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Advertising and Computer Security Issues on TV Tropes

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We occasionally get reports of ads that trigger antivirus warnings or infect computers that are browsing the wiki. This FAQ is an attempt to consolidate all the information about such things into one thread. Please read the below before reporting any incidents.

This thread may also be used to report ads that violate our policies in other ways, such as being too "adult" or NSFW, automatically playing audio/video, etc.

REPORTING: try to get a screenshot of the console as well as this will help identify where it's coming from.

REDIRECTS: Its very tricky to get the first URL of a redirect trigger because they are designed to hide where it came from. So you need a redirect plug-in active while the redirect happens so you can find the first URL, not the last. Where you were directed to doesn't help track down the source.


    open/close all folders 
    The basics 
  • TV Tropes, as a site, does not contain malware. We are a text-and-image wiki; viruses and malware cannot be uploaded to or embedded in the articles. As always, however, beware of any external link that you don't recognize, since we cannot automatically screen edits or posts for malicious links.
  • 99.99% of the time, any suspected malware will be related to the wiki advertising.
  • TV Tropes does not directly control the ads that are displayed. We use third-party ad providers and we determine things like the size and placement.
    • We instruct our providers not to serve ads that redirect your browser, take control of the screen from you, forcibly scroll your screen, play audio without being clicked on, install malware, "pop up" or "pop over" your screen, or in any other way interfere with your browsing experience.
    • We have custom software designed to detect ads that do these things and automatically block them.
    • Malicious entities are constantly trying to sneak ads through the providers' networks in violation of these instructions. As providers have little incentive to proactively detect and block them, it's up to websites to report these sorts of problems.
    • We rely on our users to report ads that get through these measures.
  • Just because you see a particular ad doesn't mean everyone else sees it. Ads are customized by the ad providers to your location (by IP address), the content of the page you're viewing, and your browsing profile, which is tracking data accumulated by third parties over the course of all your internet browsing.
  • Just because you get a malware warning or infection that seems related to an ad on TV Tropes does not necessarily mean that it is caused by one of our ads. Pre-existing malware on your computer can intercept ads and replace them with malicious ones.

    What can be reported to our provider 
  • Ads containing malware, obviously.
  • Misbehaving ads, such as ones that load a pop-up or pop-under, redirect your browser to another page, hijack your screen or automatically scroll it.
  • "Adult" or NSFW ads. Scantily clad women alone may or may not qualify, depending on context, but we want this site to be work-safe.
  • Ads that automatically play audio — that is, the audio starts without you clicking on the ad first. Video ads are acceptable.
  • Note: Political content is not grounds for rejecting an ad. However, an ad that contains or implies hate speech, disinformation, or outright falsehoods may be objectionable enough to be blocked.

    How to protect yourself 
  • First and foremost, maintain current, updated antivirus software, and keep your operating system and browser up to date with all patches offered by the software vendors. This includes Adobe Flash, Java, and other rich media plug-ins. Turn on your software's automatic updates if they are not already on and act immediately when prompted to install them.
  • Never click on pop-ups purporting to have detected a virus, offering to "tune up" your PC, or otherwise inducing you to click on a link that you were not expecting. Any genuine message of this nature would come from your antivirus software and not from a web page.
  • Be careful clicking on external links. These are identified with a small icon next to them. Example: Google. TV Tropes does not endorse or control the content of external links and you open them at your own risk.
  • Never respond to any email or web page that asks for personal or financial information, including passwords, unless you have verified its identity. No reputable company will ever ask you for your password(s), other than to log in.
  • You may choose to opt out of having tracking information collected by ad providers. This does not stop malware but helps you maintain your online privacy. See here for additional information.
  • TV Tropes requests that you do not use ad blocking software while visiting us, as this site depends on advertising revenue to operate. If you do run an ad blocker, please add tvtropes.org to its exception list, or consider donating to the site to have certain ads removed.

