Please Stop the Viral Google Ads!!

[longship]

I accidently clicked a Google ad on DU and all my Firefox settings
became completely fucked up.

My scroll wheel was doing Next/Prev instead of scrolling. Clicking *always* pops up a new window. Things tend to come up *full screen*. (This on a 1600 x 1200 pixel display!!) All sorts of other bad things were happening. Closing the ad popped up another ad, full screen of course.

This sucks incredibly. Please put an end to these ads.

I hate them.

[keopeli]

1. As a donor, you can turn them off in your preferences.

There's also a firefox plugin to remove ads.

They have kept the ads for non-donors only.

Peace.

[longship]

4. No. I think the solution is to only put up well behaved ads.

Skinner should tell Google that all ads *must* be well-behaved or we will dump them all.

[charlie]

10. To ensure well-behaved ads

Google needs to know which ones are misbehaving. The feedback page is at the Ads by Google link.

[longship]

21. I will do just that. Thank you.

I was not aware of this, since I usually just ignore the Google ads.

[charlie]

22. They don't exactly make it obvious, either

If you'll suggest they add a link to "ad feedback" or "report a violation", I'll do the same.

[longship]

24. I guess I'm going to go on a crusade here.

I'm going to start clicking all the ads, noting those that screw with the browser. It's something I can do for DU in addition to my donations, which I have not been able to continue right now due to the fact that I'm between jobs.

[ConsAreLiars]

28. IF you can actually identify an ad that does the things you describe

that would be useful. Whining about ads in general and making claims for which you can provide NO evidence, well, that is something altogether different. Be sure to add a post to this thread when you actually have some facts. I'll be glad to go to that link and see what happens with my Firefox browser. If anything like what you describe happens, I'll be delighted to provide confirmation and alert DU and Google. Vague accusations, however, are worse than useless.

[Journeyman]

2. As a DU donor, you can turn off the ads in your Preferences. . .

Check under "Options" at the top of the page.

There. Problem solved.

[oioioi]

5. err.... 2 points

1 - my donations are anonymous relative to my username

2 - isn't the whole point of having ads to alleviate the need for donations.

sniff sniff.

This place is starting to sound more and more like a Scotty McLellan press conference with each passing day...

[Name removed]

9. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[longship]

23. Ahem. I am a donor.

I *know* that I can turn off the ads. However, the entire point of my original post was not to alleviate the problem for me, but to solve a very real problem of ill-behaved ads which change browser configuration for *anybody* who is stupid enough to click on them.

Having ads like that is *NOT* going help Skinner get money for the Google ads since once people find out that the ads are screwing things up for them, they will *NOT* click them. In that case, DU might as well not even have them since they lessen the DU experience with zero benefit.

I probably should have said this in my original post but I was so pissed off about having to fix my Firefox config that I neglected to make this point clear. As an old computer hack this wasn't a difficult task, but your average user isn't going to be able to do it.

That's what's important here. Not some solution to make the ads go away.
The solution is to have the ads and have them well behaved so that they can have a reasonable chance to make some bread for DU. Malware ads just screw things up so that nobody will click *any* ads.

That's the point of this thread, not any personal inconvenience to me.

[pnorman]

35. "tintinitus"

Absolutely NO bearing on this discussion, but the word "tintinitus" suggested an alliterative pairing with "tinfoil". I'll work on it, but as always: "THANKS DU!!"

pnorman

[longship]

7. The problem is NOT with my options. The problem is the ads.

Linking to viral ads is not something DU should be doing under any circumstances. It lessens considerably the experience of using DU. It cheapens DU.

I want them gone, period.

[Journeyman]

13. Create your own discussion forum then and make your own rules. . .

This thread, however, is outside established rules of forum discourse. Take your concerns to management where they belong.

[rumpel]

3. btw. Firefox

got this today:

National Cyber Alert System

Cyber Security Alert SA06-153A


Mozilla Products Contain Multiple Vulnerabilities

Original release date: June 2, 2006
Last revised: --
Source: US-CERT


Systems Affected

* Firefox web browser
* Thunderbird email application


Overview

The Firefox web browser and Thunderbird email application contain
several vulnerabilities. By taking advantage of one or more of
these vulnerabilities, an attacker may be able to take control of
your computer.


Solution

Upgrade to the latest versions of Firefox and Thunberbird

Mozilla has released an updated version of Firefox to corrrect
these problems.

Mozilla has released an updated version of Thunderbird to correct
these problems.


Description

Mozilla products, including the Firefox web browser and Thunderbird
email application, contain a number of vulnerabilities. These
vulnerabilities may allow an attacker to access your computer, run
programs that could cause your computer to crash, or gain control
of your computer.

For more technical information, see US-CERT Technical Alert
TA06-153A.


