# Enough with the bottom-of-the-page overlay ads! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 9, 2012, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enough-with-the-bottom-of-the-page-overlay-ads/612267 "2012-02-09T02:59:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Llama\_Llogophile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@Llama\_Llogophile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Llama_Llogophile)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2012, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enough-with-the-bottom-of-the-page-overlay-ads/612267/1 "2012-02-09T02:59:31Z")
Seems like on a lot of web pages these days, only about 50% has to do with content. The rest is ads and other clutter. Fine - my mind can filter that out with no problem, and advertising equals upkeep of the site and free content for me. I get it. But when there is a bar near the bottom of the page that I actually have to click to get rid of - or worse - an overlay ad, do you know what I do? I close that window. I’m looking at you [Cracked.com](http://Cracked.com) and Yahoo, sites I would normally use more. But when you do obnoxious things like that, I direct my traffic elsewhere. To say nothing of the fact that I would never, EVER purchase or use anything advertised in that manner. I can’t be the only person who clicks elsewhere on first site of this crap. How fucking annoying does advertising have to become before they realize it’s driving some people away? ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2012, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enough-with-the-bottom-of-the-page-overlay-ads/612267/2 "2012-02-09T03:23:24Z")
+1 This isn’t quite the same thing, but I’ve been waiting for an opportunity to complain about it: websites whose comment section updates in “real time”— which sounds like a great idea, but in practice it means that whatever you’re reading suddenly gets pushed off the screen whenever someone posts a new comment to an upstream thread. [Slate.com](http://Slate.com) is one primary offender. Just let us READ, please. No shoving shit around, and no obstructive overlays (the modern day equivalent of pop-ups). ---
**Author:** ![curlcoat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea5d25/32.png) [@curlcoat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/curlcoat)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2012, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enough-with-the-bottom-of-the-page-overlay-ads/612267/3 "2012-02-09T03:29:13Z")
The other side of this is I complained here awhile ago about the newpaper ads that were half sheets folded over the top of a section I wanted to read, or worse yet attached to it. I have to deal with getting the stupid ad out of the way before I can read what I want. The reaction here? Meh. So, I wouldn’t be surprised to see that sort of reaction to the ads you are talking about from most people. I hate them too, especially when I’m on dial up, but they must work and it appears most folks don’t care. ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2012, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enough-with-the-bottom-of-the-page-overlay-ads/612267/4 "2012-02-09T05:28:54Z")
Ad Block Plus, maybe? I just went over to Cracked, and no ads anywhere. ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2012, 8:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enough-with-the-bottom-of-the-page-overlay-ads/612267/5 "2012-02-09T08:06:48Z")
Adblock solves 95% of this. There are still websites that hard-code a time-delayed intrusive window over the content. They get one F5 from me. If it happens again, I soar heroically away, never to return. ---
**Author:** ![DiosaBellissima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2012, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enough-with-the-bottom-of-the-page-overlay-ads/612267/6 "2012-02-09T17:36:37Z")
> [@rachelellogram](#): > > Adblock solves 95% of this. There are still websites that hard-code a time-delayed intrusive window over the content. They get one F5 from me. If it happens again, I soar heroically away, never to return. This shit drives me INSANE. Nothing makes me rage harder . . . except when those ads then have videos in them that are awful and loud. Yargh. . . ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2012, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enough-with-the-bottom-of-the-page-overlay-ads/612267/7 "2012-02-09T18:05:57Z")
“Hey! I’m trying to read here!” is what I am know to exclaim as I try to surf. “Now, where is the tiny little x to get rid of this annoying shit?” ---
**Author:** ![3\_20\_59\_or\_bust](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/3/47e85d/32.png) [@3\_20\_59\_or\_bust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/3_20_59_or_bust)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2012, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enough-with-the-bottom-of-the-page-overlay-ads/612267/8 "2012-02-09T18:19:36Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > +1 > > This isn’t quite the same thing, but I’ve been waiting for an opportunity to complain about it: websites whose comment section updates in “real time”— which sounds like a great idea, but in practice it means that whatever you’re reading suddenly gets pushed off the screen whenever someone posts a new comment to an upstream thread. [Slate.com](http://Slate.com) is one primary offender. > > Just let us READ, please. No shoving shit around, and no obstructive overlays (the modern day equivalent of pop-ups). Good lord, yes. [ESPN.com](http://ESPN.com) does this and it makes the comments absolutely impossible to read… which might be a good thing. Never mind.