Ok so I don't know if what I'm about to share is common knowledge, but I feel like I tapped into the add-free phone experience and I'm worried there's a soul out there living through adds unnecessarily.
What I did to my phone as soon as I got it was restricting all but 3 apps from using internet. You can forbid them to use data, wifi, and background data, and I restrict it all, unless it's my internet browser or tumblr or discord. I also disabled all updates, all and any attempts to access internet or updates. And I make sure no app has the permission to install other apps.
Now if you do this, your phone will start whining and complaining and threatening that it won't work correctly. I'll explain why. But for your user purposes, this is all lies. My phone has worked correctly for years without a single app updating or going online on its own.
Now what I was trying to achieve is for my apps to not eat my data, which I got, but I also noticed a secondary effect. Apps don't have adds running in them, and neither do games. I've had games suggesting I pay for add-free version and was completely baffled because I never saw an add in it ever.
That's what all the complaining is about! It's 'if you wont let me go online then I can't download and display all the adds!' It also says it's a 'security threat' but with zero apps allowed to go online or install other apps, what's gonna be the threat.
I couldn't find an extension that would block adds in browser but I use Adblock Browser to at least filter most of it. The toughest to figure out were adds on youtube but I realized that opening them in browser, then clicking buttons for back and then forward, will just play the video.
I haven't found a way to block sponsored content on tumblr on mobile so this is the only thing I will tolerate. But there is no other way I will suffer through an add.
Does everyone use this? I've seen people complaining about this, and about AI features which, you can turn off, and never see again? I'm wondering if I'm missing something. There's no need to look at adds.