Way to block apps' trackers

poubellier

Hi all,
On my main user profile, which is without Google Services, i still have 2 or 3 proprietary apps that are full of trackers. Not only ads trackers, but also Analytics like trackers. And i'm wondering if there is any way to block those trackers? I know about AdGuard but isn't it only for ads ? And iirc it works as a VPN. I already have a permanent VPN on (Mullvad) and so can't have a second one for trackers blocking. So is there any solution?
Thank you

jarell

poubellier I'd recommend DNS based blocking like NextDNS or Adguard DNS. Take note some people seem to have trouble with NextDNS lately regarding connectivity issues. You can search up Reddit for specific cases.

I personally use NextDNS as it is more customizable than Adguard and haven't had any issues with it unlike the people on Reddit.

Both use Android's Private DNS feature which works in conjunction with a VPN. All DNS request would appear to be from the VPN server. Setup instructions can be found on both NextDns and Adguard pages.

poubellier

jarell If i get this right, it only make the request come from somewhere else, but it does not block the actions tracking right?

jarell

poubellier NextDNS and Adguard DNS are DNS level blockers that can block advertising and tracking domains. They can also be configured to block known malicious domains and others. They're both free so I recommend creating an account and checking them out on your own to fully understand their functionality.

treequell

I am not sure you can effectively block against trackers. Lists of so-called trackers are often poorly maintained. Apps can still send data to third parties from their servers.

LuckyLuke

I'd like to throw NetGuard (Pro version) into the round. The app uses the VPN interface and works like a kind of firewall. You can then fine-grain block or allow all connections that the app sets up. The best way to do this is to use the whitelist principle. First block all the app's connections and then only allow the connections that are really necessary for the app to work. That way, you can block trackers.

Note, however, that this method requires a lot of patience and effort.

jarell

LuckyLuke OP already uses a VPN that they don't want to disable.

Golosat

Apps and web sites can detect that ad-blocking is being used and can determine what's being blocked. This can be used as part of fingerprinting users. Using a widely used service like AdGuard with a standard block list is much less of an issue than a custom set of subscriptions / rules, but it still stands out compared to the default of not doing it.

Source: https://grapheneos.org/faq#ad-blocking

I would recommend you to use AdGuard Public DNS instead of NextDNS or AdGuard Private DNS.