    What to do if you suspect a malicious ad 
  • We (or the ad provider) place a "Report advertisement" link next to most advertising frames. Clicking on this will generate an automatic report and is the best way to do so. If you cannot click on this link or do not see it, continue for more advice.
  • Try to identify the source URL of the suspect ad (see below). You can also use the target URL (if you are redirected), but note that this may be intentionally obfuscated by the ad provider to hide the source.
  • Identify the ad provider. Some ads have a small area that links to the ad provider's page (like Google or AOL). In other cases, you can tell from the referral URL or you can look it up in a search.
  • Go to the ad provider's contact/abuse page and fill out their form. Below are some links to common providers' abuse pages:
  • Scan your computer for viruses. If your antivirus software will not operate (many malicious programs attempt to disable your antivirus software), you can download a scanning tool on a known clean system and run it on your infected machine from a read-only CD-R or flash drive.
  • If you suspect that you've been tricked into divulging personal information to a phishing attempt or other fraud, change your passwords to affected sites immediately and contact your bank, credit card companies, and the credit bureaus to request a fraud alert.
  • Please note that TV Tropes cannot assist you with the specifics of maintaining your computer. That's your responsibility. You may request general help in the appropriate forums, but please don't post new threads in the forums dedicated to wiki operation (Wiki Talk, Frequently Asked Questions, etc.).
  • Sometimes, the wiki administration can get better results from the ad providers in dealing with malicious ads. If you can identify a malicious ad by referral URL, you can post the link in this thread, but please omit the "http" component so it doesn't create a hyperlink that someone might click on inadvertently.

    Identifying the source of an ad 
  • For image ads, right-clicking (or a long tap on mobile devices) should give you the option to view and copy the URL that clicking on it will send you to.
  • For Flash, Java, or HTML 5.0 ads, it may be difficult to identify the source or the URL by right-clicking. In these cases, you need to view the page source to identify the ad so we can report it.
  • In Internet Explorer, you can right-click in a blank or text area of any web page, and choose View Source from the context menu. Firefox also has this option. In Chrome, you can use the Inspect Element menu option, which interactively highlights the portion of the page whose code you are hovering over. You can use this to identify the ad frame and its source URL.
  • For embedded ads, there will be a "frame" element with a "src" parameter. Drill down until you get to the lowest level. All we need to identify the ad is the "src" URL from that frame.

    Ad-free subscription 
As of May 21, 2019, users have the option of purchasing a subscription to use TV Tropes without third-party ads (ads that we create and serve ourselves may still appear). Please see this thread for more information or to discuss the service.

Edited by kory on Nov 15th 2023 at 10:36:27 AM

CombatC122 from The Frozen Icebox Since: May, 2011
#827: Nov 15th 2014 at 7:06:31 AM

I should clarify my request from yesterday about the App Store redirects. Unless I'm misunderstanding something here, I see no option in iPhone settings to simply turn off the App Store. A Google search only turned up that the iOS 8 beta was supposed to automatically block these kinds of redirects through Safari, but either this function didn't make the final release or the ad companies have found some way around it, because this is the worst I've ever had this problem on this site over the past couple of days. I'm aware you can block them by turning off Java Script as well, but I'm hesitant to do that since it can severely limit legitimate functions on certain websites as well.

This is one of the redirect websites I've managed to copy, if that helps at all:

http://redirect.mobpartner.mobi/redirect2.php?param=111&serviceid=91831&printip=66.87.145.113&error_redirection=0&s=1370183&tid1=546768c8add070a25b8b4615&os=5&country=US

edited 15th Nov '14 7:07:16 AM by CombatC122

Odd1 Still just awesome like that from Nowhere Land Since: Sep, 2013 Relationship Status: And here's to you, Mrs. Robinson
Still just awesome like that
#828: Nov 15th 2014 at 7:39:23 AM

We should not have to disable settings on our phone to be able to browse a simplementation website.

Insert witty 'n clever quip here.
Fighteer Lost in Space from The Time Vortex (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: TV Tropes ruined my love life
Lost in Space
#829: Nov 15th 2014 at 7:42:18 AM

We know which ad provider is letting those app store redirects into their rotation. Unfortunately, dumping them requires some legal maneuvering that may take a while to work through. Sorry for the inconvenience.

