Annoying Adverts Costing you Customers

nothingwrong
Why is ATS not protecting it's members from scams?

edit on 4-1-2014 by nothingwrong because: (no reason given)

My test PC has crawled over 800 pages on ATS in the past 72 hours from two different (legal) Australian proxies, including about 200 pages showing an Android browser header (waiting 5 minutes on each page); There have been no redirects off ATS.

I don't know what more we can do if the source cannot be definitively traced.

I'm not complaining - just reporting in case it helps.

I signed on using my MacBook today and for the first time heard what some have talked about - and my volume was all the way up. Some ad playing over the speakers. It startled me so I immediately closed out instead of taking a screen shot (sorry) - not sure it would help anyway. It happened the second I logged on.

If I know what is needed in order to forward it to someone I can be prepared next time. Maybe I should listen to it. I'm on my ipad for the most part - and this happened on the Macbook, but I can try using that to replicate to find the culprit if I know what's needed.

I don't know if this is connected but I have always had google as my default search engine, yet had it spontaneously switch over to yahoo right after the ATS thing. I was searching quite a lot today for another task so noticed it straight away. I'll do as suggested to a poster above and check for malware and a virus as suggested.

reply to post by Springer


Well, First up let me apologise for p*ing you off. All I can do is let you have the facts:

I use one of the largest ISP's in my area - TPG Internet.
I have several layers of protection on my computer for virus, malware etc.
I have a firewall running on my computer
I run regular scans, including the Microsoft emergency response tool, on top of the three levels of security I already have on my computer.
I Spent well over 20 years running computer systems for major international corporations, (Half of that time as an IT Manager) I know my security, my computer is as clean as they get.

I don't understand how rogue adverts can be injected into my connection from ATS, although I freely admit I am not an expert on this topic, and therefore I am not questioning you when you say that this may be the case.

I don't understand, however, how this only happens on this site, and no other site I ever visit. (OK, perhaps an exaggeration. But This happens multiple times per day every time I visit ATS. I see it happen on other sites perhaps, once a month....If that)

Having said that - please do not think that this is a further attempt to turn this back on you. Perhaps I spoke out of line, but I speak as I find. And I find this to be a problem when I am on ATS.

1) Can we confirm that the 2 screen shots I have posted here are 100% certified "illegally added" adverts?

2) Can you explain the nature of this hijacking so that I can take it up with my ISP? Would it help if I did this?

3) If there is anything I can do to help diagnose and cut out these problems I am very happy and willing to do it.

You stated "Your insinuation that we are "allowing this" is as insulting as it is utterly stupid. "

Not really. It is only stupid if I accept that this is a rogue add injected against your will, without your permission. Perhaps the problem is my lack of understanding, coupled with your lack of a technical explanation which would enable my understanding.

It was never my intention to insinuate you are crooks, or liars, or idiots. I would come out with it loud and proud if that is what I thought. I do not. It has crossed my mind that there were reasons for allowing such adverts - EG to stop users sitting on the home page for hours whilst surfing somewhere else in another tab - this is obviously a waste of your bandwidth. (Seeing that the page refreshes regularly) But further testing on my part dispelled such theories. (Although I am not 100% convinced that this is not the the reason for adverts suddenly blurting out of my speakers!)

I really am just looking for answers.

reply to post by SkepticOverlord


Thank you. Very perplexing. Does it help to know that my ISP is TPG Internet?

You state "I don't know what more we can do if the source cannot be definitively traced." - What can I do to find the source? I have time, technology and the will to hunt them down. Any pointers in the right direction may end up helping all of us

Thank you for listening.

reply to post by nothingwrong


IMO, the "external injection" thing is a sidestep. ATS knows that harmful ads are being shown on this site, but doesn't care enough/are too blinded by the revenue to do anything about it.

nothingwrongWhat can I do to find the source? I have time, technology and the will to hunt them down. Any pointers in the right direction may end up helping all of us

I noticed you're running Firefox with responsive toggles -- do you know how to use FireBug? If so, you could potentially trace the headers and point of origin… and potentially even capture the JavaScript that initiated the redirect.

ShadeWolf
ATS knows that harmful ads are being shown on this site, but doesn't care enough/are too blinded by the revenue to do anything about it.

Your assumptions are both wrong and insulting. I've outlined the steps we constantly take to monitor such things.

Additionally, your knowledge of these issues is horrible. Ads of this nature never generate revenue for anyone.

Just had it happen 2 times in a row. 2 video ads on the home page lower left middle of the page. First a car insurance ad, followed by a hooters ad. Both started and played through drowning out what I was listening to. Edit** make that 3 times as it just happened again. This time a DJ ad of all things. Edit again** So now anytime I go back to the home page and let it sit for a minute (timed it) that same ad space starts playing again. I'm using Firefox 26.0

SkepticOverlord

nothingwrongWhat can I do to find the source? I have time, technology and the will to hunt them down. Any pointers in the right direction may end up helping all of us

I noticed you're running Firefox with responsive toggles -- do you know how to use FireBug? If so, you could potentially trace the headers and point of origin… and potentially even capture the JavaScript that initiated the redirect.

I will install it and learn how to use it over the next few days.
Incidentally, everything Java is disabled on y machine. Not sure how a java script could be running on it when I hav done everything I can to make sure Java is disabled?

reply to post by nothingwrong


Java and JavaScript are two very different things.

reply to post by SkepticOverlord


This advert just started playing it's volume whilst I was sat on your home page. I had to scroll down to find the advert.

You say that your advertisers are not permitted to do this. I assume they will now not be permitted to advertise here any longer. After all, when us members break the rules, even the tiniest transgression, we are instantly banned.

I guess you apply the same stringent application of rules to your advertisers as you do your members?

reply to post by nothingwrong


i do. its more than annoying. its terrorism

SkepticOverlord
None of our ad suppliers are supposed to run ads that auto-expand without user interaction, or play sound without any user clicks.

In the past, we've identified three regional ISP's injecting their own ads into ad positions on ATS, in all three cases, they were video ads with sound that started automatically -- it's an increasingly common thing, over which we have little control.

If you see an ad that fills the screen without any action from you, or plays sound automatically, you're best bet is to PM me with a screen shot. Both are not supposed to happen.



Also: only non-logged-in-members are supposed to get pop-ups, and then never more than two (usually one) every 24 hours. If you're seeing more than that, then something else is also going on.

Another one. Multiple times every day.

Please ban this advertiser, as you would ban members if they were to break the rules.