[solved] Firefox: Sites tell me I'm using an ad blocker but I'm not!

yodermk · 2016-02-12 01:59:00

The only add-ons I have installed are Firebug, Open in Chrome, and a Kerberos login thingy for FreeIPA.

http://phoronix.com is an example of a site that always whines about me having an ad blocker. Forbes.com won't let me go to articles until I "disable" the ad blocker.

I don't even have "do not track" enabled.

Anyone else have this issue, or know what might be causing it? Thanks!

Last edited by yodermk (2016-02-13 12:22:36)

jasonwryan · 2016-02-12 02:02:07

Are you blocking ads some other way: privoxy, hosts blocking, etc? Is it just FF that this happens in?

headkase · 2016-02-12 02:14:06

Have you disabled all your add-ons and then if that fixes it reenable them one by one to find the culprit?

yodermk · 2016-02-12 02:49:47

Only Firefox, I don't have any other kind of ad blocker going. Ads show fine in Chrome.
Just tried disabling those three add-ons, no change.

x33a · 2016-02-12 05:20:31

Are you able to see ads on those sites? Perhaps you have disabled javascript?

bleach · 2016-02-12 06:17:13

javascript is a big one as x33a says(if you have it disabled give exceptions to trusted sites[your discretion on what is ok for js]). can you give a image of the error many have given good advice yet you do not give much information for instance privoxy will give its own block page or it could be the site itself that looks for that stuff and says something too. perhaps if you give the exact either screen or print the actual error people can help you better. a lot of times error messages will give numbers that can also at least give a ball park of the issue. firefox is a very known and accepted browser and should not have any issues so I would say this is something you have done like a proxy or something else. some things to look at {tor, js, privoxy(or other proxies), possibly custom dns resolver}

Last edited by bleach (2016-02-12 06:27:03)

mpan · 2016-02-12 06:45:13

@yodermk:
If a website attempts to force something upon me, then it’s a clear signal I should consider abandoning it and find a non-aggressive one. Losing a client is their problem, not mine. However, Phoronix works fine for me with a complete blockage from NoScript+RequestPolicy+Self-destructing Cookies. Forbes have some issues, but works fine after allowing scripts from them and their static CDN. Neither shows any ads to me¹, nor tells me to allow ads.

Maybe, after you were using some blocker, an old page has been left in your cache? Try reloading with Ctrl+F5. If this doesn’t solve the issue, maybe clear cookies and cache.
____
¹ No AdBlock here, the errors on their side prevent ads from showing.

Omar007 · 2016-02-12 12:26:47

Did you enable the build-in Firefox blocker? It is usually only enabled during Private Browsing but it can be manually enabled as well for normal browsing.
Ensure 'privacy.trackingprotection.enabled' is set to 'false' in about:config.

yodermk · 2016-02-13 12:22:01

Omar007 wrote:

Did you enable the build-in Firefox blocker? It is usually only enabled during Private Browsing but it can be manually enabled as well for normal browsing.
Ensure 'privacy.trackingprotection.enabled' is set to 'false' in about:config.

Winner! Disabling that "fixed" it (if by getting ads qualifies as a fix).

Good to know about that, I may enable it again if the ads bug me too much.

Thanks!

Omar007 · 2016-02-13 13:16:54

Depending on whether a site triggers the protection or not you may be able to disable it specifically for that site as well instead of globally.

If you set 'privacy.trackingprotection.enabled' back to 'true', a shield icon may pop-up in your address-bar if you are on a site that has triggered the tracking protection.
You can click that shield icon to disable the tracking protection specifically for that site. The shield icon will now have a red forward-slash through it. You can re-enable protection for that specific site again by clicking the icon again.

Last edited by Omar007 (2016-02-13 13:19:21)

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#1 2016-02-12 01:59:00

[solved] Firefox: Sites tell me I'm using an ad blocker but I'm not!

#2 2016-02-12 02:02:07

Re: [solved] Firefox: Sites tell me I'm using an ad blocker but I'm not!

#3 2016-02-12 02:14:06

Re: [solved] Firefox: Sites tell me I'm using an ad blocker but I'm not!

#4 2016-02-12 02:49:47

Re: [solved] Firefox: Sites tell me I'm using an ad blocker but I'm not!

#5 2016-02-12 05:20:31

Re: [solved] Firefox: Sites tell me I'm using an ad blocker but I'm not!

#6 2016-02-12 06:17:13

Re: [solved] Firefox: Sites tell me I'm using an ad blocker but I'm not!

#7 2016-02-12 06:45:13

Re: [solved] Firefox: Sites tell me I'm using an ad blocker but I'm not!

#8 2016-02-12 12:26:47

Re: [solved] Firefox: Sites tell me I'm using an ad blocker but I'm not!

#9 2016-02-13 12:22:01

Re: [solved] Firefox: Sites tell me I'm using an ad blocker but I'm not!

#10 2016-02-13 13:16:54

Re: [solved] Firefox: Sites tell me I'm using an ad blocker but I'm not!

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