[IMPLEMENTED] [proposal] GoodbyeAds

[zsam288 36]

GoodbyeAds is created to block advertisements on the Mobile phones, PC & Smart Tv .Our blocklist is small in size but it blocks 99% of ads. By Using Our YouTube Adblock pack you can block YouTube ads upto 90%.
Also blocks spotify ads etc

Content of the GoodbyeAds is licensed under a MIT License.

https://github.com/jerryn70/GoodbyeAds

https://raw.githubusercontent.com/jerryn70/GoodbyeAds/master/Hosts/GoodbyeAds.txt
https://raw.githubusercontent.com/jerryn70/GoodbyeAds/master/Extension/GoodbyeAds-YouTube-AdBlock.txt
https://raw.githubusercontent.com/jerryn70/GoodbyeAds/master/Extension/GoodbyeAds-Xiaomi-Extension.txt
https://raw.githubusercontent.com/jerryn70/GoodbyeAds/master/Extension/GoodbyeAds-Samsung-AdBlock.txt
https://raw.githubusercontent.com/jerryn70/GoodbyeAds/master/Extension/GoodbyeAds-LeEco-Extension.txt
https://raw.githubusercontent.com/jerryn70/GoodbyeAds/master/Extension/GoodbyeAds-Spotify-AdBlock.txt

[OpenSourcerer 1435]

I added this to my adlists and will test it for a time.

This would replace StevenBlack, by the way.

[zsam288 36]

On 2/5/2023 at 6:49 PM, OpenSourcerer said:

I added this to my adlists and will test it for a time.

This would replace StevenBlack, by the way.

Do you know if we can add custom ad-lists in airvpn on a user level?
Or only per domain customs?

[OpenSourcerer 1435]

5 hours ago, zsam288 said:

Do you know if we can add custom ad-lists in airvpn on a user level?
Or only per domain customs?

Only the latter, yes.

[OpenSourcerer 1435]

I'm using it right now and finding it to be a good addition to the other lists. Does not introduce breakages as far as I can see.

[zsam288 36]

On 3/16/2023 at 11:13 PM, OpenSourcerer said:

I'm using it right now and finding it to be a good addition to the other lists. Does not introduce breakages as far as I can see.

Thanks for testing this, do you know when it will be added to AirVPN please if deemed ok?

[OpenSourcerer 1435]

9 hours ago, zsam288 said:

do you know when it will be added to AirVPN please if deemed ok?

It's not like the intention to add this is "developing", or "growing naturally in the forest", and has an ETA. If a Staff member feels like it, it will be added.
It's also not like there's a threatening dependence on that list being available, so it'll have to wait, probably.

[Staff 9973]

On 3/29/2023 at 2:18 PM, zsam288 said:

Thanks for testing this, do you know when it will be added to AirVPN please if deemed ok?

Hello!

We have brought the lists in and we will be testing them very soon. In this case some care in testing is needed because we're talking about 900'000 records (6 lists made of ~150k records each). If everything goes well you will have them available in the DNS panel at the end of the next week or so.

Kind regards

 

[alternate 0]

Superb! I find the list to be more broad and effective than Steven Black's. To my surprise, the tracker googletagmanager.com in the Steven Black one (it only has www.googletagmanger.com). This one has googletagmangaer.com as a domain, which allows all subdomains to ddbe filtered.

On the general topic of ad blocking, it would be great if AirVPN can be as effective as a pihole or a general  network-wide ad blocker. The current lists AirVPN provide do not collectively achieve this.

Edited ... by alternate
Add a note on the topic of ad blocking with AirVPN

[alternate 0]

On 4/15/2023 at 11:11 AM, Staff said:

Hello!

We have brought the lists in and we will be testing them very soon. In this case some care in testing is needed because we're talking about 900'000 records (6 lists made of ~150k records each). If everything goes well you will have them available in the DNS panel at the end of the next week or so.

Kind regards

 

Any updates so far ?

[Staff 9973]

@alternate

Hello!

We're sorry for the several additional days we scheduled for the tests. We're still testing, given the size. We want to be sure they don't cause issues. Besides a syntax error in the list pushed us to verify the good parsing during the import. When we're sure that all is fine, GoodbyeAds will be added as the community feedback on it is very good.

Kind regards

 

[Staff 9973]

Hello!

We added five lists in our system:

GoodbyeAds
A programmatically expanded list of hosts used for advertisements, Malware and tracking. Use this list to block ads trackers malwares.
Items: 200489 (as of today)

GoodbyeAds Samsung
A well maintained list containing Samsung hosts used for advertisements and tracking. Those who are not using GoodbyeAds list and want to block only Samsung ads and tracking can use it.
Items: 103 (as of today)

GoodbyeAds Spotify
A well maintained list containing Spotify hosts used for advertisements. This list helps to block/reduce Spotify ads.
Items: 3774 (as of today)

GoodbyeAds Xiaomi
A well maintained list containing Xiaomi hosts used for advertisements and tracking. Those who are not using GoodbyeAds list and want to block only Xiaomi ads and tracking can use it.
Items: 279 (as of today)

GoodbyeAds YouTube
A well maintained list containing YouTube hosts used for advertisements. This list helps to block/reduce YouTube ads.
Items: 97645 (as of today)

Kind regards
 

[Maggie144 12]

*edit* I just checked their current "ultra" list myself and they do not have this "validation-image" blocked either.. feel free to ignore

@Staffthanks for adding this list. I activated it in DNS settings, but visiting their github page I found under "Validation" their test picture is still loaded..
 

Quote

Below is an image that says 'Not Blocking' that is blocked in all of my lists. If you see it, then you are not using one of my lists. If you do not see it, then you are using one of my lists (or a list that includes one of my lists).

[Staff 9973]

@Maggie144

Thank you! We will check that, but from our tests and the good feedback of several users the GoodbyeAds lists are working fine.

Kind regards
 

[zsam288 36]

@Staff will these lists be updated periodically?
Some have not been updated in over a year, while the source has had multiple updates.

[OpenSourcerer 1435]

On 6/8/2024 at 7:46 AM, zsam288 said:

Some have not been updated in over a year, while the source has had multiple updates.

Well, there certainly is something of a discrepancy, but in all honesty, the GoodbyeAds lists don't seem to be updated anymore as a whole:

GoodbyeAds: # Updated: Jan 21 09:25:22 GMT+05:30 2024 (AirVPN: 2024-03-12)
Xiaomi: # Updated: Jan 21 10:32:31 GMT+05:30 2024 (AirVPN: 2023-09-30)
Samsung: # Updated: Jan 21 10:32:31 GMT+05:30 2024 (AirVPN: 2023-10-01)
Spotify: # Updated: Jan 21 10:32:31 GMT+05:30 2024 (AirVPN: 2024-01-21)
YouTube: # Updated: Jan 21 10:32:31 GMT+05:30 2024 (AirVPN: 2023-05-17)

People also report breakages and call for a list cleanup in the issues but there is no answer. I can report similar things (broken sites) since I still use it, but maybe I will test without for the time being.