# Is there any recourse for fiendishly obnoxious pop-up ads?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-recourse-for-fiendishly-obnoxious-pop-up-ads/955124>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [November 29, 2021, 10:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-recourse-for-fiendishly-obnoxious-pop-up-ads/955124 "2021-11-29T10:05:55Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\
**Post date:** [November 29, 2021, 10:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-recourse-for-fiendishly-obnoxious-pop-up-ads/955124/1 "2021-11-29T10:05:56Z")

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I’m encountering a lot of pop-up ads lately where, if I click the X in the corner to get rid of it, it proceeds as if I’d clicked in the middle of the ad to expand it. Is there some central authority somewhere that handles complaints about this? It usually happens on clickbait pages, so I may share some responsibility…

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**Author:** ![GreenWyvern](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/greenwyvern/32/2834_2.png) [@GreenWyvern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenWyvern)\
**Post date:** [November 29, 2021, 10:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-recourse-for-fiendishly-obnoxious-pop-up-ads/955124/2 "2021-11-29T10:46:02Z")

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Add an adblocker extension to your browser. It will block popups as well as other ads. I recommend uBlock Origin.

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**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\
**Post date:** [November 29, 2021, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-recourse-for-fiendishly-obnoxious-pop-up-ads/955124/3 "2021-11-29T13:16:51Z")

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I also recommend ublock origin.

Note browers usually have settings to either allow or prohibit blockups. For example Chrome:

> **[Block or allow pop-ups in Chrome - Computer - Google Chrome Help](https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/95472?hl=en&co=GENIE.Platform%3DDesktop)**
>
> By default, Google Chrome blocks pop-ups from automatically showing up on your screen. When a pop-up is blocked, the address bar will be marked Pop-up blocked

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**Author:** ![jjakucyk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3d9bf3/32.png) [@jjakucyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjakucyk)\
**Post date:** [November 29, 2021, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-recourse-for-fiendishly-obnoxious-pop-up-ads/955124/4 "2021-11-29T14:05:44Z")

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That also sounds like you could have a malware/adware infection. Check that your antivirus is working, and/or download MalwareBytes and run that (no affiliation, I’ve just used it a lot and found it useful).

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**Author:** ![Chickenwrangler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chickenwrangler/32/91_2.png) [@Chickenwrangler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chickenwrangler)\
**Post date:** [November 29, 2021, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-recourse-for-fiendishly-obnoxious-pop-up-ads/955124/5 "2021-11-29T15:31:35Z")

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Install the AdGuard blocker free from M$ and Chrome store:-

For Edge:-

> **[Microsoft Edge Addons](https://microsoftedge.microsoft.com/addons/detail/adguard-adblocker/pdffkfellgipmhklpdmokmckkkfcopbh)**
>
> Make Microsoft Edge your own with extensions that help you personalize the browser and be more productive.

For Chrome:-

> **[AdGuard AdBlocker](https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/adguard-adblocker/bgnkhhnnamicmpeenaelnjfhikgbkllg)**
>
> Unmatched adblock extension against advertising and pop-ups. Blocks ads on Facebook, YouTube and all other websites.

Chrome link doesn’t want to work. anyways look for in the Chrome Web Store.

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**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\
**Post date:** [November 30, 2021, 10:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-recourse-for-fiendishly-obnoxious-pop-up-ads/955124/6 "2021-11-30T10:07:24Z")

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[jjakucyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjakucyk)[Guest](https://boards.straightdope.com/g/Registered)

[20h](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-recourse-for-fiendishly-obnoxious-pop-up-ads/955124/4) wrote:

> That also sounds like you could have a malware/adware infection. Check that your antivirus is working, and/or download MalwareBytes and run that (no affiliation, I’ve just used it a lot and found it useful).

That’s the one I use.