Subscription list problem

Discussion on adblockplus.org website and translations
Post Reply
none

Subscription list problem

Post by none »

I'm not sure where to put this exactly, I hope it's in the right section.

So on the list of known ABP subscriptions in here is one problematic subscription, nothing major but still something to address.

The subscription Wiltteri, which is a Finnish supplement for EasyList, doesn't have the required comment in the beginning
Please note that in order to be included in this list your subscription must contain a comment at the beginning describing the origin of the filter list and the preferred way of contacting you if problems with your list occur.
Also apparently there has recently been some problems with false positives slipping on the list and reports made by the built-in reporting function not getting through to the maintainers of the list but these problems are hopefully being addressed.
Michael
Posts: 1361
Joined: Sat Dec 19, 2009 12:29 pm

Re: Subscription list problem

Post by Michael »

Have you tried contacting them via their forum?
none

Re: Subscription list problem

Post by none »

I know about the forum but after thinking about the graveness of current state of the subscription list I thought it could be better to contact you straigth as a superior, and that it probably would be more effective if you as a superior would note the authors of the list about these things.
Michael
Posts: 1361
Joined: Sat Dec 19, 2009 12:29 pm

Re: Subscription list problem

Post by Michael »

Wiltteri certainly looks as though it needs some attention. Few filters use the recent syntax for indicating domain names and rules for removing advertisements appear oddly specific in several instances. Furthermore, many of the element hiding rule should be optimised. This is aside from the lack of sections in the subscription and the lack of explanatory comments, including the initial one with contact details.

Yet, at present, we have no rules to enforce my above comments; unofficial SubscriptionList policy merely requires that filter lists are valid and updated on a reasonable basis, as Wiltteri is. However, I do plan to start a topic on author guidelines in a week or so, and on the basis of that discussion I will probably contact several people about their filter lists.
none

Re: Subscription list problem

Post by none »

I mainly thought about this text on the page Known adblock plus subscriptions en/subscriptions
Can't see your filter list here? Send the information you would like to be displayed here. Please note that in order to be included in this list your subscription must contain a comment at the beginning describing the origin of the filter list and the preferred way of contacting you if problems with your list occur. You should also be certain that when these issues arise you will be able to fix them in a reasonable amount of time.
And this policy https://easylist.adblockplus.org/en/policy as the list is a supplement to easylist
EasyList policy

Purpose
EasyList filters must remove adverts, although it is acceptable for them to incidentally remove tracking.
Self-promotion should not be specifically removed by EasyList, although equally should not be whitelisted if it is blocked.
Adverts must be blocked regardless of the reasons for their presence or the purpose that the money raised ultimately serves.
Filter evaluation
Evidence should be provided that filters need to be added to the subscription.
Specific filters should only added if a substantial amount of advertising is removed by its inclusion.
Consistently problematic filters should be removed from the subscription.
Anti-Adblock should only be challenged if the system limits website functionality or causes significant disruption to browsing.
Coverage
Filters should only be added for English websites; supplements support other languages.
If it is not feasible for a supplement to override EasyList filters should be added to the primary subscription.
Languages for which there are no supplements may have issues resolved in EasyList; however, these filters should ideally be transferred to another subscription.
Syntax
Domains specifically serving adverts should be blocked on all third-party websites.
Filters must be as efficient as possible.
Only element rules based on id or class should be applied to all domains, unless there are exceptional circumstances.
Whitelists should be specific enough to avoid protecting unwanted items.

EasyPrivacy policy

Purpose
EasyPrivacy filters must remove tracking.
Filter evaluation
Evidence should be provided that filters need to be added to the subscription.
Filters for first-party trackers should only be added if the items blocked collect a significant amount of personal data.
Consistently problematic filters should be removed from the subscription.
Coverage
Filters should be added for websites of all languages.
Syntax
Domains specifically serving tracking should be blocked on all third-party websites.
Filters must be as efficient as possible.
Whitelists should be specific enough to avoid protecting unwanted items.
Still, reports made by the built-in reporting tool are getting ignored (I have notified the author on the forums but still nothing). There's also unoptimized and false rules slipping on the list continuously breaking stuff/blocking stuff that shouldnt be blocked, seems like the author doesnt quality check the rules that are proposed to be added to the list on the forums. One example of purposefully adding rules not in the scope of the policy are rules to remove facebook "like" buttons from websites.

