1Blocker - Safe to use? Got this weird message.

[Marty_Macfly]

Hi all,


I've been using this free ad blocker for a while.

We got a new MacBook, with MacOS Ventura on it, and it now says the below in the screenshot. (I'm on Big Sur on the other Macs we own.)

Err... the app reads my passwords and credit cards as it goes?!

Is this Ad blocker ok to use, and Ventura is being too prescriptive with its descriptions of all possibilities?



Hope you can advise

Best wishes
Martin

 

[gilby101]

An ad blocker reads and modifies web traffic as it comes in from the web. It doesn't "need" to read your passwords, but all your web interaction is visible to the ad blocker.

So the message is not really weird. It is correct in warning you that the extension "could" read passwords, etc.

You need to ask yourself questions like: Do you trust 1Blocker? What is your threat model? Do the benefits of an ad blocker out way the risks? What is the financial model of a free ad blocker?

Personally, I prefer to use a paid ad blocker which also blocks security threats and tracking.

 

[Marty_Macfly]

An ad blocker reads and modifies web traffic as it comes in from the web. It doesn't "need" to read your passwords, but all your web interaction is visible to the ad blocker.

So the message is not really weird. It is correct in warning you that the extension "could" read passwords, etc.

You need to ask yourself questions like: Do you trust 1Blocker? What is your threat model? Do the benefits of an ad blocker out way the risks? What is the financial model of a free ad blocker?

Personally, I prefer to use a paid ad blocker which also blocks security threats and tracking.

Thanks for the advice, much appreciated.

Picking your brain here - Any opinions on good paid ad blockers that works smoothly with Ventura?

Regards
Martin

 

[Marco Klobas]

1Blocker does offer a Premium (paid) plan:
https://support.1blocker.com/en/articles/6436174-going-premium

Moreover, it's stated – among other things – that:

We believe that privacy is not for sale. That's why we don't have an "Acceptable Ads" program. We stay independent, and the only way we make money is through direct sales of 1Blocker in the App Store to you.

 

[gilby101]

Any opinions on good paid ad blockers that works smoothly with Ventura?

I was avoiding turning this thread into a vote of best "ad-blocker". Since you ask, I am very happy with AdGuard for Mac. AdGuard has a free Safari extension and a paid for system wide ad, tracker and malware blocker. But, nothing wrong with 1Blocker. It would seem that 1Blocker and AdGuard are similar in having both free and paid products.

 

[Marty_Macfly]

aaaah it is coming back to me now.

I did the research back when I was looking to install an ad blocker onto the Mac when I 1st moved to Macs, from Windows.

1Blocker must have seemed at the time a reputable app from a reputable developer.