Who is watching you on the web and how to opt-out from ads

[TheTwo]

I have recently noticed that YouTube has turned the switch on ads, and they had to stick their programming clips in there as well. It annoyed me enough to consider not watching YouTube anymore, but i found out that watching ads on web-pages, including YouTube, is actually by users choice, and there is a way to say "NO!". We are all in same shoes, but for those who see how innocent ads in the background change their perspective on life for the worst, here are few tips:

i personally use FireFox as a browser for web, and plugin you are looking for is AdBlockPlus (https://addons.mozilla.org/en-us/firefox/addon/adblock-plus/). It's not the only one, there's a whole list of them. I just use this one and it works like a charm.
No ads anywhere so far, and i haven't seen a single ad on youtube in long time, which is what i was after in the first place. As a bonus, i haven't seen any ads anywhere else on the web, and I like it.

how they do it: apparently there's a "cookie" you can set on your computer, that tells websites you don't want to see ads, and they must comply :)

you can also set cookies to deny data mining, location tracking and so on....which brings me to the second part - i also found out that there are agreements between web-sites, behind the scenes, but not so secret, that collect most of your browsing info in few central locations. Google and Facebook are the biggest ones. So, every search you do on Google, almost every web-page you go to are recorded in a database. Being a programmer, i understand it's not that hard to develop methods that analyze large database and spit out more readable conclusions about the person behind the IP.

here's a link to a better explained detail: Online Tracking (http://dntp.donottrackplus.com/learn/wit.php)
I wouldn't try any of their paid solutions, but their free firefox addon DNTme (do not track me), has shown me who is trying to track me while i am browsing, just educational little addon.

Here's what it shows for project avalon web-site: "Clear skies! No tracking found here. Say thanks to projectavalon.net!"

Thanks! :)

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[mojo]

Good thread thanks... Channels can opt out on the advertizing revenue program on youtube...I'm happy to be one of those...

[Tarka the Duck]

I was thinking of downloading an Adblock programme for Safari - can anyone recommend one please?
Kathie

[TheTwo]

I was thinking of downloading an Adblock programme for Safari - can anyone recommend one please?
Kathie

https://extensions.apple.com, adblock appears to be most popular addon, lol

on the left side, choose security category, there you will find plenty of options

[Carmody]

sometimes I wonder if the do not track software complies a list that says: 'so and so opted out of being tracked while he was at website so and so on dec 14/2012 8:27am'.

[TheTwo]

sometimes I wonder if the do not track software complies a list that says: 'so and so opted out of being tracked while he was at website so and so on dec 14/2012 8:27am'.

actually facebook or google themselves will know if i stop accepting ads, i suppose it goes to the same pile.

best way i see is not to care about tracking, afterall it is fear...and fear ruins my day :)

on the other hand, watching 30 second ad before watching 10 second clip on YouTube is ridiculous, and the OFF button is hidden...

[Bongo]

I have been using Ghostery for a while now & its great, blocks everything, some websites I have went on to don't work while ghostery is on so its definitely doing its job.

here's a link for it
Its compatible with these browsers: Firefox, Safari, Google Chrome, Opera, Internet Explorer
http://www.ghostery.com/download

[provolon]

Ok Addblock is the best yes..

I also have another add-on in Chrome, which is called "disconnect" https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/disconnect/jeoacafpbcihiomhlakheieifhpjdfeo

It does the same, prevents others like facebook, twitter, linkedin, google etc.. from seeing what you browse.

[Poly Hedra]

Thanks a lot for that info. I have just set up both of them. It does bother me a lot that these effers are collecting my data and selling it to others. Now that google, gmail and youtube are all owned by the same company it means they have access to all keywords you search, all videos you watch and search and you private emails. Thats quite a broad range of infromation to have on a person.
What better way to get a personal profile.

[mosquito]

Thanks ! I recently upgraded my laptop to Windows7 (slooooooow) and when I reinstalled firefox, adblock didn't auomatically upodate with my other add-ons, and it was never shown on a list of available add-ons. Having now searched for it and found it, it's reinstalled and, hopefully, working.

[ThePythonicCow]

My favorite way to block junkie sites, and what I've used for many years now, is the MVPS HOSTS file: http://winhelp2002.mvps.org/hosts.htm

It provides a hosts file that directs unwanted URL's to the local IP address.

It's a bit geeky, just understanding what it does and how to use it, but it is super efficient (especially if one runs an nginx web server on one's local system, just to quickly deny the web requests directed there) and works equally well on Linux, Windows, and Mac OS X.

