The Ad That Must Not Be Named...

[ABSpareEditor]

As we are all well aware we have had an incredibly irritating issue with a particularly clever ad that seemed determined to interrupt specific people on our lovely site.

We have been working hard over the weekend to get to the root of this. And our techie gnomes have discovered it likes to be named, so any threads naming this ad (beginning with a 'g', and ending with an 's') were triggering the ad to show.

For this reason we have deleted all threads, both old and new, that mention this terrible ad by name. It's not that we're deleting your threads because we don't care - quite the opposite!

The advice of 'please clear your cache' still stands true, if you have seen the ad, please clear your cache (comment below if you need any help on your specific browser, but a quick google should help you). And let's never talk of this terrible ad again! Doing so will cause it to rear it's ugly head!

[Bigbad]

As I’ve said before - iPad OK, desktop has problem.

I’m using a Mac, 9 months old.
Macs don’t have built in anti virus stuff. Apparently, you just need to keep the firewall on.
Downloaded an ad blocker yesterday. It didn’t work, so deleted it.
I was stupid doing that, as I don’t want to be compelled into downloading something I don’t want. Then when I tried to run it, it asked me to upgrade to a ‘paid for’ version. I got rid.
Have looked at loads of “does my Mac need an anti virus thingy.”
Most common answer is no, so will not download one.
Apart from yesterdays ad block, I rarely download anything.
Nor do I ever store log-in info on the computer, and if there is a ticked box to do so (such as AB) I always untick it.

I will not bother doing the clear cache stuff any more, unless I read posts from people who are getting this problem constantly, finally, saying it’s gone.
I won’t hold my breath!

[Jahulaye]

“As I’ve said before - iPad OK, desktop has problem”

Hmm.. the plot thickens... or thins out as we head to a conclusion of this mystery I’m sure.

[Bigbad]

“ i saved all the URL's”

I don’t even know what that means!
Do you have anti virus on your Mac?
It does seem that different folk have had different degrees of “interference.”
I notice that HereIam hasn’t been around for a couple of days.

I’m gonna step away from the computer now, for the sake of my sanity!

[Jahulaye]

Has anyone went on trust pilot yet to inform the companies in question what their sites are doing?

I would do it myself but wouldn’t be able to explain to the companies what is happening as it hasn’t happened to me.

[Barmaid]

Ed, I was on the "back in time thread" and I left my computer for 30 mins or so. When I got back I was on THAT site. Now the odd thing is, I had only cleared my cache a couple of hours before. Clearing cache now.

[fiction-factory]

I don't understand how these ads get on here. Are they hidden within existing ads?
If so, does AB not have a contract with advertisers that says these annoying / unwanted popups must mot be included? And then are the ads not vetted in some way?

[ToraToraTora]

Still doing it and I am certain It's that naffing orange Ali X ad. When that ad isn't their it works. It's the only common thing, I see that orange ad, often distorted and wallop the curse is upon us. ED why can you not expunge that and anything relating to it? Ok so they paid for an ad but they have mangled the site. Get them to cleans their ad.

[Bertrum]

FF
That’s the rub with Real Time Bidding there can be a rouge element

[andres]

I can't go through all the posts so don't know whether this has been mentioned. Plus I don't really know anything about it but would doing a browser reset taking it back to defaults help.You have probably installed something recently and the 'unmentionable 'has piggy-backed along with it.

[ToraToraTora]

andres, done it all to death x n squared mate

[Tuvok]

I've never seen that ad, I only seem to get the Gardenlines on my ipad.

I was just wondering if those affected maybe use FB - I don't.

[Bertrum]

As I mentioned on the other thread in Site Suggestions if I block mathtag the problem seems to vanish I know that doesn’t resolve the problem as that needs to be sorted out at the Kremlin but does it not narrow it down
This is what I entered into restricted sites in IE
https : // tags .mathtag . com (Remove the spaces)

[andres]

Have all the ads . (but for the gardening one ) been removed from AB?. Not complaining but just wondering .

[goodgoalie]

Just logged on, and have saw the advert for Gard**l*n*s at the top of the AB homepage, which took me automatically to the G***** site - first time this has happened. Using Chrome. Hope I'm not 'infected'

[goodgoalie]

^^^ have seen