I will further notify the author on the list's forums and I will quote your response if this would make a difference, if you would contact the author about these problems and link to the author guidelines when they are ready would probably help as well. If not, a propose notion should probably be added that explains that the list is quite, if not very, problematic or the list completely removed from the official list of known rules.

It's otherwise a great list that is recommended to be used but these problems recently are quite severe and if they arent getting fixed, I will need to change my opinion to not recommending people to use the list. :cry:
Michael
Posts: 1361
Joined: Sat Dec 19, 2009 12:29 pm

Re: Subscription list problem

Post by Michael »

Sorry, I had been intending to write SubscriptionList policy but completely forgot - the policy you cited only covers EasyList, EasyPrivacy and EasyList Germany, not all supplementary subscriptions. However, with Wladimir's approval I will officially e-mail Wiltteri about the problems and, if the authors do not adequately respond, remove the subscription from SubscriptionList.

Wladimir, would it be acceptable for me to draft a policy for SubscriptionList next week? If so, which forum should I use?
Wladimir Palant

Re: Subscription list problem

Post by Wladimir Palant »

Michael: You have my approval on both things. As to the policy - it is probably best if you start writing it in your Anwiki instance, I can easily move it to mine then.
Michael
Posts: 1361
Joined: Sat Dec 19, 2009 12:29 pm

Re: Subscription list problem

Post by Michael »

I have sent the Wiltteri author the following e-mail.
Warning from SubscriptionList about the quality of Wiltteri wrote: It has come to our attention that Wiltteri is at a less than suitable standard for listing on the Adblock Plus website. It has been reported that a number of filters in your subscription cause false positives and alleged that "the author doesnt quality check the rules that are proposed to be added to the list on the forums" (forum/viewtopic.php?t=7785). Furthermore, when the issue was raised in your forum apparently no action was taken. Frankly, this is not acceptable behaviour. For a subscription to be listed on the Adblock Plus website it "must contain a comment at the beginning describing the origin of the filter list and the preferred way of contacting you if problems with your list occur. You should also be certain that when these issues arise you will be able to fix them in a reasonable amount of time" (http://adblockplus.org/en/subscriptions). These are conditions which you do not appear to be fulfilling at present.

There are also associated issues that I, Michael, have raised in the forum (forum/viewtopic.php?t=7785). Few filters use the recent syntax for indicating domain names and rules for removing advertisements appear oddly specific in several instances. Furthermore, many of the element hiding rules should be optimised to used the more recent syntax.

Unless you improve the quality of Wiltteri within two weeks I will have no choice but to cease listing the subscription on the Adblock Plus websites. While I appreciate that you update the subscription on a regular basis, it is the quality of the rules that are being added and the lack of reaction to problems which is a concern for SubscriptionList.

Regards,
Michael
Wladimir, I will start writing the SubscriptionList policy tomorrow.
Wladimir Palant

Re: Subscription list problem

Post by Wladimir Palant »

Thank you!
Michael
Posts: 1361
Joined: Sat Dec 19, 2009 12:29 pm

Re: Subscription list problem

Post by Michael »

wiltteri
Posts: 4
Joined: Thu Dec 03, 2009 1:07 pm

Re: Subscription list problem

Post by wiltteri »

Hi, first I'm sorry for inconvenience. In last time I have been too lazy for maintenance of Wiltteri list. But the message is received and fixes is coming.

Br, Wiltteri
Michael
Posts: 1361
Joined: Sat Dec 19, 2009 12:29 pm

Re: Subscription list problem

Post by Michael »

That's good to know Wiltteri. Please keep us updated on the progress of the subscription.
Post Reply