- cross-posted to:
- technology@beehaw.org
- cross-posted to:
- technology@beehaw.org
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Uninstall Chrome.
Install Firefox.
Stop letting Google dictate web standards and accept that they plan on removing adblocking from Chrome.
Firefox is the last widely available, cross-platform browser that isn’t based on Chromium. The only other is Safari for macOS/iOS which is not generally cross-platform.
- Firefox uses Gecko/Quantum
- Safari uses WebKit
- Chrome/Chromium uses Blink
Drop any browsers that use Blink as the rendering engine, and yeah, it’s most of them.
Google has made it completely clear where they stand on this war, which is that they will remove your access to content if you don’t agree to see their ads.
I’ve been on firefox since 2018 and I do not regret it, fuck monopolys, don’t let a single company to have control and manage the web as it pleases
I’ve been on Firefox since way back. I understand they’ve made a lot of missteps and I’m not going to defend some of their worst decisions, but they’re at the very least not an advertising company that wants to remove adblocks from how the web works.
I’m out of the loop here, what would you say are the missteps and bad decisions from Firefox?
A few things come to mind:
The “Mr. Robot” promotion was pretty bad - they force installed an extension without user interaction. This is IMHO still the worst thing they’ve done.
Their finances could be seen as a little sketchy, at times, like executive pay vs. layoffs at the start of COVID. The fact that they’re hanging off the teat of Google (or maybe Microsoft, which ever search engine has the higher bid at the moment) could also be seen as a conflict of interest.
Some might criticise Mozilla for a lack of focus. While Firefox was getting stale they invested in Pocket, and VPNs and stuff.
It’s a thing of the past, but there was this whole thing about Brendan Eich …
Honestly most of these things seem pretty par for the course under capitalism.
While Firefox was getting stale they invested in Pocket, and VPNs and stuff.
At least those products could have given Mozille a source of income in the long term if they became popular enough. Money that could have gone towards keeping Firefox going.
I’m not OP, but a big one was breaking a fair number of extensions/add-ons with a major browser update. I forget the exact details, and am not privy to the technical arguments within Mozilla, but I can see how it is a huge turn off for users.
FireFox was also extremely resource intensive at one point.
And their mobile apps are stubbornly bad. There’s no reason not to implement a real tab bar, for example. Card view is terrible on tablet devices.
It just seems like there are a lot of little things they do with FireFox.
Still, it isn’t FireFox trying to end adblocking and start blacklisting people from using services with no actual alternative.
Alphabet needs to be broken up, as does Microsoft and Apple.
Safari was mildly cross-platform… about 10 years ago. Then Apple realized they can’t fight that specific market share.
What about email? Firfox have email. How will I be able to switch my android device away from Google?
I like to have alternative but they pretty much control everything on most devices I use.
K-9 Mail from Mozilla is an Android-version of their Thunderbird email client.
Shit forgot all about Thunderbird. Long time since I have used Mozilla. I have been way to comfortably with Chrome and Google.
You can degoogle android by removing or sandboxing google play services. CalyxOS and LineageOS dothisb AFAIK.
how are they in terms of user interface?
They use the stock android interface. They’re (oversimplification but) basically android with all the proprietary and Google stuff removed.
LineageOS is derived from the normal android ROM and CalyxOS is similar to android as well, as far as I remember. The look and feel is supposed to be what people are most used to.
How do I do that? You have instructions or a walk through?
Both Roms have extensive instructions on their website. The important thing is whether your device is supported.
You will need to unlock the bootloader and wipe the device. If you’ve never installed android, here be dragons. A backup device is recommendable to say the least. Not liable, etc…
How does that work? Have instructions?
How does that work? Can you walk me through how to do that?
Just because you can’t completely degooglize doesn’t mean there is no value in reducing their place in your life.
Degooglize what you can, step by step.
- Stop using the word ‘Google’ instead of saying ‘Search’. Take offense if anyone tells you to ‘Google’ something - fuck them!!!
- Set Firefox as your default - don’t keep ‘defaulting’ to chrome, or chromium based browsers (as this code mostly comes from Google).
- Be sure to become more acquainted with more platforms, keep shortcuts handy and use them when they have content…
- If you must use Youtube, use it signed out - find your channel and add it to an RSS reader. Avoid using the Youtube interface and avoid the algorithms. Search for any channels you watch on alternative platforms.
Firefox on mobile caters for extensions too. Not having ads or tracking on your phone is great. FF on both mobile and desktop is fantastic tbh.
Firefox Focus is also a lovely little mobile browser for random queries and such. It’s effectively always in private browsing mode; anytime you close it, it clears its cache.
I definitely use it more often than “regular” Firefox on mobile. I only really use regular Firefox if I need some sort of persistence or login.