"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"
mikemerc Since: Oct, 2010
#830: Nov 15th 2014 at 8:11:10 AM

I hope they're able to fix it soon, for about a day I was getting a redirect to an app called Draftkings on every page I visited.

CombatC122 from The Frozen Icebox Since: May, 2011
#831: Nov 15th 2014 at 9:08:16 AM

[up] Yeah, same here.

Anyhow, thanks for the update on the situation. It's good to know something is being done at least. Maybe there's some way to notify Apple of this as well. Seems like they should have a way to stop these ads without compromising basic iPhone functions, or at least threaten to pull apps known to use these intrusive ads from the store.

Odd1 Still just awesome like that from Nowhere Land Since: Sep, 2013 Relationship Status: And here's to you, Mrs. Robinson
Still just awesome like that
#832: Nov 15th 2014 at 10:21:03 PM

Sorry if we seem really impatient about it. I realize constantly getting hot under the collar about it doesn't help, and there's probably a lot going on behind the scenes to deal with this stuff that a general member here wouldn't know about.

Insert witty 'n clever quip here.
CombatC122 from The Frozen Icebox Since: May, 2011
#833: Nov 16th 2014 at 4:17:30 AM

For whatever it's worth it actually seems like the problem gets better in the evening for some reason, and while it persists in the wiki, it seems better over there than it does in the forums. But yeah, so far this morning I have gotten booted from Safari to the App Store literally every single time I load or refresh a page.

Medinoc from France (Before Recorded History)
#834: Nov 16th 2014 at 11:57:30 PM

The xkcd thread just redirected me to Mobpartner, to http://dlv.ad-serving.co/jump/?jl=48564993 to something that opened the Play store.

"And as long as a sack of shit is not a good thing to be, chivalry will never die."
bsolar Since: Feb, 2013
#835: Nov 17th 2014 at 3:12:47 AM

Sometimes the App Store gets opened when browsing on iOS 8. The "popup" seems to originate from a "Please wait..." link just under the page control buttons. The store gets opened when the page loads, without user interaction. The link's url is:

http://network.adsmarket.com/click/jmhrm16gqZmMYnCZY8p6w4iQa5lgnXyVkWaYnl-bgJW3aW6cYZyplYhpbpVnoA?dp=YTo4OntpOjE7czo0OiIyODAxIjtpOjI7czo0OiIzMTk4IjtpOjM7czoxOiI0IjtpOjQ7czoxMzoiX1pPTkVJRFRPS0VOXyI7aTo1O3M6MjoiQ0giO2k6NjtzOjc6IkJsdWV3aW4iO2k6NztpOjQ7aTo4O3M6MzoiOC4xIjt9&dp2=XP

Memers Since: Aug, 2013
#836: Nov 17th 2014 at 4:47:54 PM

To turn off the App Store go settings > general > restrictions > choose a password > change the slider to off for the App Store.

Plumbum The Plum and Only from Chichester, United Kingdom Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: And here's to you, Mrs. Robinson
The Plum and Only
#837: Nov 18th 2014 at 8:12:53 AM

So, uh this is a thing now apparently. A pop-up fullscreen ad, resplendent with audio.

Also, yes. That is an ad-blocker in the top corner of my screen, but it hasn't been bypassed in this case. (because I whitelist TV Tropes on my PC, something I'm getting less and less tempted to do.)

Curse the ill fortune that led you to me.
IchigoPockyChama from my new account Since: Dec, 2013
#839: Nov 18th 2014 at 9:19:15 PM

When browsing TV Tropes on my four-year-old iPad (the first kind that came out), on occasion I get redirected to the App Store to download this game called Empire: New Kingdoms. Sadly, I can't provide the url because I use Safari as my browser and it doesn't come up; it just pushes me into the App Store app.

SeptimusHeap from Switzerland (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Mu
#840: Nov 22nd 2014 at 12:32:46 PM

There is something that is opening http://m3.yrsxhv.com on my screen.

