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For a while, Fandom was having annoying ads and content that would get past my ad blocker. But a recent update has caused them to block users with ad blockers.

For a while, Fandom was having annoying ads and content that would get past my ad blocker. But a recent update has caused them to block users with ad blockers. I've been looking for explicit alternatives to Fandom for some content and it's annoyingly sparse. Just the other day I saw some meme about how if we saw as many ads taking over sites like we do now, that was a sure sign of having your machine getting infected with a virus. Generally I've found a good portion of websites that block users with ad blockers tend to be the worst offenders with aggressive ads...

nicce 24d ago
> Just the other day I saw some meme about how if we saw as many ads taking over sites like we do now, that was a sure sign of having your machine getting infected with a virus. That used to be the reality around decade ago for those who don’t know. Some applications changed the default front page of the browser, hijacked other websites to inject popups and so on
- AlAjem 24d ago
  >around decade ago Two decades now actually. By 2016 we were already seeing the mass transition to browsing on phones instead of PCs, Windows 10 was already out and for reasons I am not quite sure of the old homepage and toolbar hijackers were on the decline and adblockers were on the rise although I am sure there were still people using malware ridden Internet Explorers for years after. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Browser_hijacking https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Browser_hijacking
  - nicce 24d ago
    Ouch, already 11 years since the Windows 10 release.
    - mitxela 24d ago
      It really was the last Windows anyone with a brain would ever care about.
kotaKat 24d ago
> But a recent update has caused them to block users with ad blockers. I'm noticing that Ad-Shield is becoming a continual fight these days with pageloads that complete then they fly in with a "ha ha here's a fake error report turn off your adblocker aye?". Every time their live support chat is open (why would the anti-adblock firm even offer one), I send them Goatse.
- dspillett 24d ago
  > Every time their live support chat is open […], I send them Goatse. Unfortunately there is little chance that a human is anywhere near the other end of that chat these days, so your evil is somewhat wasted. > (why would the anti-adblock firm even offer one) They want to appear to care. And appear to be a company of real people, who you might like if you met in real life, who will be out of pocket if you don't look at their ads.
  - IanCal 24d ago
    If there is a person on the other end it’s not someone who has any link to the company, they’ll be an outsourced service, so all you’d be doing is sending graphic porn to a poorly paid worker. It’s like screaming at a cashier because the supermarket head office made annoying changes to the company.
    - mitxela 24d ago
      The cashier still gets paid mind you, if he can put up with it it's the company who is inconvenienced by the slower queue.
      - dspillett 24d ago
        I know a fair few people who work in shops, hospitality, and similar. Being a dick to your server is still being a dick to your server, even if you dress it up as doing it to get at their employer. Occasionally your server deserves a bit of dickish behaviour because of their attitude, but this is relatively rather rare in my experience.
dspillett 24d ago
> Generally I've found a good portion of websites that block users with ad blockers tend to be the worst offenders with aggressive ads... It is a common cycle: as they get more aggressive with trying to make the ad based business model work, more and more people are pushed to installing blockers. At this point there is a choice: find a less crappy business model (not an easy task, many have failed) or double down and get more iffy with the adverts and who you partner with to serve them. Eventually it gets to a point where such a high proportion or the viewers are using blockers and the next step in ads/stalking is a step too far even for them, and then the blocker blocking attempts start.
nkrisc 24d ago
Given that these ad networks have actually served real malware on normally trustworthy sites (even nytimes was affected) the meme is essentially true even today. Ad blockers are malware protection.
- latexr 24d ago
  Even the FBI warned about that. https://www.pcmag.com/news/fbi-recommends-installing-an-ad-blocker-to-dodge-scammers https://www.pcmag.com/news/fbi-recommends-installing-an-ad-b...
Suzuran 24d ago
My mother was looking for cheat codes for some video game she was playing and she ended up on Fandom. I had installed uBlock Origin for her because she had a history of being victimized by malware. Fandom detected it and served her the "BLOCKING ADS IS STEALING FROM YOUR FELLOW FANS!" scare stuff, with instructions for removing uBO. She followed the instructions because she thought that's what she needed to do to access the information, and Fandom immediately served her ransomware.
mitxela 24d ago
Which content? Maybe it's time for a Nitter for Fandom.
- orbital-decay 24d ago
  Not even a maybe... https://breezewiki.com/ https://breezewiki.com/

nicce 24d ago

> Just the other day I saw some meme about how if we saw as many ads taking over sites like we do now, that was a sure sign of having your machine getting infected with a virus. That used to be the reality around decade ago for those who don’t know. Some applications changed the default front page of the browser, hijacked other websites to inject popups and so on

