Introduce SponsorBlock to allow blocking/skipping audio ads

[hus115]

Related to #3382, I am looking for the ability to skip past audio ads in podcasts. In the related issue it was closed as it would require a web service to track ad timestamps which was determined to be out of scope.

My suggestion to overcome this would be to integrate with an existing webservice, SponsorBlock is a web browser extension that does this for youtube videos. They created their own webservice to manage the timestamps and the dev behind sponsor block had indicated that they are open to a podcast player integration meaning you would not have to run your own web service, you could use theirs.

As for privacy concerns, making it an opt-in feature that warns of data sharing should resolve that.

[tonytamsf]

I don't think we will run a web service or integrate with an external webservice.

We prefer to have the option to skip the beginning or ending like here #3975

[hus115]

The problem with just skipping the beginning or ending is the time may vary and does nothing for ads in the middle of the podcast.

But honestly no reason you can't do both. This wouldn't replace that, but be another option for users.

[keunes]

I must say it's a very interesting idea. I think indeed such implementation would have to be optional for users - just like Gpodder.net integration. But the fact that it's crowdsourced, open source and free does make it an option for AP. From a marketing perspective I think it would be a great asset if we could claim to be able to skip ads. And I agree with the OP that (even though it's great) begin & end skip doesn't fully solve #3382, given the 'ads in the middle'. If implementing this, I would opt for using & contributing to the central database. Not only would we not want to maintain a webservice - using the central (Creative Commons) database we would contribute to the pool & benefit if other podcasting apps would implement it.

[dotMavriQ]

I really believe that SponsorBlock is sitting on something great in the uBlock-style user-powered filterlists when it comes to Podcasts, and the ripples it could create for open source software could prove to be huge as it would create a "killer app", or a plurality of them, with functionality that proprietary apps simply would not be able to provide and thus would force the market to give the user a higher degree of control. But this isn't a conversation about ideology, granted.

I emailed AntennaPod, which I think is at the forefront when it comes to creating a good open source podcast application for Android that is easily downloaded through F-droid and the likes.

I haven't gotten a response to date but... It would be nice to at least entertain the thought that someone would seize the opportunity, and I can't see why that couldn't be leveraged by those that already hold a lot of the technology that would be necessary.

I understand that a re-purposing and subsequent app-integration or app-in-itself development is outside of the scope of a browser-extension... but the opportunity is there and I hope that people voice their opinions about how much they'd love to live in a world where an app or an integration like that exists.

I don't think we will run a web service or integrate with an external webservice.

We prefer to have the option to skip the beginning or ending like here #3975

I have contentions with this. It assumes that podcasts are formulaic in their delivery of advertisement which they are already not, strictly because of how sponsors want to protect their advertising.
A custom filter powered by users that contribute and score each other would allow for a working custom solution. It is working wonders with SponsorBlock, I really don't see why it wouldn't translate well as an app integration.

[keunes]

emailed AntennaPod, which I think is at the forefront when it comes to creating a good open source podcast application for Android that is easily downloaded through F-droid and the likes.
I haven't gotten a response to date

I guess you sent an email to the community mailing list at antennapod@googlegroups.com. I'm one of the people replying to those emails, and I would've just informed you about this GitHub issue ;) So don't expect an answer - one of the current main developers might chip in to this issue.

[ajayyy]

Yea, I'd be up for adding a "service" column to the db to support more than YouTube.

[iTzHard]

Bump

[keunes]

@iTzHard AntennaPod is created by volunteers in their spare time. Saying 'Bump' won't help a lot in getting this implemented, unfortunately. Consider giving a thumbs-up to first post - it'll give some visibility (help when issues are being sorted by up-votes) ;)

[antennapod-bot]

This issue has been mentioned on AntennaPod Forum. There might be relevant details there:

https://forum.antennapod.org/t/ability-to-skip-ads-in-the-podcast/212/2

[keunes]

@ajayyy As you can see I just referenced this feature request on our forum. It'd be great if you'd be willing to chip in there to help flesh out the idea (e.g. re a nice UI integration, maybe you know of examples of how this could be done which you could share in the forum).

[Aypac]

I just want to mention the concern, that podcast producers are really reliant on ad-revenue. I think a few podcasters offer ad-free versions on their patreon-pages. I would find it especially weird to damage the podcaster community, since the flattr option has been broken for some time, see #3266.
And I know, I can just not use the feature. But, I think the mere existence of such a feature might result in companies paying less for ads on podcast, damaging the podcast community as a whole. This is because there is no way for anyone to know how many people actually use that feature (generally, the lack of stats is a big issue for ads on podcast already!). Please don't be pure technologists about this and also consider the moral implications 😃
(If you want to hear more about this, listen here from about 37:35 and pretty much half the podcasts I listen to have mentioned similar situations).

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I just want to mention the concern, that podcast producers are really reliant on ad-revenue. I think a few podcasters offer ad-free versions on their patreon-pages. I would find it especially weird to damage the podcaster community, since the flattr option has been broken for some time, see #3266.
And I know, I can just not use the feature. But, I think the mere existence of such a feature might result in companies paying less for ads on podcast, damaging the podcast community as a whole. This is because there is no way for anyone to know how many people actually use that feature (generally, the lack of stats is a big issue for ads on podcast already!). Please don't be pure technologists about this and also consider the moral implications 😃
(If you want to hear more about this, listen here from about 37:35 and pretty much half the podcasts I listen to have mentioned similar situations).

I've stopped listening to podcasts (as a whole) entirely due to the adverts. I don't appreciate the quantity of them nor the disruptive change in pace and volume that occurs usually. Especially if I'm using them to unwind in bed at night. No sympathy from me that's for sure. SponsorBlock has enabled me to enjoy YouTube again and maybe will help me with podcasts in the future too. That would be nice.

[keunes]

Hi @Aypac
I somewhat agree with you - without podcasts no point in having a podcast app. Still, I think that moral choice is for the user to make. We could also be making moral choices regarding content, and the main developer has clearly stated he won't.
Also, I think this feature could win over quite a few people to switch from other podcast apps to AntennaPod. As a comms person I find that worth something as well (next to supporting podcasters).

That said, it is indeed a pity that Flattr stopped support for podcasters. Hopefully many podcasters will adopt the new Funding tag in their RSS feed, so that #4571 can be impactful and so thar in future we can make these funding options even more visible.