::: PSA: Live Feature Update, Part 1 :::

    Hello dear villagers,

    Hope you are all doing well.

     Due to a recent update, most of you are now

     probably more than aware of Amino’s new

     Live Feature, which has slowly but surely

     been enforced across the board by the new

     management behind Amino Apps.

     Our first initial PSA on the matter explained

     the details and context for this whole situation

    (click here if you haven’t checked it out yet).

    But now we come to you with a follow up to

     that, a two-part update that will include:

              1)   A safe, effective way to block the

                     live feed showcase, and (possibly)

                    some of the more intrusive ads.

              2)   Relevant information on some

                      steps that each of us can take to

                      push back against these unwanted

                      features and the general unfortunate

                      direction that Amino is following.  

     Let’s start with the more pressing and

      personally helpful info: how to block the

      live feed.

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Blocking the Live Feed

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    Although there is still no actual, official way

     to block the feature from our communities,

     there is a way for individual s to block

     the feed, meaning the (often inappropriate)

     row of video links/thumbnails that show up

     at the top of the community front page.

     The way to do it will depend on what apps

     you have access to on your mobile operating

     system (ex. iOS, Android, etc.).

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DISCLAIMER :bangbang:

         While the apps for both Android and iOS

         have been tested for their safety and

         efficacy (either by me in the case of the

         latter, or by amino s from other

         communities in the case of Android), you,

         as a , are using these apps at your

         own discretion.

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For iOS Devices

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    This one I have personally confirmed for

     myself, meaning that I am currently using it

     and can attest to its safety and effectiveness.

     For this method, iOS s will need to

     the app Lockdown Privacy via

     the Appstore.

    Once you’ve opened the app, go to:

Firewall ⇨ Block List ⇨ Custom

    From there, add the domain:

api.gateway.amino-live.com

    This will add the respective domain to the

     block list, which means that once the firewall

     is activated (simply click on that big on/off

     button to do so), the live streams will be

     blocked.

    Note :exclamation:

        You have to close and reopen the Amino

        app for this to take effect. You don’t need

        to log off, simply close and reopen the app.

     According to some Amino s, this will

     also block the ads. I can confirm that it

     blocked some of them, but not all, as the

     ones inside the posts are still there (though,

     blessedly, they do not load for me, so they

     just appear blank).  

      Here’s what the WVA front page looks like

      now for me:

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For Android Devices

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    The equivalent app used for Android is called

     Blokada. Since I am not an Android , I am

     only able to detail this specific method through

     second-hand information.

     There are two relevant versions of this app,

     which are Blokada S4 and S5.

     Blokada S6 is the most recent version, meaning

    it’s the one you from the App Store.

     But, unfortunately, that version requires a paid

     subscription, and only the older versions (S4

     and S5) are actually free.

     These two versions are only available through

      Blokada’s official website (right at the bottom

      of it), as an APK. This means that you might

      need to give approval for ing third

      party apps, depending on your browser’s/

     phone’s settings.

      Once you the file, you can install

     it by going to the ‘s’ through the

      browser’s settings (or it will just pop up

      automatically in the case of browsers like

      Chrome, once the is completed).

     But which version should you ?

  Version 5

     Unlike the Lockdown app, this version does

      not allow you to add custom domains (as

      shown with the previous Lockdown example).

      In this case, you have to first activate the app

      by pressing the big button on the main page

     and (while Amino is open and running) wait

     for the app to log the domain

api.gatewat.amino-live.com

     in its activity tab. Only then, can you select

      it to be blocked.

      Of course, this only works if you have already

      been exposed to the new update and feature,

      and the app needs to be able to detect it on

      its own first before you can block it. But it

      does work well at blocking all additional adds

      and pop-ups on Amino overall, at least

      according to the aforementioned post.

  Version 4

     Unlike version 5, version 4 of Blokada allows

      you to add custom domains. So, after you

      open the app, you just have to go to:

Ad blocking ⇨ Host Lists ⇨ Add a new host list

     From there, just add the domain

api.gateway.amino-live.com

    and the name you want to name the host list.

     And that’s it! It will now be on the Blocked

     Hosts in the Ad Blocking tab, which means

     that the streaming feature (and the ads) will

     now be blocked.

    Note :exclamation:

        In the Blokada app, make sure the “Ad

        blocking” switch on the top of the menu

        is activated. Also make sure to close and

        reopen the Amino app!

That’s it for Part 1 of this PSA. I hope this

proves helpful to you all.

Stay tuned for Part 2!

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References

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    Information on how to block the live stream feed,

    in both iOS and Android, was quite thoroughly

     and helpfully detailed in:

”PSA Update: How to block the streaming feature”

post by Greenie from Mario Amino

    As an iOS , I was also able to personally

    confirm the safety and efficacy of at least

     that specific version of the blocking method

     (the screenshots were taken and edited by

     me).