# Pop-up windows that cannot be closed; illegal? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 8, 2002, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-up-windows-that-cannot-be-closed-illegal/141354 "2002-12-08T20:34:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cuckoorex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Cuckoorex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cuckoorex)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2002, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-up-windows-that-cannot-be-closed-illegal/141354/1 "2002-12-08T20:34:20Z")
While surfing around lately, I’ve been ‘attacked’ by a kind of popup ad that creates a fullscreen ad with no browser window or ‘close’ button, and right-clicking on the window’s tab in the taskbar does not give me any options for closing or restoring or resizing the window. The only way I can get the windows to close is to hit ctrl-alt-delete and force a close of Internet Explorer. This seems like something that should be illegal…is it? How can I blow the whistle on these yahoos if it _is_ illegal? How can I prevent these windows from popping up (aside from not going to internet sites, of course)? Is it a javascript thing; ie., will turning javascript enabling off defeat these things? ---
**Author:** ![Achernar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e274bd/32.png) [@Achernar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Achernar)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2002, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-up-windows-that-cannot-be-closed-illegal/141354/2 "2002-12-08T20:37:38Z")
Did you try Alt-F4? ---
**Author:** ![Cuckoorex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Cuckoorex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cuckoorex)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2002, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-up-windows-that-cannot-be-closed-illegal/141354/3 "2002-12-08T20:42:55Z")
Alt-F4 is the ONLY method that seems to work to close these popups. My original questions still stand, though… ---
**Author:** ![bdgr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a87d85/32.png) [@bdgr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bdgr)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2002, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-up-windows-that-cannot-be-closed-illegal/141354/4 "2002-12-08T20:44:14Z")
Not illegal. Not Java. Use ALT f4 ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2002, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-up-windows-that-cannot-be-closed-illegal/141354/5 "2002-12-08T20:49:51Z")
No, there is a better way. stick forks into the eyes of the person who wrote the program/html/whatever that caused the popup. ---
**Author:** ![Achernar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e274bd/32.png) [@Achernar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Achernar)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2002, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-up-windows-that-cannot-be-closed-illegal/141354/6 "2002-12-08T20:51:41Z")
Mozilla is an internet browser which does a pretty good job of blocking popups. You should consider switching. Also, you can write to the webmaster of the hosting site and tell them how you feel. It won’t be as effective, of course, but if you feel strongly about this, she’s the one who should know. ---
**Author:** ![Number](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/number/32/242_2.png) [@Number](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Number)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2002, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-up-windows-that-cannot-be-closed-illegal/141354/7 "2002-12-08T20:53:34Z")
I doubt obnoxious pop-ups are illegal anywhere. Turning off javascript will stop the ads, but will also break a lot of websites. You could switch to a browser with built-in pop-up blocking, like Mozilla. You could also use a web filter like the [Proxomitron](http://www.proxomitron.org). It works with any browser and takes care of pop-ups, banner ads, and various other annoyances. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2002, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-up-windows-that-cannot-be-closed-illegal/141354/8 "2002-12-08T21:31:00Z")
Besides Alt-F4, Ctrl-W should work. Doesn’t solve the heart of the issue, but it’s an easier reach for the hand. ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2002, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-up-windows-that-cannot-be-closed-illegal/141354/9 "2002-12-08T21:40:56Z")
Alt+space, N minimizes the active window. Alt+space, X maximizes the active window Alt+space, C Closes the active window