I’ve trouble opening most links in posts. I either get a long loading time followed by a blank page or a “broken link” page. In both cases, I go through something called Viglink For instance the page I’m currently on after clicking on a doper’s link has an adress beginning with http://api.viglink.com.
Quick googling showed it was an advertisment tool, but I didn’t find any indication that it could be related to, for instance, a virus.
So, does the Straightdope have anything to do with this Viglink company, or is the problem on my end?
This has been mentioned here before. VigLink is a service to “monetize” links which is used here as well as on other sites.
Since web browsers and hosts don’t have this functionality built in, VigLink uses scripting and other methods to attempt (not entirely successfully) to be invisible. If the actual target host is un-reachable or slow, your browser will be sitting at an api.viglink.com URL, and the sleight-of-hand will become visible. This is one of the reasons that VigLink says “Most users do not notice on their own although we highly recommend you disclose it.”
The powers that be have admitted to using the vigilink service. They kinda snuck it in without telling anyone and only admitted to it when it started getting reported as a possible infection. I wish they would have been a bit more up-front about it, but oh well.
If you have trouble with the links, a script blocker will kill vigilink. You can also copy the link location and paste it into another tab or browser window (which is a bit of a pain, IMHO).
My apologies: due to the holiday weekend, there’s not a lot of folks around on staff who know what to respond on this. I’m sure not one of them. Please be patient, someone with knowledge will be here shortly (which might mean a day or two.)
Well, I can wait, I’m in no hurry, though it’s a bit irritatating to be unable to follow most links. At least I’m reassured knowing there’s no infection on my computer. And thanks to posters who responded earlier.
As far as the actual problem the OP is having is concerned, it could be a problem with viglink itself, or it could be some interaction between your ISP and viglink, or it could be the routing or filtering set up by your ISP. Whatever the problem, as I said in my previous post, you can easily get around it by disabling scripts. That will cause you to go directly to the link instead of going through the viglink server.
Viglink is supposed to be transparent to you. When you click on a link, you don’t go to that link. You go to viglink, who keeps statistics about your click, and then forwards you to the link you actually requested. If there is a bottleneck between your ISP and the viglink server, that click and forward won’t happen as fast as it should and it will no longer appear to be transparent to you.
If it doesn’t work usually it’s a malformed link , the error is on Vigilink’s side.
However, in light of recent situations it’s totally understandable that something like this – which is annoying but harmless – would be annoying and scary.
We’re sorry that this is happening. Proof if it ain’t one thing it’s your mother.
The holidays are very nearly over and I hope that with the return of the work week Jerry and Ed will be able to reassure Dopers.