Just a quick note that we’ve noticed that the latest version of Safari (1.2.4 (v125.12)) sometimes seems to allow pop under ads that we and other sites serve to appear even though “Block Pop-Up Windows” is checked in Safari. This never happened with any other version of Safari that we know of – and the network ad code (Fastclick) that we are using seems to be unchanged. It is happening to us on one of our recently updated machines (Mac OS X 10.3.8, Build 7U16, Safari 1.2.4 (v125.12).
MacDailyNews serves one pop-under ad per browser session per 24-hour period. We do not, have not, nor will we ever, run pop-up ads. You shouldn’t see more than one per 24-hour period per browser session from our site.
In the days before Safari, Mac users received these pop-under ads. Since Safari’s “Block Pop-Up Windows” feature, Mac users have gotten used to surfing without such ads. All along, MacDailyNews has continued to run such advertising to satisfy our need to actually pay our web host for the bandwidth we use. Before this issue with pop-under ads reappearing, the nice thing was that mainly the MDN visitors using Windows and Internet Explorer to visit the site were being served their daily allowance of one pop-under ad per day. Of course, they are used to receiving these types of ads and never even mentioned our pop-under ad. Oh, and the three Mac OS X users who are still using MSIE for Mac were seeing the daily ad, too. Thank you for your support.
So, the once per day pop-under ad has been running here as usual, you just might have forgotten it thanks to Safari’s ability to block it. It doesn’t seem to be happening to all Safari users, either. Please let us know what version of Safari (use “About Safari” under the Safari menu) you are using if you are suddenly receiving our pop-under ads even with Safari blocking enabled. Some users have also informed us that using the “Reset Safari” option has cleared up the issue.
We have not changed any code on MacDailyNews. If anyone has additional information, please let us know.
[UPDATE: 11:06 am ET: We have replicated the issue with Firefox v 1.0 on the Mac. This would indicate that it is not an issue with Safari. It is also happening on other web sites, not just MDN. We are investigating to see if the network ad service’s code has changed. We’ll let you know what we find out. If you encounter ads while visiting other websites that also aren’t blocked when they should be, please let us know below. Thank you.]
[UPDATE: 2/20, 1pm ET: The silence from the network ad service(s) is deafening. Or maybe they didn’t get our 50+ emails? Anyway, until we understand exactly what’s going on and/or Apple fixes Safari’s pop up blocker to once again effectively block our pop-under ads for users that desire to block them, we will not be serving pop under ads. We’ll work to make up the lost revenue in some other way.]
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Related MacDailyNews articles:
Safari’s and Firefox’s Pop-Up Blockers broken? [UPDATE] – February 20, 2005
Joe, I just spat all other my PowerBook. I’d completely forgotten his 80WPM typing speed.
I definitely had a pop-under ad this morning when using Firefox 1.0 (on my Linux box). Of course Ilooked to make sure my pop-up blocker was enabled, which it was.
over, not other.
The pop under adds started happening nearly a month ago and is increasing daily at lots of different sights.
I am on OS-X 10.3.5 using Safari 1.2.3 (v125.9
I think it’s some other way of defeating the blocker that has been developed by the add makers.
Glad to see that MDN posted this article.
I was getting pretty annoyed and it was making me think less of MDN.
I hope we see a fix soon.
Also get pop unders at http://www.macosrumors.com/ but nowhere else. All pop unders at MOSR only happened when a link on the site was clicked.
Trying to get some traffic over to that lame-o site, eh? Good luck with that.
I can confirm the MacOSR comment. To Gandfalf – how could code be changed on a OS X system? Would not that require a password? Just curious….
From: Mike Abdullah
I am occasionally having this problem as well. I use Safari 1.2.4 on OS X 10.3.8.
So far only MDN has served any ads to me.
what he said. my ad is for hyroderm skin cream
I got pop-ups with Safari and Firefox and Mozilla. Camino notified me and blocked it.
I havent had any issues with Safari..But firefox gets popups all of the time…
Using Safari 2.0 Pop-ups from fasttrack are hitting me to and not just from this site… grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
retro cat, I find the pop-unders annoying too. I wish MDN would stop serving them until this is fixed – since most of its regular readers hadn’t been seeing the ads anyway, and it’s got PLENTY of other ads (I count no fewer than TWENTY ad images on this page!) maybe, just maybe, it could scrape by with one fewer?
MDN Magic Word: below (so I had to enter “below” below)
Your (MDN) Pop-under-window is by no way more appreciated than a Pop-up-window!!!
You are bypassing Safari’s Pop-up-blocker as well. Shame on you!
Eeeek! I just finished reading all these comments, closed the window, and there was a popunder!
Safari 1.2.4 (v125.12)
I am on Safari 1.2.4 (v125.12) and have not had any pop ups or unders yet. (knock on wood)
I also started getting popups at AppleInsider over the last day or so using FireFox on Windows. (I actually can’t tell whether they’re up or under because they appear on the other monitor, but if anything, I view pop-unders as less ethical and more annoying than pop-ups)
Been getting occasional pop-up esp. from the Drudge report website. Been happening for about six weeks to two months, probably since upgraded from 10.3.7.
R-
[Using Mac OS X 10.3.7 and Safari 1.2.4 (v125.12) Indigo iMac]
i got a pop unders in Safari 1.2.4 last night. My first. that was before i upgraded to 10.3.8. I have not tried with the upgrade yet.
this morning using Win2000 Firefox, i also got my first popunder ever.
Never had any problems until the last couple of days.
it is you MDN. You guys have found a way to bypass the popup blockers from the browsers. Shame on you.
I only get pop ups on MDN – not other sites like CNN.
I get the pop-under in Safari (1.2(v125)) and Firefox (1.0), but not in Shirra (0.9.3), Camino (0.8.2), Mozilla (1.7.5) or Opera(7.5.0). Very strange indeed. OS X 10.3.8 DP G5.
I got one pop-under from MDN, but resetting Safari seemed to do the trick. Based on MDN’s post, though, I’m suspicious. Frankly, I’m skeptical about the 24-hour component they mention.
I have yet to experience this issue on Firefox – on my Macs or my XP machines – but I don’t use that browser nearly as much as Safari. BTW, I’m on 10.3.8 on all Macs and running XP SP2 (not that I want to) on my Wintel boxes.
Regardless, the comments on this issue indicate that it is clearly not a Safari-only problem.
I’ve noticed the same actually — funny thing is that I thought it was
my imagination. But yep, the block up feature has been broken on Safari.
I’m getting them here.
Safari 1.2.4 (v125.12)
X 10.3.7
Safari 1.2.4 (v125.12)
pop blocker not working, powerbook g3, 1 gb ram, 500 mhz, 10.3.8.