Brave-browser: adblocker doesn't work if I am logged in to google

[szaimen]

1. log in to google
2. search for washing machine
3. see adverts
   
   but there shouldn't be any adverts.

I am using Brave on Windows 10: Version 0.69.132 Chromium: 77.0.3865.90 (Official Build) (64-bit)
Scripts are allowed, adblocker is activated.

[ryanbr]

This should be resolved when we implement cosmetic filtering. So adblock div's will be hidden. Its currently being worked on, so watch this space :)

[szaimen]

@ryanbr is there another a PR or Issue, that I can track, where you implement Cosmetic Filters?

[ryanbr]

Sure; https://github.com/brave/brave-browser/issues/5381

[szaimen]

Thanks!

[szaimen]

I tried this again with cosmetic blocking enabled and it still shows first party ads. Is there something I am missing?

[bsclifton]

@szaimen I don't think first party ads are removed

cc: @antonok-edm @snyderp for confirmation

It should be possible to block these though using the brave://adblock page and adding the selector

[pes10k]

@szaimen yes, by design we don't block first party ads. There will be a blog post going up this week detailing the policy, but the goal is to (i) block the privacy harming third party stuff that manages to circumvent network rules, and (ii) to remove the cosmetic blemishes that network blocking causes. We're intentionally not harming sites that monetize in a privacy-respecting way

Support for brave://adblock is planned but not currently in place.

[szaimen]

@snyderp Actually, I thought this was the core of cosmetic blocking. Also why then removing ads on any of those websites (that doesn't make sense based on your explanation because they are first party ads afaik):

Also will this then be implemented at all https://github.com/brave/brave-browser/issues/5318? because it probably conflicts with your statement.

[pes10k]

In brave, the "core of cosmetic blocking" is (i) remove cosmetic effects of network rules, (ii) hide 3p ads that aren't blocked by network rules. It is not to block first party ads.

Other tools and extensions have different goals. If you're looking for something that will block first party ads at the cosmetic layer, there are several extensions that will do that for you. :)

5318 is still being discussed, no commitment or plan or timeline at the moment

[szaimen]

Okay. Thanks for making that clear!
Then it seems like those that I have mentioned aren't really first party ads?

[pes10k]

They're not cosmetic filters. We block anything we think might have privacy harm at the network level, 1p or 3p (we rely on EasyList, other similar lists, and Brave generated lists for this). We don't audit these lists in general because they're enormous and we rely on those groups to do that identification.

The reason we make special exceptions / checks for cosmetic rules is that there is no privacy cost / harm at the cosmetic level, so we are more lenient / cautious towards 1p ads at this point