+- jsr -- 249d ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[...]+ | | | WHOA: Could Germany Ban Ad Blockers? | | | | German megapublisher Axel Springer is asking a German court to ban an ad-blocker. | | | | They claim HTML/ CSS of their sites are protected computer programs. | | | | And influencing they are displayed (e.g by removing ads) violates copyright. | | | | https://blossom.primal.net/f1aac1c7cba207b4d4e91d2b267422fa792447a5cdcdc9d3b27edc3deb899a7a.png | | | | I'm in puzzled wonderment at this claim. | | | | Preventing ad-blocking would be a huge blow to German cybersecurity and privacy. | | | | https://blossom.primal.net/a92542ec974ecc602b7befd2400ae837980bd04b2f7ebf0dfe9744ae8807b2bd.png | | | | There are critical security & privacy reasons to influence how a websites code gets displayed. | | | | Like stripping out dangerous code & malvertising. | | | | Hacking risks from the online advertising are documented. | | | | https://blossom.primal.net/f3ed60773ca3408465acd4dbfdbb649bb9b209ea5d976dcb3b8a15e7b3e15e93.png | | | | Any attempt to force Germans to run all of the code on a website without consideration for their privacy and | | security rights and needs will end very, very poorly. | | | | Defining HTML/CSS as a protected computer program will quickly lead to absurdities touching every corner of the | | internet. | | | | Just think of the potential infringements: | | | | -Screen readers for the blind | | -'Dark mode' bowser extensions | | -Displaying snippets of code in a university class | | -Inspecting & modifying code in your own browser | | -Website translators | | | | Or blocking unwanted trackers. | | | | This is why most governments do it on their systems. | | | | https://blossom.primal.net/b1d66083392034b2062aebd1cb6059fcca669520b50d065e54dc4dce4bde8c69.png | | | | I'm not a lawyer, but if Axel Springer wins the consequences are just nuts: | | | | Basic stuff like bookmarking & saving a local copy of a website might be legally risky. | | | | The Wayback Machine & internet archives and libraries might be violators. | | | | This might even extend to search engines displaying excerpts of sites. | | | | Code sharing sites like GitHub could become a liability minefield... | | | | The list goes on and on. | | | | Finally, only one country has banned ad-blockers. China. | | | | This is not good company for Germany. | | | | | | READ MORE: From Mozilla | | https://blog.mozilla.org/netpolicy/2025/08/14/is-germany-on-the-brink-of-banning-ad-blockers-user-freedom-privacy-an | | d-security-is-at-risk/ | | | | Bleeping Computer: | | https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/legal/mozilla-warns-germany-could-soon-declare-ad-blockers-illegal/ | | | +-- reply ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [2 replies] ---+WHOA: Could Germany Ban Ad Blockers? German megapublisher Axel Springer is asking a German court to ban an ad-blocker. They claim HTML/ CSS of their sites are protected computer programs. And influencing they are displayed (e.g by removing ads) violates copyright. https://blossom.primal.net/f1aac1c7cba207b4d4e91d2b267422fa792447a5cdcdc9d3b27edc3deb899a7a.png I'm in puzzled wonderment at this claim. Preventing ad-blocking would be a huge blow to German cybersecurity and privacy. https://blossom.primal.net/a92542ec974ecc602b7befd2400ae837980bd04b2f7ebf0dfe9744ae8807b2bd.png There are critical security & privacy reasons to influence how a websites code gets displayed. Like stripping out dangerous code & malvertising. Hacking risks from the online advertising are documented. https://blossom.primal.net/f3ed60773ca3408465acd4dbfdbb649bb9b209ea5d976dcb3b8a15e7b3e15e93.png Any attempt to force Germans to run all of the code on a website without consideration for their privacy and security rights and needs will end very, very poorly. Defining HTML/CSS as a protected computer program will quickly lead to absurdities touching every corner of the internet. Just think of the potential infringements: -Screen readers for the blind -'Dark mode' bowser extensions -Displaying snippets of code in a university class -Inspecting & modifying code in your own browser -Website translators Or blocking