AlAjem 24d ago
>around decade ago Two decades now actually. By 2016 we were already seeing the mass transition to browsing on phones instead of PCs, Windows 10 was already out and for reasons I am not quite sure of the old homepage and toolbar hijackers were on the decline and adblockers were on the rise although I am sure there were still people using malware ridden Internet Explorers for years after. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Browser_hijacking https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Browser_hijacking
- nicce 24d ago
  Ouch, already 11 years since the Windows 10 release.
  - mitxela 24d ago
    It really was the last Windows anyone with a brain would ever care about.

kotaKat 24d ago

> But a recent update has caused them to block users with ad blockers. I'm noticing that Ad-Shield is becoming a continual fight these days with pageloads that complete then they fly in with a "ha ha here's a fake error report turn off your adblocker aye?". Every time their live support chat is open (why would the anti-adblock firm even offer one), I send them Goatse.

dspillett 24d ago
> Every time their live support chat is open […], I send them Goatse. Unfortunately there is little chance that a human is anywhere near the other end of that chat these days, so your evil is somewhat wasted. > (why would the anti-adblock firm even offer one) They want to appear to care. And appear to be a company of real people, who you might like if you met in real life, who will be out of pocket if you don't look at their ads.
- IanCal 24d ago
  If there is a person on the other end it’s not someone who has any link to the company, they’ll be an outsourced service, so all you’d be doing is sending graphic porn to a poorly paid worker. It’s like screaming at a cashier because the supermarket head office made annoying changes to the company.
  - mitxela 24d ago
    The cashier still gets paid mind you, if he can put up with it it's the company who is inconvenienced by the slower queue.
    - dspillett 24d ago
      I know a fair few people who work in shops, hospitality, and similar. Being a dick to your server is still being a dick to your server, even if you dress it up as doing it to get at their employer. Occasionally your server deserves a bit of dickish behaviour because of their attitude, but this is relatively rather rare in my experience.

dspillett 24d ago

> Generally I've found a good portion of websites that block users with ad blockers tend to be the worst offenders with aggressive ads... It is a common cycle: as they get more aggressive with trying to make the ad based business model work, more and more people are pushed to installing blockers. At this point there is a choice: find a less crappy business model (not an easy task, many have failed) or double down and get more iffy with the adverts and who you partner with to serve them. Eventually it gets to a point where such a high proportion or the viewers are using blockers and the next step in ads/stalking is a step too far even for them, and then the blocker blocking attempts start.

nkrisc 24d ago

Given that these ad networks have actually served real malware on normally trustworthy sites (even nytimes was affected) the meme is essentially true even today. Ad blockers are malware protection.

latexr 24d ago
Even the FBI warned about that. https://www.pcmag.com/news/fbi-recommends-installing-an-ad-blocker-to-dodge-scammers https://www.pcmag.com/news/fbi-recommends-installing-an-ad-b...

Suzuran 24d ago

My mother was looking for cheat codes for some video game she was playing and she ended up on Fandom. I had installed uBlock Origin for her because she had a history of being victimized by malware. Fandom detected it and served her the "BLOCKING ADS IS STEALING FROM YOUR FELLOW FANS!" scare stuff, with instructions for removing uBO. She followed the instructions because she thought that's what she needed to do to access the information, and Fandom immediately served her ransomware.

mitxela 24d ago

Which content? Maybe it's time for a Nitter for Fandom.

orbital-decay 24d ago
Not even a maybe... https://breezewiki.com/ https://breezewiki.com/