References

* US-CERT Vulnerability Note VU#237257 -
<http://www.kb.cert.org/vuls/id/237257>

* US-CERT Vulnerability Note VU#421529 -
<http://www.kb.cert.org/vuls/id/421529>

* US-CERT Vulnerability Note VU#575969 -
<http://www.kb.cert.org/vuls/id/575969>

* US-CERT Vulnerability Note VU#243153 -
<http://www.kb.cert.org/vuls/id/243153>

* US-CERT Vulnerability Note VU#466673 -
<http://www.kb.cert.org/vuls/id/466673>

* Mozilla Foundation Security Advisories -
<http://www.mozilla.org/security/announce/>

* US-CERT Vulnerability Notes Related to June Mozilla Security
Advisories -
<http://www.kb.cert.org/vuls/byid?searchview&query=firefox_1504>

* Mozilla Foundation Security Advisories -
<http://www.mozilla.org/projects/security/known-vulnerabilities.html>

* Firefox - Rediscover the Web - <http://www.mozilla.com/firefox/>

* Thunderbird - Reclaim your inbox -
<http://www.mozilla.com/thunderbird/>

* The SeaMonkey Project -
<http://www.mozilla.org/projects/seamonkey/>

* Securing Your Web Browser -
<http://www.us-cert.gov/reading_room/securing_browser/browser_security.html#Mozilla_Firefox>


____________________________________________________________________

The most recent version of this document can be found at:

<http://www.us-cert.gov/cas/alerts/SA06-153A.html>
____________________________________________________________________

Feedback can be directed to US-CERT Technical Staff. Please send
email to <[e-mail]> with "SA06-153A Feedback VU#237257" in the
subject.

[longship]

19. I keep my machines up-to-date on security.

That's part of my job.

I will be upgrading both Firefox and Thunderbird on my networks soon.

[Richard Steele]

6. If you're already using Firefox, download the AdBlock plugin application.

It works 100%, and installs itself with a single click.
Download it and start living ad-free 2 minutes later!

It's just about the best free thing I've found since firefox itself!

[longship]

8. I shouldn't have to do that on DU.

nt.

[Robbien]

12. Then perhaps you could supply DU with the cash they lose

if they turned off the ads YOU do not want to see and will not turn off yourself?

[longship]

31. You just don't get it, do you?

If some of the ads do screwy things to people's browsers, *NOBODY* will click any of them. Are *you* willing to make up that loss to DU? Malware ads hurt DU by scaring people away from *all* the ads.

As I've said three, four, five times in this thread. The issue isn't a personal one. I don't give a flying fuck what happened to my browser. This is about having an advertisement campaign at DU that people are not going to participate in because some of the ads fuck with peoples' computers.

[Robbien]

32. Then do something about it

Starting a new thread complaining about ads in general does nothing but get you grief. Put the details in a post to the Admistrator ad thread or send a email to them so they can correct the problem.

Starting threads complaining about ads helps no one. Starting a thread warning people to not click on a certain ad because it may have a problem would have been nice. But a general shout-out about ads . . . well you see the reaction you got.

[greyl]

14. You don't have to.

You aren't appreciating your freedom.

[Richard Steele]

15. I shouldn't "have to" do a lot of things, in my opinion.

But when actually SOLVING one of my problems literally
takes less time than COMPLAINING about it,
I go ahead and solve it already.

http://adblock.mozdev.org/

[greyl]

17. Plus, as a donor they can disable the ads thru the DU software.

Tinfoil hat aimless rebellion. ;)

[Journeyman]

18. Bravissimo! . . .

n/t

[ConsAreLiars]

11. If you believe that some ad caused the symptoms you describe

then you should report this to the admins. But making a vague claim like that, without any specifics, sounds like nonsense. What ad? Surely you must remember. Provide a link so others can corroborate your allegations. Otherwise your claim appears to be unsubstantiated fearmongering, at best.

[longship]

16. I don't believe. I *KNOW*

I've been a computer professional for longer than there have been microcomputers, over thirty-five years. I think I ought to know when the fuck an Internet ad is fucking with my browser.

Since the ad was a accidental click--my finger stumbled on the clicker on my trackball--I am not sure which ad it was, but it *was* one of the Google ads at the top of the page.

This kind of behavior is totally unacceptable, as is your response to my post.

[ConsAreLiars]

20. So, you can not substantiate your claim.

Rather sad for a "professional."

[Richard Steele]

25. I am definitely NOT a computer pro, but I'll back your "claim" 110% !

The ADs these days are never just annoying images...
every damn one of them comes complete with spyware, malicious cookies, etc...

While the "Open-Source" community develops code in it's free time
to BLOCK such evil monkey business, major corporations spend MILLION$
to keep worming it into our hard drives.

And the ongoing struggle VERY REGULARLY manifests itself
as odd, seemingly random software glitches.

If you had merely posted the SYMPTOMS you were experiencing,
I would have immediately suspected malicious AdWare as the cause.
Occam's razor and such, knowWhutImean?

[Name removed]

26. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[longship]

27. What good will malware ads bring to DU, Mr. Snaggletooth?

How many people will click the ads once they find them screwing with their browser? How much revenue do unclicked ads bring to DU?

As I have said above, the issue is not any inconvenience to me. It's the fact that having malware amongst the ads spoils the whole thing for everybody.

I do not dislike the ads, which is precisely why I do *NOT* disable them. However, I see the malware ads as a spoiler for the entire program. How many DUers will click the ads once they have had them pop up bullshit stuff.

Do you get the point now?

Heavens to Murgatroyd, Exit stage left... ;-)

[Richard Steele]

29. If someone with 11 posts takes MY side, I usually say "Welcome to DU !"

Key word there being "usually". :eyes:

[keopeli]

34. Thanks for chiming in.

We do have rules against name-calling, though.

Peace.

[REP]

30. Google Ads Killed My Dog and Raped My Grandmother

I don't have a link, but it's true.

[rucky]

33. Inform Google of what happened.

http://adwords.google.com


they usually screen the ads and test the links before an ad goes up.

they will nuke those bastards.

[Moderator]

36. locking...

Please contact the Administrators about this problem. I am sure they would like to hear this complaint and take
the appropriate action.