unwanted trackers. This is why most governments do it on their systems. https://blossom.primal.net/b1d66083392034b2062aebd1cb6059fcca669520b50d065e54dc4dce4bde8c69.png I'm not a lawyer, but if Axel Springer wins the consequences are just nuts: Basic stuff like bookmarking & saving a local copy of a website might be legally risky. The Wayback Machine & internet archives and libraries might be violators. This might even extend to search engines displaying excerpts of sites. Code sharing sites like GitHub could become a liability minefield... The list goes on and on. Finally, only one country has banned ad-blockers. China. This is not good company for Germany. READ MORE: From Mozilla https://blog.mozilla.org/netpolicy/2025/08/14/is-germany-on-the-brink-of-banning-ad-blockers-user-freedom-privacy-and-security-is-at-risk/ Bleeping Computer: https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/legal/mozilla-warns-germany-could-soon-declare-ad-blockers-illegal/
thread · root 4f86bde2…70fd · depth 1 · · selected 4f86bde2…70fd
thread
root 4f86bde2…70fd · depth 1 · · selected 4f86bde2…70fd
WHOA: Could Germany Ban Ad Blockers?German megapublisher Axel Springer is asking a German court to ban an ad-blocker.They claim HTML/ CSS of their sites are protected computer programs.And influencing they are displayed (e.g by removing ads) violates copyright.https://blossom.primal.net/f1aac1c7cba207b4d4e91d2b267422fa792447a5cdcdc9d3b27edc3deb899a7a.pngI'm in puzzled wonderment at this claim.Preventing ad-blocking would be a huge blow to German cybersecurity and privacy.https://blossom.primal.net/a92542ec974ecc602b7befd2400ae837980bd04b2f7ebf0dfe9744ae8807b2bd.pngThere are critical security & privacy reasons to influence how a websites code gets displayed.Like stripping out dangerous code & malvertising.Hacking risks from the online advertising are documented.https://blossom.primal.net/f3ed60773ca3408465acd4dbfdbb649bb9b209ea5d976dcb3b8a15e7b3e15e93.pngAny attempt to force Germans to run all of the code on a website without consideration for their privacy andsecurity rights and needs will end very, very poorly.Defining HTML/CSS as a protected computer program will quickly lead to absurdities touching every corner of theinternet.Just think of the potential infringements:-Screen readers for the blind-'Dark mode' bowser extensions-Displaying snippets of code in a university class-Inspecting & modifying code in your own browser-Website translatorsOr blocking unwanted trackers.This is why most governments do it on their systems.https://blossom.primal.net/b1d66083392034b2062aebd1cb6059fcca669520b50d065e54dc4dce4bde8c69.pngI'm not a lawyer, but if Axel Springer wins the consequences are just nuts:Basic stuff like bookmarking & saving a local copy of a website might be legally risky.The Wayback Machine & internet archives and libraries might be violators.This might even extend to search engines displaying excerpts of sites.Code sharing sites like GitHub could become a liability minefield...The list goes on and on.Finally, only one country has banned ad-blockers. China.This is not good company for Germany.READ MORE: From Mozillahttps://blog.mozilla.org/netpolicy/2025/08/14/is-germany-on-the-brink-of-banning-ad-blockers-user-freedom-privacy-and-security-is-at-risk/Bleeping Computer:https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/legal/mozilla-warns-germany-could-soon-declare-ad-blockers-illegal/
Europe feels like they’re panicking with Russia knocking on their door and the US waffling on defense support.
Do you think that’s what’s causing the recent attack on privacy, increased censorship, and stealing from bank accounts to fuel the economy while they’re ramping up defense spending?
It never ceases to amaze me when people believe they have the right to control which packets your software accepts and which it drops.
Adblock is a firewall for your browser. It ignores malicious data. That's literally all it does.
Attempts to ban ad blockers are akin to a corporation putting a billboard in your house and passing a law to throw you in jail for covering it with a blanket. Sheer insanity.
These proposals are only possible in a society of ignorants.