LINE chat app tip and a question about Pi-hole blocking LINE ads

[gamb00ler]

IOS 15 introduced the ability to change the font size in any (at least most) apps.

My favorite Mac YouTuber shows how at: 

 

If the above doesn't work you may need to change a setting in the LINE app.  In the LiNE app go to Home, then tap the gear icon in the top right corner, scroll down and tap on Chats, then tap on Font size and enable the "Use device settings" option.

 

My question is in regards to using Pi-hole to block the few ads that appear in the LINE app chat list.  I check the Pi-hole query log and don't see any DNS queries that originate from my iPhone at the time I start the LINE app and open the chat list.  My guess is that the LINE app does not use regular DNS queries to get the address of the ad server.  Has anybody tried to block the LINE specific DNS queries for those ads?

Edited November 28, 2021 by gamb00ler

[recom273]

I hadn't even noticed any ads on LINE .. you mean the top message, that seems to be sponsored.

 

I had a search about, and I did two things, I blocked uts-front.line-apps.com and I also added this blocklist.

 

https://github.com/BlackJack8/iOSAdblockList

 

It didnt seem to work at first, but now the ad isn't appearing. I'm not sure why or if its the result of what I did. I need to check the logs and see what is happening.

 

Give it a try.

Edited November 28, 2021 by recom273

[A1Str8]

I don't get ads at all. That's new. 

[bbko]

I don't get any Line ads on my iPhone X.

[gamb00ler]

I have noticed only two ads while using LINE.  One of them appears at the top of the list of chats and the other one appeared in a chat window when my friend accidentally typed "i herb.com" instead of "iherb.com". Both versions of spelling iherb.com now result in inline ads appearing in the chat window.

 

I'm not so bothered by the ads, I just want to understand that the method Pi-hole uses to block ads can easily be voided by coding the applications to use non-standard DNS methods.

[mtls2005]

18 hours ago, gamb00ler said:

IOS 15 introduced the ability to change the font size in any (at least most) apps.

 

My Pixel 6 running Android 12 also has this option.

 

 

The ad at the top of the "Chats" list is annoying, and easy to accidentally click on. I usually hit the "X" which gets rid of it for a while. There must be pi-hole expert groups out there?

[JayClay]

9 hours ago, gamb00ler said:

Both versions of spelling iherb.com now result in inline ads appearing in the chat window.

I don't think that's an inline add. I think it's a summary of the website along with a link to it. It should do the same regardless of the website you type in.

[gamb00ler]

10 hours ago, JayClay said:

I don't think that's an inline add. I think it's a summary of the website along with a link to it. It should do the same regardless of the website you type in.

You're right about that.  I guess I never sent or received a web page address before.  I do see a summary for every page address.