"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled." - Richard Feynman
IndirectActiveTransport plays capoeira from Chicago (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Every rose has its thorn
plays capoeira
#841: Nov 24th 2014 at 2:30:31 PM

Has anyone else seen Anubirel Visatl Studie 2020? Could be wrong, but I believe to have isolated it to this site, after manually removing it (as in shredding it at the base, not simply clicking delete) and simply clicking around on various sites till it showed up again.

Edit: I woke up with a thought and think I found a way to block further downloads, (what is a firewall for anyway?) If it does show up again, I should know exactly where it came from and what exploit/ad/whathaveyou it uses.

edited 25th Nov '14 1:11:30 AM by IndirectActiveTransport

Buldogue's lawyer
IchigoPockyChama from my new account Since: Dec, 2013
#843: Nov 30th 2014 at 11:48:46 PM

So I've been getting these video ads that play without the mouse hovering over it or anything, and they only seem to appear when I'm on my Windows 7 laptop. Thing is, I dunno how to obtain the URL for it. Help?

Midna Blorbonmyoji (he/she/they) from way down south in the land of the traitors (Old as dirt) Relationship Status: Shipping fictional characters
Blorbonmyoji (he/she/they)
#844: Dec 1st 2014 at 9:25:38 AM

I keep getting redirects to some domain-squatting search website called "carsmenu.com".

pearlina brainrot affects millions of people worldwide. if you or a loved one are suffering from pearlina brainrot, call 1-800-GAY-NERDS
Ogodei Fuck you, Fascist sympathizers from The front lines Since: Jan, 2011
Fuck you, Fascist sympathizers
#845: Dec 1st 2014 at 9:46:03 AM

Yeah, carsmenu.com is making the forums almost unnavigable, because it redirects and when i hit "back" it moves me back to the page *before* the one where carsmenu.com hijacked it, meaning i'm in a constant back-forward cycle and praying that i don't land on that ad.

Hopefully it at least counts as a click for y'all so that you get the revenue from it.

Knowlessman hey i dunno, why don't you tell me from Stupidtown, USA (FL) Since: Jun, 2013 Relationship Status: Holding out for a hero
hey i dunno, why don't you tell me
#846: Dec 1st 2014 at 11:43:55 AM

I've noticed that, too, and have thus turned Javascript all the way off. :/ The emoticon buttons don't work now, but everything else important seems to, so no great loss there.

i care but i'm restless, i'm here but i'm really gone, i'm wrong and i'm sorry, baby
Larkmarn Since: Nov, 2010 Relationship Status: Hello, I love you
#847: Dec 1st 2014 at 11:54:00 AM

[up][up] Yeah, came here to comment about that. Irritating.

Found a Youtube Channel with political stances you want to share? Hop on over to this page and add them.
Gabrael from My musings Since: Nov, 2011 Relationship Status: Is that a kind of food?
#848: Dec 1st 2014 at 11:56:03 AM

How do you turn off javascript? I would like to get rid of that carmenu.com crap as well.

"Psssh. Even if you could catch a miracle on a picture any person would probably delete it to make space for more porn." - Aszur
Knowlessman hey i dunno, why don't you tell me from Stupidtown, USA (FL) Since: Jun, 2013 Relationship Status: Holding out for a hero
hey i dunno, why don't you tell me
#849: Dec 1st 2014 at 12:17:54 PM

Just poke around in your browser's settings; in Chrome, it's in the settings from the Java Console (I think it's called that, anyway), but other browsers should have it somewhere easier to find.

edited 1st Dec '14 12:18:11 PM by Knowlessman

i care but i'm restless, i'm here but i'm really gone, i'm wrong and i'm sorry, baby
Gabrael from My musings Since: Nov, 2011 Relationship Status: Is that a kind of food?
#850: Dec 1st 2014 at 12:25:07 PM

Dude, no clue what that means. I'm in Chrome so can you give me the dummies version please? smile

"Psssh. Even if you could catch a miracle on a picture any person would probably delete it to make space for more porn." - Aszur

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