These types of apps are great. Unfortunately they use a VPN to limit apps' Internet usage, which means I can't use it at the same time as a vpn. I have tailscale running 24/7 on my phone, so it's either this app, or tailscale.
this post was submitted on 07 Jul 2023
73 points (97.4% liked)
Technology
58303 readers
54 users here now
This is a most excellent place for technology news and articles.
Our Rules
- Follow the lemmy.world rules.
- Only tech related content.
- Be excellent to each another!
- Mod approved content bots can post up to 10 articles per day.
- Threads asking for personal tech support may be deleted.
- Politics threads may be removed.
- No memes allowed as posts, OK to post as comments.
- Only approved bots from the list below, to ask if your bot can be added please contact us.
- Check for duplicates before posting, duplicates may be removed
Approved Bots
founded 1 year ago
MODERATORS
I use Rethink DNS, which you can use either as a vpn app, or just as a customisable dns.
Interesting app, but it has the same problem. I can't use a vpn at the same time.
You can just use your dns setting in your Android dns settings, and then you can use a vpn too. It'll be up to the vpn whether it respects the dns or not.
I see. But then you don't get the firewall functionality of these privacy apps.
You get some of it, as the blocklists contain the domains these apps connect to. Like adblocks. Not as refined as a fw, but you can use a vpn at the same time and it doesn't impact the battery.
Makes sense. Unfortunately doesn't fix my use case. I want to block apps from accessing the Internet and use a VPN at the same time.
I'm guessing if I'm already using adguard I don't need this, right?
Yeah, I think so. I'm also using AdGuard.
According to AdGuard it's blocked around 2,500 trackers and 24,000 requests just in the last 24hrs. Every app must be constantly connecting - staggering!
Just learned yesterday about duckduckgo's app tracker blocker - is this essentially the same ??
I haven't tried that DDG app tracker blocker, but if it acts as a "local VPN", then it probably works the same.
It does act as a VPN and puts the VPN icon on the top right (android)
Tried tracker control it works very well
Any guides recommended for dummies like me?
I don't think it should be too difficult to set up and understand what's going on.
Download it, install it, run it. Click on the listed apps to toggle whether you want them to be monitored (toggling this off means the app will be "ignored" by TrackerControl), if they can access the internet, or if you only want to block certain general categories (advertising, tracking, others). Some of the blocked domains that show up on those categories can be allowed by tapping them, the text will display if they're allowed or blocked.
Running it can make some apps not work properly. If manually allowing some stuff doesn't work, simply stop monitoring said app. I have to do this with some shopping apps: i stop monitoring them, finish the checkout, pay, turn monitoring back on.
If you already use a VPN app, then TC won't work, since it acts as a "local VPN"
I hope this response was useful and helpful. If not, please do say so and I'll try to make things clearer ;)
Many thanks!