AdBlock Plus blocked in China: 159m forbidden from stripping adverts

The makers of the AdBlock Plus (ABP) say their ad-blocking browser plugin has been effectively outlawed in China by the Chinese government. ABP communications boss Ben Williams said in a blog post that the ban was part of a larger effort by the state to crack down on technology tampering with ads. In the process, Williams …

[EvilGardenGnome]

Cats and bags

"the Middle Kingdom's heavy-handed policy of also blocking the use of ad-blockers will leave citizens more vulnerable to banners that fling malware at PCs and devices."

And I'm completely certain the Chinese government has no idea what ABP is talking about.

Aside: Why no tinfoil hat icon?

[Notas Badoff]

Re: Cats and bags

We want the ability to shove any code we wish onto your PCs/phones without interference. Soon we will restrict the security updates you receive until we are assured we have "equal access" via newer exploits.

We don't need government-mandated backdoors installed, we're just going to make sure we have all the 'unofficial' backdoors enabled.

[Mark 85]

Re: Cats and bags

Oh... Windows 10 it is then.

[asdf]

Re: Cats and bags

cough privoxy. No devs being bought off by the ad guys either.

[Anonymous Coward]

Silly of ABP

Most advertisers have to pay to be added to your approved white list - but The Party is not like most advertisers!

[Camilla Smythe]

Hah Ha. Fuck off AdBlock Plus.

Everyone needs to get used to the 'full fat' interwank and we do not need twats like you fucking about with things. Now kindly dry up and blow away.

[GiantKiwi]

Re: Hah Ha. Fuck off AdBlock Plus.

I suppose you're in marketing or work for one of the companies producing the semi-illegal adblock blockers. Either way, that kind of thinking is conceited beyond belief.

Full fat internet filled with pages that take minutes rather than milliseconds to load, or eat through already limited data allowances on mobile phones, etc etc.

[frank ly]

Re: Hah Ha. Fuck off AdBlock Plus.

No GiantKiwi, you must be new here. That's Camilla, a rare commentard but always an interesting one. She provides cynicism in a sarcastic box, wrapped in irony paper with a twisted humor ribbon as cute decoration. I copy her posts and keep them in a scrapbook.

[x 7]

Re: Hah Ha. Fuck off AdBlock Plus.

Camilla only posts when she forgets to take her meds.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Hah Ha. Fuck off AdBlock Plus.

Camilla only posts when she forgets to take her meds

...

Camilla only posts when HE forgets to take HIS meds

TFTFY

[Camilla Smythe]

Re: Hah Ha. Fuck off AdBlock Plus.

Either way, that kind of thinking is conceited beyond belief.

Full fat internet filled with pages that take minutes rather than milliseconds to load, or eat through already limited data allowances on mobile phones, etc etc.

Eat my multiplicity of Kardashian's Arse dressed in Latex or go play Sudoku as provided by 'She who also has a big bum".

As a 'non-member' of The IAB I will inform you that 'our' industry is 'worth' bazillions a year so rather than getting on my case you might do better if you buggered off and read The Daily Mail on-line.

In case you missed it 'our' industry is worth fucking bazillions which makes your opinion less than worthless.

In perspective.. Everyone else is so totally into X-Factor so basically you lose the end game.

Now... about those socks you bought last week?

http://thenextweb.com/shareables/2016/07/28/this-hilarious-skit-shows-exactly-whats-wrong-with-ads-on-the-web/

Good luck switching off the twat in your browser to view that one. Silly me you read El Reg so you are so fucking clever including condoms. Yo!!!!!! Check out your next door neighbour!!11??!!11 who can wipe their own arse as long as they are wiping their own arse and it does not involve anything teknilogicil.

Oh yeah.... and Net Neutrality is so fucking passé..... plus other stuff.

Nice Try. You lose. Game Over.

[frank ly]

Re: Hah Ha. Fuck off AdBlock Plus.

That one's going in the 'gold star' section.

[Michael Habel]

Re: Hah Ha. Fuck off AdBlock Plus.

Everyone needs to get used to the 'full fat' interwank and we do not need twats like you fucking about with things. Now kindly dry up and blow away.

He's right you know AdAway is a way better solution the ABP will ever deream of being. I have to wonder though if the Commies have thought to b& f-droid.org as well? Back in master race-land it's Ad Block Latitude for me.

[PassiveSmoking]

Re: Hah Ha. Fuck off AdBlock Plus.

How much malware does your computer have on it? Because if you don't use an ad-blocker I'm betting it's got a lot.

[Anonymous Coward]

I think it's amazing how China has transitioned from communism to ultra-capitalism in so few years.

They have huge advert screens blaring out in their supermarkets and on mass transit.

