How to block the NY Times' shitty ad practices?
November 26, 2015 2:57 PM Subscribe
I subscribe to the NY Times and use their app on my ios 9 device. Lately they've had a randoml auto-playing ad with video and sound either when I open the app or when it refreshes. I work in an environment where I can use a phone to read the news but absolutely cannot suddenly have sound blaring. Will the new ad blocking apps block in-app ads in the Times app? I know I can block in Safari but I use the app to also read the paper on the subway.
If adblocking can work, what app do you recommend?
If adblocking can work, what app do you recommend?
Silence the volume for media.
posted by Ironmouth at 3:26 PM on November 26, 2015 [7 favorites]
posted by Ironmouth at 3:26 PM on November 26, 2015 [7 favorites]
In theory, you could use a DNS service like OpenDNS with your iOS device and try to block the domain *.nytimes.com/adx/* that the WeBlock post mentions.
the post explains why that is not possible (the /adx bit is not part of the domain name).
edit: but also implies the comment below this is impossible (adblock blocking the app), so what do i know?
posted by andrewcooke at 3:31 PM on November 26, 2015
the post explains why that is not possible (the /adx bit is not part of the domain name).
edit: but also implies the comment below this is impossible (adblock blocking the app), so what do i know?
posted by andrewcooke at 3:31 PM on November 26, 2015
Weblock is fabulous, but requires you to be on wifi. The makers of Weblock make an option that supposedly works on cellular data, but I find it doesn't work reliably.
Adblock Mobile seems to do what you want it to do (on both wifi and cellular), and does block ads on the NYT app, though it leaves white space where the ads were and I can't do extensive testing since I'm not NYT subscriber.
posted by smangosbubbles at 3:32 PM on November 26, 2015
Adblock Mobile seems to do what you want it to do (on both wifi and cellular), and does block ads on the NYT app, though it leaves white space where the ads were and I can't do extensive testing since I'm not NYT subscriber.
posted by smangosbubbles at 3:32 PM on November 26, 2015
the post explains why that is not possible (the /adx bit is not part of the domain name).
I certainly could be mistaken, but I read that post to mean Adblock (their other product, as opposed to adblockers in general) didn't yet have the ability to block domains with regex expressions, but other DNS/proxy solutions could as long as you knew the right filter for NYTimes app. In any case, it seems that smangosbubbles might have a suggestion that works better than either.
posted by bluecore at 3:41 PM on November 26, 2015
I certainly could be mistaken, but I read that post to mean Adblock (their other product, as opposed to adblockers in general) didn't yet have the ability to block domains with regex expressions, but other DNS/proxy solutions could as long as you knew the right filter for NYTimes app. In any case, it seems that smangosbubbles might have a suggestion that works better than either.
posted by bluecore at 3:41 PM on November 26, 2015
Response by poster: I'd consider turning the volume down to be more of a workaround, but either way, if I'm listening to music while reading the app, it hijacks the headphones and turns off the music. Sometimes when I'm offline and underground, it just repeatedly turns off the music without actually playing the ad (can't reach the server, presumably). I really can't figure out who thought this was a good idea, especially for subscribers. I feel that if you pay for a service, you shouldn't be subjected to disruptive advertising.
I don't care about the white space, I just want it to stop commandeering my friggin phone.
posted by nevercalm at 3:48 PM on November 26, 2015 [5 favorites]
I don't care about the white space, I just want it to stop commandeering my friggin phone.
posted by nevercalm at 3:48 PM on November 26, 2015 [5 favorites]
I've found that the ads are less intrusive on their mobile site (http://mobile.nytimes.com/) rather than their IOS or Android App. And the browsing experience is almost as good as the app.
posted by schrodycat at 5:11 PM on November 26, 2015
posted by schrodycat at 5:11 PM on November 26, 2015
Response by poster: I've found that the ads are less intrusive on their mobile site (http://mobile.nytimes.com/) rather than their IOS or Android App. And the browsing experience is almost as good as the app.
