We're looking at how to stop the annoying pop-up ads and have the following info to pass on if any of you are interested in turning detective (and are using Apple/iOS devices), please read on...
Why are Mumsnet showing me these annoying pop-up ads?
Mumsnet sell adverts directly to some advertisers, however we also sell some of our adverts through third-party partners. We do not sell these annoying pop-up adverts directly to advertisers as we know they are frustrating and take you away from the site. These adverts often come through third-party partners which we try to stop as soon as we can.
Can I help?
You can help us to track down advertising miscreants by using a free app to identify where these bad ads are coming from. If you're interested, there are more details below...
What is HTTP Watch?
HTTP Watch basic is a free app (not the paid for version) in the Apple App Store which functions like a normal web browser with the added benefit of capturing all the ad calls and ad responses whilst you browse.
Will HTTP Watch record any private information such as login details?
No, your personal data is not captured in the trace. All that is captured is various requests and responses that the page makes such as requests to third-parties to return adverts on the page.
When should I use HTTP Watch and why?
It can be extremely difficult for Mumsnet to identify where the ad is coming from with only a screenshot or a URL. As an ad call can be passed from one company to another we will often need to know the full chain of events to help us identify the guilty party very quickly.
How to use HTTP Watch
Go to the Apple App Store, Chrome webstore and download the free HTTP Watch Basic app (not the paid for version)
Instructions
Once downloaded, open the app and type in the website URL where you last saw the bad ad
If you do not see the bad ad Click on menu (identified by 3 horizontal lines top right hand of screen) and tap ‘Clear Log’.
Refresh the page or go to another page to see if the ad appears. If the ad does not appear then repeat step 3.
Once you see the bad AND you need to tap on the icon that looks like three horizontal bars in the bottom right hand corner of the screen. This is where all the ad calls have been captured whilst you have been browsing.
Now tap the Menu icon in the top right of the screen (three horizontal lines.)Tap ‘Email’ and then send this whole file to Mumsnet explaining the issue you saw with as much detail about the issue you saw. The email address is [email protected]
Remember to ‘Clear Log’ after each page refresh when you don’t see the bad ad otherwise the file can become very large and you may not be able to email the file to us. You only need to clear the log when you do not see the ad or after you have successfully emailed the log to us.