Doesn’t have sponsorblock though unless you use nightly and make some tweaks
The upside if we all use the term Google, is that over time Google will lose their ability to enforce their trademark.
I google things on brave search all the time
We need to start dumping yotube and twitch and start using peertube or odysee
How do creators monetise on peertube?
deleted by creator
youtube has been actively fighting ad blockers for over a decade. what’s this “preparing”?
Well, fair enough point. But Google is preparing to actually become actionable and start issuing sweeping user bans.
I’m a dev. I know people who’ve run afoul of Google and had their accounts banned. They lose access to everything with zero recourse.
And it means they have to find new jobs because enterprise Google accounts are also affected. Especially if they are Android developers.
Google also has methods to trace people down if they make new accounts. That presumably extends to people accessing information without accounts. People are incredibly easy to finger print with just their browser and all the data it surrenders as a standard.
I know people who’ve run afoul of Google and had their accounts banned. They lose access to everything with zero recourse.
That reminds me, gotta go pick up my Google Takeout.
But would they really only go after people who are logged into their Google account? Because then it’s a simple matter of opening an incognito tab. And then they either let it go, or take it to next level by banning anonymous visitors by IP, or tip their hand and reveal that they spy on you in incognito tabs. Either way it’s gonna go well with popcorn.
At this scale? I can’t personally had a problem blocking their ads. Yet…
It’s well within reason to fight it just like it’s within reason that users will find other ways. I don’t think it makes Google evil to try to stop people from blocking their ads, but this is the internet and people will always find another way around it.
Definitely feels like both sides of the Adblock battle are going to get more sophisticated.
Youtube: “Watch our ads or else”
Reddit: “Watch our ads or else”
Fediverse: “Else”
There is no way the fediverse will replace youtube.
Youtube Is very expensive to host, and the proof is that there is no actual competitor to it.
Right, except we aren’t trying to “replace” youtube. Those who are prepared to put up with youtube can have it. Same with spez/reddit. If people like those platforms, and happy with them then they can stay there. Those of us who don’t care for them can develop communities and content elsewhere.
If you’re cool with algorithms showing you ads every five minutes then by all means stick with the commercial platforms, but you’re also generally welcome to help build or support a platform that provides a better user experience – and doesn’t use revenue growth as the primary motivator for everything.
Ask me do I care, lol.
a) Linux, Firefox + uBlockOrigin + Enhancer for YouTube;
b) Android, Firefox + uBlock Origin + Video Background Play Fix;
c) I never ever use any account or login into the youtube. Playlists? Got favorites/bookmarks in browser :) Voting, comments? I don’t care. Native youtube android apk? Never. So, no tracking and stats for you and no dumb auto recomendations for me. Thanks.
P.S. oh, and all cookies are auto deleted on last tab close. Bye.
So, war with or strike me how? Close whole site or put everything under paywall and die? Hahaha
Muhahahahahahahahaha
Will that android technique work on IOS too?
Edit: nvm Apple blocks Firefox extensions, curse you Apple.
I use NewPipe on my phone, anybody know of any PC equivalent if ad-blockers are getting blocked? Would it even work?
NewPipe’s whole gimmick is the fact it fakes being a browser as far as YouTube is concerned, and the fact that until now Google wasn’t crazy enough to block visitors who aren’t logged in. If they’re willing to go that far there’s nothing any app can do, the ad either plays and then tells YouTube it played, or it doesn’t.
“ah shit, here we go again”
I wonder what that means for yt-dlp?
This sounds reasonable. There is no free lunch.
Google made $7 billion from YouTube in 2021[1], might I remind you by running ads on other peoples’s content. Now of course Google does provide the platform for that content, but the point still remains.
Users and content creators are what make YouTube, not the other way around. Companies like Google need to careful not to let their pursuit of profit upset the good thing they have going for them.
And of all the content delivery networks they are one of the more equitable ones in terms of monetisation (I’m looking at you TikTok). I’m sure creators get more income per view on platforms like Nebula but it’s hard to get the scale of reach of YouTube.
Of course I hate ads, but I pay my Premium fee to avoid them safe in the knowledge creators get a bigger slice of revenue per premium supported view vs ad supported. I also wouldn’t give my kids access to YouTube without something to stop the ads.
I’m all for alternative distribution channels but for creators to get paid they will need to run ads, more brand integrations or have some sort of subscription setup. Most people can only avoid to sponsor a small proportion of the content they enjoy.
Thanks for the replies. Together, we create the world we live in.
I would like better ads. Not more personal ads. Just less intrusive ads for products relevant to the video I’m watching
It’s not free even with an adblocker allowed. Google still takes my data.
But you see, not all your data
Yea not sure why people expect the service to be free but 🤷 not a popular opinion