Sure, but I spend a large amount of my reading time underground. The app allows me to download most of the paper for offline use, but with the last update it randomly attempts to download and show ads, fails, but shuts off the music I'm listening to in the meantime. I've begun using the mobile site backstage at work, but I find it still autoplays videos on occasion.
Thus my desire to say fuckit and install some form of ad blocking. I had been kind of agnostic about it but since most owners of anything online have been increasingly disruptive with their ads, the more I'm now leaning towards blocking it all. If that's what it takes to make them see that I don't need to have my phone crippled with ads, then so be it.
posted by nevercalm at 7:29 PM on November 26, 2015
Sure, but I spend a large amount of my reading time underground. The app allows me to download most of the paper for offline use, but with the last update it randomly attempts to download and show ads, fails, but shuts off the music I'm listening to in the meantime. I've begun using the mobile site backstage at work, but I find it still autoplays videos on occasion.
Thus my desire to say fuckit and install some form of ad blocking. I had been kind of agnostic about it but since most owners of anything online have been increasingly disruptive with their ads, the more I'm now leaning towards blocking it all. If that's what it takes to make them see that I don't need to have my phone crippled with ads, then so be it.
posted by nevercalm at 7:29 PM on November 26, 2015
Use Instapaper or a similar read later service to save the articles you want to read offline?
posted by paulcole at 9:12 PM on November 26, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by paulcole at 9:12 PM on November 26, 2015 [2 favorites]
Best answer: I read somewhere if you change your language to British English, the ads are less. I also have third party coomies blocked and tracking blocked. Between the three, on mobile, The Times doesn't make noise.
posted by Oyéah at 10:07 PM on November 26, 2015
posted by Oyéah at 10:07 PM on November 26, 2015
Best answer: Complain.
It's really important to speak up to publishers that you care about when ad practices go beyond what's okay.
A significant percentage of people at the paper do not themselves see or know about any audio autoplay incidences, or they would be livid. I certainly have never gotten it at the Times, but literally just last night audio began playing on my husband's phone and I gave him the what is wrong with you face and he said "It's not me! The Times has gotten aggressive about autoplay video!"
So today I'm complaining to them. Join me!
posted by RJ Reynolds at 4:47 AM on November 27, 2015 [7 favorites]
It's really important to speak up to publishers that you care about when ad practices go beyond what's okay.
A significant percentage of people at the paper do not themselves see or know about any audio autoplay incidences, or they would be livid. I certainly have never gotten it at the Times, but literally just last night audio began playing on my husband's phone and I gave him the what is wrong with you face and he said "It's not me! The Times has gotten aggressive about autoplay video!"
So today I'm complaining to them. Join me!
posted by RJ Reynolds at 4:47 AM on November 27, 2015 [7 favorites]
Response by poster: RJ, just let me know where and I will. I tweeted yesterday to my 100ish follower strong twitter army, too. That'll show em.
I use instapaper, but that requires me to choose articles, instead of waking up, downloading the paper and running onto the train. The app really is the best solution for what I want. I subscribed mostly because it was perfect for what I wanted to do commuting...read the paper on a packed train without having the actual paper. They've just larded it up with BS in the past few years, which seems to be the way of all things with apps.
The language change seems to have worked too. Weird!
posted by nevercalm at 7:57 AM on November 27, 2015
I use instapaper, but that requires me to choose articles, instead of waking up, downloading the paper and running onto the train. The app really is the best solution for what I want. I subscribed mostly because it was perfect for what I wanted to do commuting...read the paper on a packed train without having the actual paper. They've just larded it up with BS in the past few years, which seems to be the way of all things with apps.
The language change seems to have worked too. Weird!
posted by nevercalm at 7:57 AM on November 27, 2015
This thread is closed to new comments.
In theory, you could use a DNS service like OpenDNS with your iOS device and try to block the domain *.nytimes.com/adx/* that the WeBlock post mentions.
posted by bluecore at 3:16 PM on November 26, 2015