication is
> that I know nothing about the TOS of the queried search engines.
would be able to definitively say whether the Google TOS will hold true,
but I still don't see what that has to do with not seeing ads.
To wit...
1. If Android users use the open-source New Pipe app (don't use the one
from Google Play as it's an imposter), then they will *never* see ads when
they watch YouTube, or when you download those YouTube videos, or when you
extract the audio from those YouTube videos or when you just run a search
in the app for YouTube videos.
As far as I can tell, the NewPipe app is Youtube, but without ads and with
the ability to download whatever you want.
Who could argue against that?
You don't even need to be root.
NewPipe works on all Android phones (as far as I know).
2. If Android users want to manage their hosts file to match that of all
their other devices in the household, that would require root, but root is
*easy* on Android (just one downloand and one button press & mine was
done).
Once they have root, the "adaway" app manages the hosts file for you, by
adding what "it" (the app) thinks is a good set of 127.0.0.1 domain blocks.
All I can say to the rest of the Android community is that I do those two
things (which obviously are separate in their effects), and that I *never*
see ads in any of my apps (of which I have over 350 freeware apps
installed).
It's so transparent that I've never even noticed that I've never seen an ad
on Android until I tried out an app on iOS and the obnoxious ads hit me
like a brick wall (my iOS device is not jailbroken).
So I just wanted to let the Android community know that it seems that you
don't have to ever see an ad if you don't want to, inside your apps. (I
don't use browsers all that much on Android but the hosts file handles
those ads too.)
BTW, here's a great hosts file if you don't already have a good one:
<http://winhelp2002.mvps.org/hosts.htm>
I've been using that file for so long on all my devices that I don't
remember how long it has been - but it works great!
M.L.
Oct 30, 2017, 3:21:10 PM10/30/17
to
>2. If Android users want to manage their hosts file to match that of all
>their other devices in the household, that would require root
>So I just wanted to let the Android community know that it seems that you
>don't have to ever see an ad if you don't want to, inside your apps. (I
>don't use browsers all that much on Android but the hosts file handles
>those ads too.)
Android adware can be blocked system-wide without root.
>don't have to ever see an ad if you don't want to, inside your apps. (I
>don't use browsers all that much on Android but the hosts file handles
>those ads too.)
- Using free ad blocking DNS servers (such as AdGuard's) doesn't
require root.
- Using a VPN firewall doesn't require root. Such a firewall can be
used to prevent adware apps from accessing the Internet altogether. It
can also prevent apps that otherwise need the Internet from accessing
it when the screen is off.
NetGuard no-root VPN firewall supports all the above and also supports
importing a hosts file for additional ad blocking. That hosts feature
is only available with the github version, not the Play Store version.
https://github.com/M66B/NetGuard
>BTW, here's a great hosts file if you don't already have a good one:
><http://winhelp2002.mvps.org/hosts.htm>
>
>I've been using that file for so long on all my devices that I don't
>remember how long it has been - but it works great!
harry newton
Oct 31, 2017, 2:19:53 PM10/31/17
to
He who is M.L. said on Mon, 30 Oct 2017 14:21:07 -0500:
> Android adware can be blocked system-wide without root.
> - Using free ad blocking DNS servers (such as AdGuard's) doesn't
> require root.
That's a *great* idea, if it works, which is to use the DNS server to block
the ads!
Certainly the DNS server *can* block anything it wants to block.
Does it work well in practice?
> - Using a VPN firewall doesn't require root. Such a firewall can be
> used to prevent adware apps from accessing the Internet altogether. It
> can also prevent apps that otherwise need the Internet from accessing
> it when the screen is off.
I know what a VPN is.
I know what a firewall is.
But what's a "vpn firewall"?
Googling, <https://duckduckgo.com/?q=what+is+a+vpn+firewall>
A VPN Firewall seems to be some kind of hardware box:
<https://www.netgear.com/business/products/security/vpn-firewalls.aspx>
Which seems to be set up at the vpn *server* side, which I would have no
access to if that's the case (since I use free public VPN servers).
