For system wide DNS blocking you only have two options: use a DNS server with blocking (either your own with something like a piHole our a public one) or use the hosts file.

My next phone is definitely going to be a Pixel for this reason. But my current one is not even 6 years old so I’ll wait a bit.

It has some deal breaking limitations:

• No filter list that can be updated, you have to update the whole extension to update filters. This adds delay as it has to go through Google verification process, they could even refuse some updates.
• Not every type of rules are available on MV3, so it has to drop some filters.
• No CNAME-uncloacking.

The Russian government has also allegedly begun preparations to block the WhatsApp messaging app.

https://kyivindependent.com/messenger-signal-blocked-in-russia-media-says/

The question of what should be done can be interesting, but that was not my question. It’s obvious this is not the motive here.

If you are in your own country opposition it’s better to use a foreign tool, even better if it’s in a country that’s not gonna collaborate with yours.

My question was more about the motives in this case.

I don’t get it, are you really arguing that Russia and Venezuela are blocking Signal to protect their citizens from American snooping?

Telegram is not secure, I guess if you can listen to it better not block it.

Thanks, nice to have someone knowledgeable.

Would you say matrix is censorship resistant? I’ve very limited knowledge of it but given what you said I imagine that if I was trying to block matrix I would just need to query the url of the text file and check the DNS text entry, if either exist just add the domain to the blocklist.

Being decentralized prevents DNS or IP blocks but not blocks through DPI.

Signal has an option to masquerade it’s traffic as regular HTTPS, I don’t know if Matrix can do such a thing.

https://x.com/signalapp/status/1821979304626155930

I don’t think the commenter you are replying to is arguing that chrome is a better choice. He or she knows it’s bad but didn’t make the change out of lazyness (no offence). Change has a cost, especially if it implies changing habits. So people will just delay or avoid them.

No one is saying Chrome is the ethical choice, why are you reducing this to a 2 options choice?

All of them except uBlock Origin are in Arkenfox “Do not bother” extension list: https://github.com/arkenfox/user.js/wiki/4.1-Extensions#-dont-bother