# Ads are screwing up the site **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [June 15, 2016, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ads-are-screwing-up-the-site/757474 "2016-06-15T22:56:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![magellan01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@magellan01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magellan01)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2016, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ads-are-screwing-up-the-site/757474/1 "2016-06-15T22:56:27Z")
I’m not talking about the mere presence of ads, but the latest batch of them is taking over my scrolling, making it difficult to read even an OP (as it scrolls away from it. Sometimes it just does that, other times it does that and auto-plays. Can you put an end to this? Note: it _may_ be the UPS ads that are the culprit. ---
**Author:** ![Bone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bone/32/407_2.png) [@Bone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bone)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2016, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ads-are-screwing-up-the-site/757474/2 "2016-06-15T23:01:44Z")
On my phone (android Galaxy S5) I often will get an add that continues to load and will not stop. It makes scrolling, typing, etc. jittery in between load segments. These are mostly the ads that play at the bottom. ---
**Author:** ![magellan01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@magellan01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magellan01)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2016, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ads-are-screwing-up-the-site/757474/3 "2016-06-15T23:12:32Z")
Yeah, after ;looking around the board a little, it does appear to be tied to the UPS ads. Banish them. Banish them AT ONCE! ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2016, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ads-are-screwing-up-the-site/757474/4 "2016-06-15T23:17:44Z")
[Previous thread.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=794808) I downloaded AON Browser to my phone. It put an end to the ads and the weird scrolling behavior. ---
**Author:** ![rsat3acr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a3d4f5/32.png) [@rsat3acr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rsat3acr)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2016, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ads-are-screwing-up-the-site/757474/5 "2016-06-15T23:29:01Z")
well you could always buy a membership. I never see any ads. Don’t mean it in a snarky way but it does take care of the problem. ---
**Author:** ![Doug\_K](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5ac83/32.png) [@Doug\_K](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_K)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2016, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ads-are-screwing-up-the-site/757474/6 "2016-06-15T23:44:00Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > [Previous thread.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=794808) > > I downloaded AON Browser to my phone. It put an end to the ads and the weird scrolling behavior. This problem is a little different. The ad starts playing as soon as the page loads and scrolls down to the ad. Then it keeps scrolling back to the ad as you try to scroll away from it in either direction. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2016, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ads-are-screwing-up-the-site/757474/7 "2016-06-15T23:48:29Z")
So, become a member. Get an adblocker. There are ways to avoid these ads. ---
**Author:** ![Merneith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@Merneith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merneith)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2016, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ads-are-screwing-up-the-site/757474/8 "2016-06-15T23:57:20Z")
I would recommend something like NoScript or Flashblock (I don’t see the ad, so I can’t say for sure.) Those extensions will stop scripts from running on a page unless you give it specific permission. If an ad script is causing you grief, you can block it. Also, if a malicious script tries to run without your knowledge, you’ll be warned. I also use uBlock Origin as my adblocker of choice. I highly recommend it. ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2016, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ads-are-screwing-up-the-site/757474/9 "2016-06-16T05:43:41Z")
The scroll to ad thing was happening to me too earlier today (early afternoon). Why anyone thinks this type of advertising is effective is anyone’s guess, but I’m not about about to be forced to sit through 30 seconds of auto-play advertising that hijacks my browser and won’t let me see anything else, and I imagine most people are like me. These kinds of ads almost guarantee that any newcomers will leave and never come back. I’m aware that I could subscribe, but I lost my Charter Membership through a completely innocent oversight and never heard back when I wrote to ask about it, so, no subscription for me. I’d happily pay the full subscription price each year for the return of my charter membership but I’ve decided I’m not going to pay otherwise. At any rate the problem seems to have gone away for now. Ordinarily I don’t mind advertising, the site is entitled to make money. But if these ads or similar ones happen again I’ll be downloading an ad blocker for sure, and of course then I won’t be seeing any of the ads. Nor will anyone else who decides the place either isn’t worth their time or decides to download ad blockers themselves. ---
**Author:** ![Cabin\_Fever\_1](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cabin_fever_1/32/2908_2.png) [@Cabin\_Fever\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cabin_Fever_1)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2016, 7:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ads-are-screwing-up-the-site/757474/10 "2016-06-16T07:38:46Z")
> [@rsat3acr](#): > > well you could always buy a membership. I never see any ads. Don’t mean it in a snarky way but it does take care of the problem. I will be snarky. Buy a f…ing membership here. Jeesh. Quit your bitching for getting something for free. :smack: My apologies. I should take this to the PIT, but could not resist myself. ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2016, 8:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ads-are-screwing-up-the-site/757474/11 "2016-06-16T08:07:54Z")
