Features
All about the eyeo Browser Ad-Filtering Solution.
Integrating the eyeo Browser Ad-Filtering Solution provides a browsing experience that benefits users. On this page, you'll learn about the solution's main features and services.
About the eyeo Browser Ad-Filtering Solution
Advertisements frustrate users, as they take up valuable screen space and can slow page load time. By integrating a proven, widely used ad-filtering solution directly into the browser, your users will no longer need to install and configure ad-filtering extensions manually.
With the eyeo Browser Ad-Filtering Solution, ad filtering is automatically enabled, giving users an immediate improvement in browsing speed and aesthetics.
The eyeo Browser Ad-Filtering Solution enables partners with Chromium-based browsers to introduce ad filtering and related features to their browsers across multiple platforms. As a result, Chromium-enforced limitations on desktop extensions (like Manifest V3) no longer apply.
Features
The feature-rich solution works alongside other services offered to all partners. In this section, you'll learn about the benefits and capabilities of integrating an ad-filtering solution into a browser.
Basic ad filtering
Ad filtering is the core feature of the solution, which uses two approaches to remove ads:
Network blocking, which blocks ads from being requested and downloaded. This approach saves data and helps web pages loader faster.
Element hiding, which hides ads. Element hiding also hides white spaces left from hidden ads, improving the user experience even after removing ads.
Partners can access an API to introduce an on/off switch for ad filtering features in the UI.
Anti-circumvention and snippets
An advanced feature of the solution, anti-circumvention, depends on JavaScript snippets that execute within the context of a website to stop publishers from circumventing ad blockers.
Snippets are built into the browser as a library, rather then being downloaded from the Internet, to avoid running untrusted code. Partners can update the snippets library on their own as part of their release pipeline. Snippets are enabled by default but can be disabled if needed.
For more on snippets, view Snippets Overview.
Acceptable Ads
Acceptable Ads gives users the option to support content creators and contribute to a fair online ecosystem. Users who enable Acceptable Ads see non-intrusive advertising that respects the online user experience. In so doing, they help reward content creators for their free content.
Keep the following in mind when configuring Acceptable Ads for your project:
This feature is powered by exception rules, a proprietary eyeo filter list. eyeo recommends all partners enable this filter list by default.
Inform users about Acceptable Ads during onboarding so that they can opt out if they wish.
Make sure that Acceptable Ads has a dedicated on/off switch in the browser settings.
To turn this feature off, you'll need to disable (that is, unsubscribe from) the exception rules filter list through the Subscription API.
Filter lists
Filter lists power ad filtering. The Browser Ad-filtering Solution downloads the following filter lists by default:
EasyList, the standard for filtering ad content online, is the default filter list enabled in the ad filtering solution.
Language-specific versions of EasyList:
During the first run a list is automatically selected and downloaded based on the user's device language.
Later "temporary" lists are downloaded based on geolocation and will be deleted if the geolocation has changed and the list remains unrecommended for a period of 14 days.
A proprietary list to enable Acceptable Ads.
Anti-circumvention list to stop publishers from circumventing ad blockers.
Adding and removing filter lists
Using the Subscription API, browser partners can add and remove custom filter lists during browser runtime. You can also expose this option to your end users.
For more information, view adding and removing filter lists.
Automatic filter list updates
The Browser Ad-Filtering Solution updates all installed filter lists automatically, according to their expiration time.
Browser partners can add an expiration value to their filter lists by setting special headers in the filter list content.
Reporting ad filtering statistics
With this feature enabled, you can count how many ad requests were blocked or allowed. The Browser Ad-Filtering Solution sends a notification for each blocked request, which the browser can then count and display to users in their UI.
Depending on your project, you can also use a global counter to engage users who reach a specific milestone of blocked ads.
For more information, view receiving notifications about blocked or allowed network requests.
Privacy-preserving user counting
User counting helps browser partners and eyeo count the following:
How many users are using the eyeo Browser Ad-Filtering Solution
How many users support content creators via the Acceptable Ads program
eyeo counts users in a way that preserves privacy. The Solution sends regular, anonymous ping requests to eyeo servers. These requests let eyeo apply formulas and identify unique, active users without knowing any personal information about the user.
For more information, view user counting.
Adding and removing domains to and from allowlists
Browser partners can add or remove domains to and from a local allowlist during runtime.
With this feature, your end users can disable ad filtering for specific websites. This lets users support certain websites, or turn ad filtering off for websites with ad blocker walls or websites that break when ads are blocked.
By providing this feature to users, you give them the option to keep ad filtering enabled for all other websites, resulting in a low opt-out rate for ad filtering.
You can also let some users manage their local allowlist. Adding and removing domains to the local allowlist is done through the custom allowlist API.
Adding and removing custom filters to and from local block lists
Partners or users can add and remove individual filters that follow the Adblock Plus syntax.
eyeo recommends to reserve this capability for power users or developers.
Multi-platform support
Partners only need to integrate the ad-filtering solution into their Chromium codebase once. The Solution supports the following platforms:
Windows
MacOS
Linux
Android
In addition to platform dimension, the following targets are supported:
Chromium app
WebView (Android system component to display HTML)
Monochrome (combined app and WebView)
Content Shell (minimal browser code base, can be used for Smart TV platforms)
Example UI
Examples can help you implement a user interface to control ad filtering.
Next up
Now that you're familiar with the features of the eyeo Browser Ad-Filtering Solution, jump right in and follow the Quickstart guide to begin building.
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