uBlock breaks sites using mParticle

[guinguinguinguin]

Prerequisites

• [X] This is not a support issue or a question
• [X] I performed a cursory search of the issue tracker to avoid opening a duplicate issue
• [X] I am running the latest version of uBlock Origin

I tried to reproduce the issue when...

• [X] uBO is the only extension
• [X] uBO with default lists/settings
• [X] using a new, unmodified browser profile

URL(s) where the issue occurs

Any site that uses mParticle for marketing tracking and setting user identity breaks for users with uBlock.

For example: https://www.gymshark.com/ (You can see it's being blocked by client

https://trends.builtwith.com/websitelist/mParticle ^Here are other sites that uses mParticle

Describe the issue

For example, our particular site uses it to set user identity to create tracking for that user. uBlock will block calls to mParticle, which breaks some features on our site. We'd like mParticle to be white-listed if possible.

https://docs.mparticle.com/ ^mParticle library we're using

Screenshot(s)

uBlock Origin version

uBlock Origin 1.40.8

Browser name and version

Chrome Version 98.0.4758.8

Settings

n/a Just installed

Notes

FYI, this also breaks Sentry, Optimizely, & New Relic, which are common dev tools!

[uBlock-user]

breaks for users with uBlock

What exactly is broken ?

We'd like mParticle to be white-listed if possible.

There's no whitelist in uBO.

[guinguinguinguin]

@uBlock-user We use branch-mparticle-web-kit on our siite. We set window.branch.setIdentity() after a user fills our login forms to be able to login. We also use this feature to be able to set the user and set attributes. We also have hundred of thousands of users - not too sure how many have uBlock installed. We just know that uBlock blocks it after doing some testing.

Is there a more appropriate place to put this issue? It would be great to be pointed to the right direction.

[uBlock-user]

We use branch-mparticle-web-kit on our siite.

Which site would that be ?

[okiehsch]

Any site that uses mParticle for marketing tracking and setting user identity breaks for users with uBlock.

How does it "break"?

[okiehsch]

Let's use https://www.gymshark.com/ as an example, I have an account, what can't I do?

[okiehsch]

I can't test that site, that's why I used the first site you mentioned.

[okiehsch]

Yes.

[guinguinguinguin]

Would you like me to send a video/more screenshots? Another choice (you don't have to) is going on vpn if you have it.

Let me know if this is too much trouble too. I don't mind closing this thread out in that case.

[okiehsch]

Another choice (you don't have to) is going on vpn if you have it.

I am well aware of that fact. 😉 I don't have an account for kfc, I do have an account for gymshark. If users can't login on a specific site we will add an exception for that site, what we won't do is whitelist a tracking solution globally.

[guinguinguinguin]

I'm not sure how gymshark is using mparticle, but you can see that calls get blocked for them.

We're using it to set the customer profile, email subscription, etc (pretty iffy utilization of mparticle imo but I joined the project way after the fact).

[uBlock-user]

We're blocked from setting user attributes using mparticle

So you're unable to do any tracking because filters are in place to block just that. Don't see how users are affected.

[okiehsch]

but you can see that calls get blocked for them.

Yes, but I can use the site without issue as far as I can see, the email subscription works, I can buy stuff, etc.

[guinguinguinguin]

Sooo basically: We use mParticle to set the user identity. We use this to get whether the user is logged in or not throughout the site. We also set user settings in mparticle (ie. we use mparticle to store if user is subscribed or unsubscribed to our emails - if they unsubscribed through our site, we currently can't fully unsubscribe them because mparticle is blocked so it never updates unless they disable uBlock).

[guinguinguinguin]

but you can see that calls get blocked for them.

Yes, but I can use the site without issue as far as I can see, the email subscription works, I can by stuff, etc.

If you're referring to gymshark, it's because they're using mparticle as truly a marketing tool unlike my project I'm working on. But you can see that it's an example of how uBlock blocks mparticle.

Just let me know if anything could be done or proof is needed haha! I can just close this out if nothing can be done.

[okiehsch]

mparticle to store if user is subscribed or unsubscribed to our emails ..... unsubscribed through our site, we currently can't fully unsubscribe them

And you use mparticle for that, I agree that is an unusual utilization. Anyway, I don't think anything can be done on our end, mparticle will remain globally blocked.

[guinguinguinguin]

Cool cool - thanks!

[iam-py-test]

For example, our particular site uses it to set user identity to create tracking for that user.

And you want it to be unblocked?

[gwarser]

This is something similar to Google Tag Manager where you can run any crap on user machines through unified API?

[guinguinguinguin]

I'm not sure if you're sincerely asking or being sarcastic. 😅 Either way, it also doesn't really answer why other monitoring tools are being blocked as well, like New Relic or Sentry etc.

To give more context, we don't own our on db/backend. We get around certain things like tracking whether a user used a promo or not on their account so we'd know they redeemed it or not to display certain components. I'd love to change the way we work, but I can't. All I'm asking is a simple question on if there is anything that could be done for this case, not really expecting or demanding anything from your devs lol.

I'm happy with just a "No, unfortunately, we can't do anything".

[iam-py-test]

Unless it is preventing the user from using the website, then I don't think we plan on unblocking it

Either way, it also doesn't really answer why other monitoring tools are being blocked as well, like New Relic or Sentry etc.

Decision by @easylist not uBo. I personally feel that those are a privacy risk (and besides, users still can report issues & provide their own data on their own terms) but I see why some people think they are needed