For anyone using Ghostery on their devices
from reddig33@lemmy.world to apple_enthusiast@lemmy.world on 05 Jul 2024 14:41
https://lemmy.world/post/17254014

Their Safari extension just stopped working. They reposted it under a new App Store entry. 🤷‍♂️🙄

ghostery.com/…/adblocker-safari-app-migration

#apple_enthusiast

threaded - newest

jdeath@lemm.ee on 05 Jul 2024 16:22 next collapse

what the heck. thanks for the info!

cheese_greater@lemmy.world on 05 Jul 2024 16:47 next collapse

Why would anyone use this?

reddig33@lemmy.world on 05 Jul 2024 19:28 collapse

To block ads. And to automatically dismiss “agree with our cookies” banners.

I’m hoping some of these blocking extensions will start blocking the stupid “sign in with Google” pop ups that have started appearing everywhere.

gumnut@aussie.zone on 05 Jul 2024 22:48 next collapse

Thanks for the heads up!

PM_Your_Nudes_Please@lemmy.world on 05 Jul 2024 22:58 collapse

If this is the same Ghostery that makes the Chrome/Firefox extension, they were in hot water a few years ago for selling the extension to an ad agency. That ad agency almost immediately turned around and started selling usage data to the sites whose trackers were being blocked.

Basically, Ghostery was selling info about how users were using the extension, how their trackers were being blocked, and which trackers were present on different users’ browsers. And the extension had this data collection quietly turned on by default. It also meant that ghostery was only acting as a middleman in the data collection process (and profiting as a result,) because the trackers were still able to get the info; They just had to pay Ghostery for access.

ppb1701@lemmy.today on 06 Jul 2024 05:00 next collapse

I’ve had the extension for a years and basically forgot about it but boy was it eye opening to see all the blocked requests it throws on adguard home. Not as bad as microsoft trying phone home but it’s noticeable. (I’ve since removed it)

cantankerous_cashew@lemmy.world on 07 Jul 2024 01:35 collapse

It would appear that this is indeed the same ghostery that sold its users out to the highest bidder.

I recommend using AdGuard which is free and doesn’t have such serious privacy issues:

also there’s no need to pay, the free tier is more than sufficient

vox@sopuli.xyz on 07 Jul 2024 09:28 collapse

adguard is russian tho…

cantankerous_cashew@lemmy.world on 08 Jul 2024 20:43 collapse

yup it was founded in Moscow and they moved their headquarters to Cyprus. They’ve been open and honest about the whole process.