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Google will warn users when sites contain social engineering ads

techcrunch.com

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Re: Google will warn users when sites contain social engineering ads

#41
post #38
post #22

From the article: "Others pretend to be “Download” or “Play” buttons, as if clicking them would provide access to the video content or stream the user had wanted. " These are actively being served through Google Adsense, right now. Here's a few example, live sites, where I see "Download" buttons in an ad, in a context that would be confusing. http://www.getpaint.net/index.html http://downloads.tomsguide.com/PaintNET,…

Where do you see the button the www.getpaint.net? This is all I see and it looks legit [1] [1] http://imgur.com/S8iV9cX

I think you are blocking ads. I am too and that's what I see. From a device not blocking ads this is what I see:

http://imgur.com/yZDK7og

Re: Google will warn users when sites contain social engineering ads

#42
post #41
post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Where do you see the button the www.getpaint.net? This is all I see and it looks legit [1] [1] http://imgur.com/S8iV9cX

I think you are blocking ads. I am too and that's what I see. From a device not blocking ads this is what I see: http://imgur.com/yZDK7og

Yep definitely blocking ads. That is insanity without. 8|

Re: Google will warn users when sites contain social engineering ads

#43
post #41
post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Where do you see the button the www.getpaint.net? This is all I see and it looks legit [1] [1] http://imgur.com/S8iV9cX

I think you are blocking ads. I am too and that's what I see. From a device not blocking ads this is what I see: http://imgur.com/yZDK7og

It's also tricky because ad bids come and go, Google does personalization, etc. But, I see what you see pretty reliably if I use an incognito window (no personalization).

Re: Google will warn users when sites contain social engineering ads

#45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I regularly see ads during Youtube videos for what I would assume to be malware -- "driver updates" and the ilk. It would be nice if Google would get their own house in order.

Why should Google get it's house in order? The best part about being a monopoly is everyone has to deal with you whether they like it or not. ;) And they can punish other people's websites for having malicious ads, including Google-sourced malicious ads, because that totally solves the problem! This comment was thick with sarcasm.

Because people start using Adblock and sucking the life out of their business. I just deployed adblock across the entire organization I work for as a basic security measure.

Re: Google will warn users when sites contain social engineering ads

#46
post #39
post #22

From the article: "Others pretend to be “Download” or “Play” buttons, as if clicking them would provide access to the video content or stream the user had wanted. " These are actively being served through Google Adsense, right now. Here's a few example, live sites, where I see "Download" buttons in an ad, in a context that would be confusing. http://www.getpaint.net/index.html http://downloads.tomsguide.com/PaintNET,…

> These are actively being served through Google Adsense, right now. There should be a button to report them. Please report them.

Sure. But it's just funny that Google's approach is to mark these sites with big red warnings when Google itself is the source of the actual problem.

Re: Google will warn users when sites contain social engineering ads

#47
post #22

From the article: "Others pretend to be “Download” or “Play” buttons, as if clicking them would provide access to the video content or stream the user had wanted. " These are actively being served through Google Adsense, right now. Here's a few example, live sites, where I see "Download" buttons in an ad, in a context that would be confusing. http://www.getpaint.net/index.html http://downloads.tomsguide.com/PaintNET,…

I see fake download buttons, full screen ads, ads opening new windows/tabs, and ads opening Google play automatically from Adsense on a regular basis. I gave up reporting them years ago.

I only see them when using chrome on Android these days. I generally use Firefox with an ad blocker on both windows and Android to combat it. I disable on some sites to support them, donate where I can, subscribe to YouTube red/Google music, etc to be sure I support content.

Re: Google will warn users when sites contain social engineering ads

#48

Will they do that on their own sites too ? like youtube or blogger ? because yes, I got plenty of "Your computer is infected by a virus, Please call Microsoft hotline" popups from those.

I don't have Adblock on for Youtube and I've never gotten a popup like that. All of their ads are video ads. Are you sure you don't actually have a virus (that's causing the popups, not due to the message itself)?

Re: Google will warn users when sites contain social engineering ads

#49
post #42
post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think you are blocking ads. I am too and that's what I see. From a device not blocking ads this is what I see: http://imgur.com/yZDK7og

Yep definitely blocking ads. That is insanity without. 8|

A new trick is to use so many trackers that it won't fit on the screen when listing them all:

http://i.imgur.com/AauOwVB.png

(This is from a site which detects adblockers, and begs you to turn it off, because it's killing their business model)

Re: Google will warn users when sites contain social engineering ads

#50

Why stop there? When a site contains the offending ads, push them down to page four of the results. The ads will disappear in a matter of days.

Finally a way for startups to compete with Google, when Google has to move all of their sites (YouTube, Blogger, etc) 4 pages down.
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