What is a vpn firewall:
<https://www.techopedia.com/definition/30753/vpn-firewall>
> NetGuard no-root VPN firewall supports all the above and also supports
> importing a hosts file for additional ad blocking. That hosts feature
> is only available with the github version, not the Play Store version.
> https://github.com/M66B/NetGuard
How does this "software" VPN firewall work with free *public* VPN servers?
> A hosts file needs to be updated to remain effective.
That's only partially true.
The hosts file is effective even without updating because the major players
(e.g., doubleclick) don't change all that often.
But there's nothing wrong with updating it either.
The problem is merging all the updates together from separate sources.
> Android adware can be blocked system-wide without root.
> - Using free ad blocking DNS servers (such as AdGuard's) doesn't
> require root.
the ads!
Certainly the DNS server *can* block anything it wants to block.
Does it work well in practice?
> - Using a VPN firewall doesn't require root. Such a firewall can be
> used to prevent adware apps from accessing the Internet altogether. It
> can also prevent apps that otherwise need the Internet from accessing
> it when the screen is off.
I know what a firewall is.
But what's a "vpn firewall"?
Googling, <https://duckduckgo.com/?q=what+is+a+vpn+firewall>
A VPN Firewall seems to be some kind of hardware box:
<https://www.netgear.com/business/products/security/vpn-firewalls.aspx>
Which seems to be set up at the vpn *server* side, which I would have no
access to if that's the case (since I use free public VPN servers).
What is a vpn firewall:
<https://www.techopedia.com/definition/30753/vpn-firewall>
> NetGuard no-root VPN firewall supports all the above and also supports
> importing a hosts file for additional ad blocking. That hosts feature
> is only available with the github version, not the Play Store version.
> https://github.com/M66B/NetGuard
> A hosts file needs to be updated to remain effective.
The hosts file is effective even without updating because the major players
(e.g., doubleclick) don't change all that often.
But there's nothing wrong with updating it either.
The problem is merging all the updates together from separate sources.
M.L.
Nov 6, 2017, 2:34:24 PM11/6/17
to
>> Android adware can be blocked system-wide without root.
>> - Using free ad blocking DNS servers (such as AdGuard's) doesn't
>> require root.
>
>That's a *great* idea, if it works, which is to use the DNS server to block
>the ads!
>Certainly the DNS server *can* block anything it wants to block.
>Does it work well in practice?
and ads were blocked system-wide. Can't say if the blocking is as
thorough as AdAway but for the short time I browsed with the phone
there was a big before/after difference with ads.
AdGuard DNS ad-blocking servers:
176.103.130.130
176.103.130.131
>> - Using a VPN firewall doesn't require root. Such a firewall can be
>> used to prevent adware apps from accessing the Internet altogether. It
>> can also prevent apps that otherwise need the Internet from accessing
>> it when the screen is off.
>
>I know what a VPN is.
>I know what a firewall is.
>But what's a "vpn firewall"?
>Googling, <https://duckduckgo.com/?q=what+is+a+vpn+firewall>
>
>A VPN Firewall seems to be some kind of hardware box:
><https://www.netgear.com/business/products/security/vpn-firewalls.aspx>
>
>Which seems to be set up at the vpn *server* side, which I would have no
>access to if that's the case (since I use free public VPN servers).
>What is a vpn firewall:
><https://www.techopedia.com/definition/30753/vpn-firewall>
>
>> NetGuard no-root VPN firewall supports all the above and also supports
>> importing a hosts file for additional ad blocking. That hosts feature
>> is only available with the github version, not the Play Store version.
>> https://github.com/M66B/NetGuard
>
>How does this "software" VPN firewall work with free *public* VPN servers?
cannot use NetGuard together with other VPN based applications."
NetGuard - no-root firewall (only github version supports hosts file
ad-blocking and custom DNS)
https://github.com/M66B/NetGuard
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=eu.faircode.netguard
>> A hosts file needs to be updated to remain effective.
>
>That's only partially true.
>The hosts file is effective even without updating because the major players
>(e.g., doubleclick) don't change all that often.
>
>But there's nothing wrong with updating it either.
>The problem is merging all the updates together from separate sources.
merging hosts files. Very configurable.
http://www.oldergeeks.com/downloads/file.php?id=1900
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