Trackers blocker in Advanced privacy tool

Using /e/OS Applications
,
1

Hi all!

My though concern the new in-build feature within Advance Privacy tools : trackers blocker.

Simply said : how reliable is this tool ? Does it mean installing app with trackers is now safe in regards of private data loss ? I have none on my phone but some would ease my daily usage.

Thanks!

2 Likes
2

I would say yes, I’ve checked the DNS query log files, the difference enabled/disabeled is impressive, dont expect 100% being blocked but good enough.

4 Likes
3

This new tool integrates or substitutes the “Tracker Control” app, aka TC ?

3 Likes
4

Hi @andrelam, hi the community,

Does you as a coder, or anyone else, could explain me how exactly works the tracker blocking tool ?

I understand that the eOS scans the app to find trackers : but I don’t understand how the trackers are being blocks ? While being activated by the app to call home ? By permanently cutting the internet access to them ? By another mecanism ?

Thanks for taking the time to answer :+1:

5

Hello,
(I’m not involved in coding this privacy tool)It works with a list of known trackers and DNS. To communicate over the internet, you’ll need IP numbers. You cant communicate using names, therefore these have to be converted to numbers, IP numbers. Because this is not easy to remind, and to be able to change IP’s easily, a mechanism called “Domain Name System” is invented, like a phonebook, to call someone you’ll need the phone number, and you’ll find their number based on their name in the phonebook.

Now what the privacy app does is fake the phonebook, app trackers want to call home and tries to lookup the phone number. It will find it, but the number will be fake, so it cant call home. This is what the privacy App does. The privacy app only does this for known evil “people” in the phonebook.

Source code here and here phonebook :wink:

3 Likes
6

Hello,

Thanks for your clear, complete and precise answers ! It is much clearer for me now how does it work and how does it block the trackers and therefor, how much confidence I can have in this tool !

Again thank you very much :clap: :+1:

1 Like
7

Hey people,
yeah this feature appeared and it looks like something really desirable and necessary, but I cannot find anything in the documentation, or any announcement which clarifies things. I also want to know whether this works with the Tracker control app, or that having both will clash or slow down my connection?