[fnj]

@AC:

I think it's amazing how China has transitioned from communism to ultra-capitalism in so few years.

It hasn't. It has slid to Hell much like every other government has. It's an equal-opportunity Hell. The old ideological divisions are passe now. Governments of all flavors throughout the world have become corrupted by crony corporatism. Goebbels, Stalin, the DNC and the RNC in the US, Labour and Conservatives in the UK, theocratical tyrannies in the Mideast; all of them are masters of indoctrination and brainwashing and deathgrip control.

[asdf]

Lets see, no having to stand in bread lines, no cholera, mostly just first world problems (more than likely if you are reading this). Yeah its crony capitalism and yeah it sucks but oh how it could suck so much worse I often remind myself.

[pyite]

At least they can't block a hosts file

This does a reasonable job for me:

http://someonewhocares.org/hosts/

[Jason 24]

Re: At least they can't block a hosts file

Cheers, not seen that before, just updated mine now

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: At least they can't block a hosts file

Only problem with a hosts file is that you can't turn it off for a particular site.

I think adblock being blocked is a good thing, awful software. ublock is good.

[Jan Hargreaves]

Re: At least they can't block a hosts file

Never even tried an ad blocker. No Script seems to work fine, with the ability to easily allow for any site you want to, and blocking the rest by default. Keeps other "nasties" at bay too.

Never really understood why someone would have No Script AND an ad blocker but plenty seem to.

[cbars]

Re: At least they can't block a hosts file

NoScript will stop adverts rendered by javascript. Adverts not rendered by javascript will still appear. I use both; I still allow non intrusive advertising (as defined by ABP), but I don't recall ever clicking on any adverts for >5 years, except by accident

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: At least they can't block a hosts file

True. There's http://pgl.yoyo.org/ too. A little script updating the local dnsmasq works wonders.

[Nifty]

Re: At least they can't block a hosts file

Where's the hosts file on this iPad? As usual the animated ads on this el reg page are causing my browser to hang, there must be some neat trick to fix this.

[Bloakey1]

Re: At least they can't block a hosts file

"Where's the hosts file on this iPad? As usual the animated ads on this el reg page are causing my browser to hang, there must be some neat trick to fix this"

That is an easy one. Download Windows 10 and run Edge formerly known as Inertnet Exploder <sic>.

[Florida1920]

Does not compute

Why would a(n allegedly) communist regime want the People looking at running-dog capitalist advertisements?

[ecofeco]

No ad blocking?

China just shot itself in the foot. They have created a virus buffet. The great Firewall is about to fall.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: No ad blocking?

Every computer in China runs pirated XP or 7. Even the viruses have viruses.

The great firewall most likely runs linux.

[Bloakey1]

Re: No ad blocking?

"China just shot itself in the foot. They have created a virus buffet. The great Firewall is about to fall."

Perhaps they can use it to keep the buffet warm whilst they get their foot treated.

[elDog]

Bbbbbbbbbut!

"Builders bemoan browser-based banner buster being blatantly banned"

Beautiful!

[inmypjs]

159 million?

I have no idea why ABP still has a single user.

[Fazal Majid]

UC Browser

What about Alibaba's UC Browser, which has built-in ad-blocking? It is very popular in places where mobile users pay by the byte, claiming over 50% market share in India for instance.

[fnj]

The Man

Ravening all-powerful mammoth self-righteous government, indoctrination/brainwashing masquerading as education, and advertising by selfish capitalist corporations are all slightly different colors of the same basic evil.

[Paul Hovnanian]

1984

Only members of the Inner Party can turn their telescreens off.

[Mark Simon]

Hidden Agenda

Just imagine the following scenario:

Everybody knows that cleverly crafted adverts can contain or lead to malware. This malware can, of course, be or include spyware. Ad blockers are one way reducing the risk of this sort of activity. Everybody knows.

Banning ad blockers will possibly ensure that the government’s own spyware is installed on as many unsuspecting machines as possible.

[Anonymous Coward]

brilliant!

can we have the same in the UK?! After all, our creative (ad) industries rely on ads, without ads we'd be doomed, our growth will diminish, recession comes back, we all gonna die! What better way than to imitate the Great Chinese Democracy!

[Richard 12]

But adblocking clients don't exist

My browser never bothers to ask for the adverts. They aren't blocked

[DerekCurrie]

China: Criminal Nation...

...Pointing out that it is a FAILed government by way of TOTALITARIANISM.

[Anonymous Coward]

Visible from cyberspace

The firewall that is the The Great Wall of China.

Looks like the Chinese Govt have taken a leaf from Microsoft's Windows 10 ethics.

Malware is the way forward...control, fuckdat!

[razorfishsl]

do an analysis of 'youdou' to see why they don't want 'blockers'