Hey, thanks for the compliment, **Cabin\_Fever**. Much appreciated. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2016, 10:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ads-are-screwing-up-the-site/757474/12 "2016-06-16T10:16:44Z")
> [@magellan01](#): > > I’m not talking about the mere presence of ads, but the latest batch of them is taking over my scrolling, making it difficult to read even an OP (as it scrolls away from it. Sometimes it just does that, other times it does that and auto-plays. > > Can you put an end to this? > > Note: it _may_ be the UPS ads that are the culprit. This works (for both members and guests.) It’s free. You’re welcome. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2016, 10:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ads-are-screwing-up-the-site/757474/13 "2016-06-16T10:57:10Z")
Except the OP isn’t bitching about getting something for free. He’s bitching that he’s paying (by being fed ads), but still not getting the product (because he can’t scroll around to read threads). ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2016, 11:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ads-are-screwing-up-the-site/757474/14 "2016-06-16T11:14:34Z")
Plus, any newcomers will see the ads, which are pretty awful and screw up your experience, so these kinds of ads are not going to encourage others to join our little community and pay up for membership. Whenever I visit this place with shields down, I’m always surprised at how crappy the ads are. For some of the smartest, hippest, etc., people on the planet, we sure don’t make a good first impression. ---
**Author:** ![Bone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bone/32/407_2.png) [@Bone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bone)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2016, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ads-are-screwing-up-the-site/757474/15 "2016-06-16T14:10:16Z")
> [@glee](#): > > This works (for both members and guests.) It’s free. You’re welcome. 😉 Unfortunately it doesn’t work for your phone. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2016, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ads-are-screwing-up-the-site/757474/16 "2016-06-16T15:08:57Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Except the OP isn’t bitching about getting something for free. He’s bitching that he’s paying (by being fed ads), but still not getting the product (because he can’t scroll around to read threads). You get what you pay for. The OP is paying for ads so the OP endures the detritus that comes with them. I pay for no ads, and to support the SDMB in general. I have no tracking and ad-blocker addons. I (1) don’t see ads and (2) don’t have any other issues. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2016, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ads-are-screwing-up-the-site/757474/17 "2016-06-16T15:36:09Z")
The OP has a valid complaint. He’s not complaining about ads in general. He’s only complaining about the scrolling issue, which is a known problem. We’ve had a few threads about it lately. So far, it mostly seems to affect users on certain mobile browsers. I’m not convinced that the ads are intentionally doing something evil. I know that Safari has a few scrolling issues related to it not handling certain types of web forms correctly. I’m no expert on Safari so I can’t give you any more detail than that. Other browsers like the Android browser seem to have similar issues. Other than the usual ad and script blockers, I don’t have a solution for you at the moment. ---
**Author:** ![magellan01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@magellan01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magellan01)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2016, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ads-are-screwing-up-the-site/757474/18 "2016-06-16T16:47:43Z")
> [@engineer\_comp\_geek](#): > > The OP has a valid complaint. He’s not complaining about ads in general. He’s only complaining about the scrolling issue, which is a known problem. We’ve had a few threads about it lately. So far, it mostly seems to affect users on certain mobile browsers. > > I’m not convinced that the ads are intentionally doing something evil. I know that Safari has a few scrolling issues related to it not handling certain types of web forms correctly. I’m no expert on Safari so I can’t give you any more detail than that. Other browsers like the Android browser seem to have similar issues. > > Other than the usual ad and script blockers, I don’t have a solution for you at the moment. Yes, I’m on Safari. But it only seems to be the UPS ads that cause the problem. ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2016, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ads-are-screwing-up-the-site/757474/19 "2016-06-16T16:52:26Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > So, become a member. Get an adblocker. There are ways to avoid these ads. I have both of those and I still sometimes get the pop-unders (which come up as a new tab on my browser). Would a script blocker, as **Merneith** suggests, stop those? ---
**Author:** ![Corner\_Case](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/corner_case/32/234_2.png) [@Corner\_Case](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Corner_Case)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2016, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ads-are-screwing-up-the-site/757474/20 "2016-06-16T17:28:11Z")
I have not had problems in a very long time. I came in today, navigated to Cecil’s article, and after scroll down just a bit, the FireFox window froze. It wouldn’t scroll and wouldn’t close. I kept getting a message that a script was running slow. I said to stop it. A few seconds later, the message appeared again, repeat. Then I clicked “Don’t warn me again” - and it still popped up saying a script was running slow. I had to End Task on FireFox. I tried the whole cycle again, same result. I tried again and entered the Debugger when it froze. The best I could see was that it was running some for loops in a script that had a “Moat, Inc.” copyright on it. Then I went in and added AdBlock Plus plus AdBlock Popup and its been okay so far. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ads-are-screwing-up-the-site/757474.md?page=2)