Apple allows adblocker that blocks ads in apps
Apple has granted an app access to the App Store that blocks ads in other applications. The app, called Been Choice, is free and filters ads and blocks data collection using a VPN and deep packet inspection.
Been Choice is probably the first iOS app capable of blocking ads within other apps. Other ad blockers only work on ads in the Safari browser. Been Choice would even be able to pull sponsored posts from, for example, a Twitter feed. The makers of the app state that their reason for releasing the app is that users should be given control over what is done with their valuable data.
For blocking ads in Safari, traffic does not go through a VPN. It is only used when users want to block ads in other apps. By means of deep packet inspection, Been Choice removes the advertisements from the internet traffic and the data collection of advertisers is also thwarted. Been states that only the advertising and tracking traffic runs through the VPN, and not the regular traffic.
Users can also choose to earn money using the app. In the so-called ‘earn’ mode, ads and tracking are allowed, but users are rewarded for making their browsing data available to Been Choice. These rewards take the form of, for example, gift vouchers for online stores or PayPal credit. For now, the earn mode is only available in the US. Been does not store any personal information of users. In this mode, the general internet traffic goes through Been’s VPN, albeit encrypted.
As of version 9 of the iOS operating system, which came out on September 16, it is possible to block advertisements on Apple’s smartphones. While Been Choice may be the first adblocker for iOS to work within other apps, it’s been around for a while for Android. For example, AdBlock Plus has an Android app that is capable of blocking advertisements in browsers as well as in other apps. However, the Android app cannot be found in the Play Store and must be downloaded from the official website. Rooting is also an advantage with Adblock plus for Android. Been Choice does not appear to be available in the Benelux at the moment.