# What causes porn redirects on the Web? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 28, 2012, 7:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-porn-redirects-on-the-web/639118 "2012-10-28T07:56:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2012, 7:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-porn-redirects-on-the-web/639118/1 "2012-10-28T07:56:41Z")
So I was surfing a site I often read, via my iPad though Safari. All of the sudden, I see a weird URL, which then redirects to a hardcore porn site. This is the first time it’s ever happened to me, especially since I normally use Firefox with NoScript and Adblock Plus. I’m unaware of iOS viruses, and as I said, this is a site I visit often. Could an ad be to blame? Should I inform the webmasters of this site? I don’t _think_ I tapped something I usually wouldn’t, but given this was on an iPad, I can’t be certain (and no, this site usually doesn’t/shouldn’t serve up porn ads). ---
**Author:** ![Pitchmeister](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pitchmeister/32/3459_2.png) [@Pitchmeister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pitchmeister)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2012, 8:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-porn-redirects-on-the-web/639118/2 "2012-10-28T08:04:48Z")
After the iOS 6 update on my iPhone this happened to me regularly on the Dope. Very annoying, but it stopped after a week or so, so the web masters must have done something about it. I would also really like to know what could have caused that. ---
**Author:** ![Grumman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/43a26b/32.png) [@Grumman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grumman)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2012, 9:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-porn-redirects-on-the-web/639118/3 "2012-10-28T09:03:24Z")
On Firefox, there’s an option under Advanced -\> General -\> Accessibility to make the browser ask before redirecting you to another page. Is there something like that for Safari? ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2012, 9:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-porn-redirects-on-the-web/639118/4 "2012-10-28T09:17:35Z")
Not that I can see, sadly. ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2012, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-porn-redirects-on-the-web/639118/5 "2012-10-28T12:56:32Z")
It is not at all clear what you are saying happened. Where did you “see” the “weird URL”? Had you clicked something? ---
**Author:** ![tellyworth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/977dab/32.png) [@tellyworth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tellyworth)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2012, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-porn-redirects-on-the-web/639118/6 "2012-10-28T21:02:20Z")
It’s almost always Javascript. It could be an ad network or a hacked web site - both are common. If you PM me the URL you were on when it happened I might be able to tell which it was. If it’s a hacked web site the best thing to do is contact the web host and ask them to alert their customer. ---
**Author:** ![Yorikke](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yorikke/32/4335_2.png) [@Yorikke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yorikke)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2012, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-porn-redirects-on-the-web/639118/7 "2012-10-28T21:04:29Z")
Well, it’s certainly got nothing to do with the SDMB ad servers, if that’s what you were wondering. _cough_