It also works across all browsers, without any effort per browser. I currently have approx 28 different Linux and Windows browsers on my system that I use for testing now and then, and this covers them all.

It also does not send anything over the web that anyone else might notice, indicating what sites you're ignoring.

Whenever I setup a new system, I download the current copy of that hosts file, and merge it into my local hosts file. I will then tweek it now and then, maybe once a year, to suit my preferences, such as commenting out a particular URL that I have decided I actually want to allow my browsers to access.

[GoodETxSG]

Very good thread indeed.

[RMorgan]

This is a great combo: AdBlock Plus, Ghostery and Vanilla cook blocker.

Works like a charm on Google Chrome.

Raf.

[Praxis]

I also recommend NoScript, for at least Firefox. I am not sure if they are available for other browsers. I would be surprised if they were not. For those that are really concerned also start using TOR.

However, if the NSA wants your information, no civilian technology will stop them IMHO

[Keltikmuse]

Well just downloaded Adblock , lets see if it helps. Thank you for the link and the info.

[Carmody]

Maybe it' just me, but I noticed something after I loaded adblock plus.

When loading yootoob videos.

with no adblock plus, I could let the given video load in the background,and run off and use other windows and do other things.

This technique arose, in my usage case.. due to my download speed having what known as 'hiccup' issues. One second or two of video, followed by one second or two of stopping. In order to actually watch a video, I have to let it load, in the background. running, but with the volume down. Then, I go back to that window, and move the viewing bar, back to the start. Then watch the given video, with no interruptions.

Now, with adblock plus, when I try this, it goes back to the start, and dumps all of the loaded video, and begins downloading it again.

My guess, is that is is an issue with advertisements and how they are done on yootoob. It is almost as if a 'blip' in the programming script is being used to try and deter the use of adblock plus and other advertising opt out techniques. That adblock users are being penalized, and purposely so. If not, they would have fixed the programming script so this would not happen.

I think the programming script is set to make sure that a given user or IP address is forced to see an advert before even one second of a video has been seen. And that that programming script for yootoob 'checks' its list to see if the given user or IP address has received that advertisement, IF the first few seconds (some predetermined time frame)(it may even involve if any form of a re-wind of the video is attempted).

For, you see, if one goes to to yootoob and HAS viewed an advert, THEN the programming of the yootoob website acknowledges this and does not force the viewer to watch another advertisement. For now. That is changing.

And in the case of advertisement blocking software being used, this may be a semi-hidden form of 'punishment' for advertisement blocking program users. (forced reloading of the given video)

Yotoob may also be using this as a method of counting advertisements. That adblock plus users, may still be counted as viewers of advertisements, in order to keep yootoob advertisement viewing numbers HIGH, so that Google receives higher (or continued) revenue from advertisers. this may be tied to the complete reset of the page, as if one is coming to the video, for the first time.

The answer is a combination of one or both of the above.

~~~~
Yep. just checked.

I am now being forced into reloading the entire video if any form of rewind takes place.

[norman]

Maybe it' just me, but I noticed something after I loaded adblock plus.

When loading yootoob videos.

with no adblock plus, I could let the given video load in the background,and run off and use other windows and do other things.

This technique arose, in my usage case.. due to my download speed having what known as 'hiccup' issues. One second or two of video, followed by one second or two of stopping. In order to actually watch a video, I have to let it load, in the background. running, but with the volume down. Then, I go back to that window, and move the viewing bar, back to the start. Then watch the given video, with no interruptions.

Now, with adblock plus, when I try this, it goes back to the start, and dumps all of the loaded video, and begins downloading it again.

My guess, is that is is an issue with advertisements and how they are done on yootoob. It is almost as if a 'blip' in the programming script is being used to try and deter the use of adblock plus and other advertising opt out techniques. That adblock users are being penalized, and purposely so. If not, they would have fixed the programming script so this would not happen.

I think the programming script is set to make sure that a given user or IP address is forced to see an advert before even one second of a video has been seen. And that that programming script for yootoob 'checks' its list to see if the given user or IP address has received that advertisement, IF the first few seconds (some predetermined time frame)(it may even involve if any form of a re-wind of the video is attempted).

For, you see, if one goes to to yootoob and HAS viewed an advert, THEN the programming of the yootoob website acknowledges this and does not force the viewer to watch another advertisement. For now. That is changing.

And in the case of advertisement blocking software being used, this may be a semi-hidden form of 'punishment' for advertisement blocking program users. (forced reloading of the given video)

Yotoob may also be using this as a method of counting advertisements. That adblock plus users, may still be counted as viewers of advertisements, in order to keep yootoob advertisement viewing numbers HIGH, so that Google receives higher (or continued) revenue from advertisers. this may be tied to the complete reset of the page, as if one is coming to the video, for the first time.

The answer is a combination of one or both of the above.

~~~~
Yep. just checked.

I am now being forced into reloading the entire video if any form of rewind takes place.

It may be something to do with Adobe Flash Player too.

They've been doing a lot of changes to the way it works in the last year. At first I noticed that they stopped it saving a complete ( or total downloaded so far ) file of the video in the internet temp files folder. It vanished to somewhere where I couldn't find it at all. Then, later I noticed that it has returned to saving the data in the internet temp folder but that it's not a single file any longer. It's a mass of short bits that it seems to dump again as it works it's way through them.

[Carmody]

probably an attempt to prevent downloader programs from saving any video stream.

Too bad, a good programmer of such software will fly by that issue in a few days of programming, at the worst.

Sounds a lot like the ever problematic tail chasing attempts that corporations tend to go through. One where they rush through the crowd of existing customers.... and shoot half of them, all due to trying to chase down one person. I think of it as 'surgery with shotguns and dynamite'. Blunt instruments from uninventive and idiotic people.

I don't use downloader programs. I honour my unspoken agreement.

Now that they are pissing on that (the shooting of the half the crowd, to chase down and try to kill off the one) with much fervor.. I will start using downloader programs.

[TheTwo]

~~~~
Yep. just checked.

I am now being forced into reloading the entire video if any form of rewind takes place.

hmm, could be many reasons for that, i just tried it's not happening for me - the video loads up and i can rewind back and forth without loosing what has been downloaded so far.
Could be something to do with you storage for flash too, try right click on the video -> settings -> move storage slider all the way right to unlimited and relaunch the browser.
One more way to test is to remove adblock and see if it changes anything.

[TheTwo]

there are plenty of plugins for saving flash videos too, i use NetVideoHunter for Firefox - works :)

[Star Tsar]

My favorite way to block junkie sites, and what I've used for many years now, is the MVPS HOSTS file: http://winhelp2002.mvps.org/hosts.htm

It provides a hosts file that directs unwanted URL's to the local IP address.

It's a bit geeky, just understanding what it does and how to use it, but it is super efficient (especially if one runs an nginx web server on one's local system, just to quickly deny the web requests directed there) and works equally well on Linux, Windows, and Mac OS X.

It also works across all browsers, without any effort per browser. I currently have approx 28 different Linux and Windows browsers on my system that I use for testing now and then, and this covers them all.

It also does not send anything over the web that anyone else might notice, indicating what sites you're ignoring.

Whenever I setup a new system, I download the current copy of that hosts file, and merge it into my local hosts file. I will then tweek it now and then, maybe once a year, to suit my preferences, such as commenting out a particular URL that I have decided I actually want to allow my browsers to access.

Hey Paul,

Host file works great for me on youtube no ads what so ever on UFOTV's videos (which I wanted it for) so I'm well impressed!
I don't like installing software I don't really know so for me this is ideal.

Thanks again brother-in-moderation!

:P

[Carmody]

~~~~
Yep. just checked.

I am now being forced into reloading the entire video if any form of rewind takes place.

hmm, could be many reasons for that, i just tried it's not happening for me - the video loads up and i can rewind back and forth without loosing what has been downloaded so far.
Could be something to do with you storage for flash too, try right click on the video -> settings -> move storage slider all the way right to unlimited and relaunch the browser.
One more way to test is to remove adblock and see if it changes anything.

Ok. There seems to be a change. Let this be an example of what happens with incorrect information. Incorrect question, bad data, bad conclusion, bad reaction. The 'storage' was set to 100kb. Which is ridiculously low....... and it was not set like this beforehand.

This is the very reason that 'news' is as..it is: To set up reactionary bias in the public, while it, the public...thinks it is clinging to truths.

Nope! thought I had it there, when I re-set it from 100kb, to 10mb. It is still resetting the stream. changing to unlimited.

[zenith]

Hi Carmody,

You could pause the video at the beginning rather than let it play out.
It downloads until complete, then just watch at your leisure.