Popup ADs

[Judy-Somthing]

OK when I do searches eBay or Google for girly stuff I end up getting popup ads for at least a week.

The other day my wife used my computer and on the sides of the sites she went to had popup ads of lingerie sites.

Even worse when she went on eBay there were ads that said (Recently Looked At) with photos of high heels sz. 12

I guess she didn't realize why they were there.

I spent quite sometime trying to stop it from happening, erasing cookies help stop some of them.

[Tara Rushing]

Most browsers have a "private mode". I'd suggest using that when perusing CD stuff......

[dawn-sussex]

Try opening these sites in an Incognito window (Chrome) or Private Window (Morzilla)

[Rebecca W.]

Hi Judy,
I use the private mode on Mozilla, and on IE I have the cookies blocked. I have not had any pop up ads with those settings.

[Jamie Christopher]

Tara and Dawn have it: in a "Private" browsing mode, the system "acts" like cookies are on, but prevents any to land on the site and keeps browsing history from being saved; you were never there...

Jamie

[Tracii G]

Use add blocker plus.

[MissDanielle]

Private browsing is your best friend.

[Chelsea B]

Also, sites like eBay (assuming you are logged in) will let you selectively delete your search and browsing history. It's worth taking a few minutes to remember to do that.

[Judy-Somthing]

If your logged on your eBay account eBay keeps the info on their end so when you log in the ads come up.
Also they constantly send emails with photos of things I've looked at saying (Are you still interested in this item)
Private browsing doesn't doesn't stop those.

[bimini1]

It's outta control now. I'm constantly bombarded with these insidious ads anytime I look at something, emails too.

[Daryl]

I got add blocker plus. Works great on chrome and firefox.

[Vickie_CDTV]

That isn't normal and you shouldn't be getting those popups. Make sure you have popups blocked in your browser settings, and install a blocker like uBlock Origin. If that doesn't help, you may have some malware on your computer.

[Judy-Somthing]

I't the ads that eBay puts on their pages when your log in, They keep track of what I look at.

[aussie cd]

Judy!! dont LOG IN to ebay!!! just browse in incognito mode as the other girls have suggested!

[Lisa85]

Use firefox, install ghostery and request policy addins, use private mode. For some bizarre reason, you don't seem like giving up on ebay.

Your choices are:
1- private mode in FF
2- private type mode in IE
3- private type mode in chrome
4- always using on of the above, and use another only for shopping

Last option, install Oracle VM Virtual box. Install OS in VM, run browser in the VM window, then you won't have to worry about cookies and history at all

[Eryn]

As others have said, Firefox and Adblock Plus are the way to go. It won't fix ads within sites (such as Amazon "Based upon your browsing history you may be interested in... ads) but it is effective against the ads served up by Google and its ilk. It really cleans up the screen on most sites.

I've used it for years and didn't realize how good it was until I started browsing the web using Safari on an iPad. No ad-blockers available for that, and soon the targeted ads were more obtrusive. It's insideous how they take any search and turn it into targeted marketing.

Private mode is also a good idea.

Better still, use your own computer and don't share accounts.

[BeccaClark]

Just a word of insight, since I saw you mention eBay.
I've found out that after you order something off of eBay or Amazon, you can't delete it from your purchases! On eBay, there's a hide feature, that let's you hide certain purchases, but all you have to do is click "view hidden purchases" and boom! They're there. So far, I haven't found any hide feature on amazon.

If you make any purchases, I recommend setting up designated CDing accounts. Luckily my wife already knows about me, otherwise I'd have been screwed!

Good luck with the popup ads :/

[Judy-Somthing]

Thanks for the info GuXXXX-Girls.
Luckily my wife doesn't realize why the ads are showing up.
But when my computer savvy children come over and use my computer who knows if they'll put C and D together.

[iGenny]

I take being private to the next step. I use the Firefox or Chrome versions from portableapps.com. They don't install like normal programs, but rather install on a thumb drive or secret place on your PC. I also delete history & cookies, just in case. That way your browsing stays literally only with you.

[Lisa85]

I take being private to the next step. I use the Firefox or Chrome versions from portableapps.com. They don't install like normal programs, but rather install on a thumb drive or secret place on your PC. I also delete history & cookies, just in case. That way your browsing stays literally only with you.

Negative. Your browsing history is stored on your ISP's server log. A virtual box is even better for the challenged. You run one OS, like windows on your laptop and another OS like linux, or solaris/opensolaris, or another version of windows on your laptop. They have to access:
-- primary OS, windows if you like
-- primary user account
-- know how to start a virtual machine, aka VM
-- if VM is a different OS, they have to know two OSes. And if you restrict browser to command line interface and take off any GUI menus, they won't know either how to launch it, or how to access your account.
-- If still paranoid, run TOR inside the VM.

Your ISP will still know, but it will definitely be more muddled. And if you're going to all this add an encryption level and harden the OS in your VM.

The only way to shop and be more paranoid, is to buy burner phones and browse and shop only on those, but few want that expense or hassle.
Heck of a lot easier, to only use cash and shop in person.

[OCCarly]

Thank God I am out to my wife. I'm a good enough customer at Victoria's Secret to get free bags, perfumes, lotions, and lots of other goodies my wife loves. Unfortunately I also get their ads in the little ad windows on every site I go to on my laptop and all over my phone as well.

[lingerieLiz]

I'm out and my wife knows I shop online a lot. So does she. I have all kinds of lingerie ads popping up on my screen and emails. VM ware might work or should work but won't always. What amazes me is that I bought 3 pair of panties from a store after I had looked at them a couple days before. Since I bought them from Macy's online you would think they would quit buying ads for them. I see this all the time.

[Eryn]

Negative. Your browsing history is stored on your ISP's server log. A virtual box is even better for the challenged. You run one OS, like windows on your laptop and another OS like linux, or solaris/opensolaris, or another version of windows on your laptop. They have to access:...
[<long list o' stuff to do>]


Wouldn't it be easier to just get a cheap laptop, use it as you wish, and lock it in a desk drawer when not using it? :)

I stopped shopping for clothes and shoes online, simply because shopping in person is a lot more fun.

[MissVirginia-Mae]

I feel for you Sis!:hugs:
Its tough if your not out and your wife or gf sees the ads.
Luckily, I am single and no one but me uses my PC.
But, I did work for a firm where we had shared computers a few years back, but I was smart enough to always delete my browsing history.
Good luck!

[Rhonda Darling]

Ladies!!

The day of the "family computer" where everyone is logged in as the same user, using the same browsers and same email, etc., is long gone. Set up a separate password protected user account for everyone who will use your computer(s), including the ubiquitous "guest", so that each person has their own file area, own browser settings, own favorites, own history, etc., etc. You can even have a family login for managing household business, bills, etc. YOU have the administrator account that can get access to all the others. Everyone else is able to only get to their own stuff.

THEN use the incognito or private areas of browsers and follow the advice above to sweep up after yourself (hide your tracks).

DON'T share iPads, tablets, etc. if you use them for girly stuff. There is too much trace material to police up unless you are an expert level user..

[gina shiney]

Great thread.
My only device I can really use is my phone, not because of my loving wife whom is aware of my compulsion but children (young adults). They know far more about devises then I do. I am trying to justify my own computer but when we have 1 fixed 4 laptops and at last count 9 tablets plus gaming things its the justify for dad who hasn't until recently had any interest in privacy. (Playing old versions of civ dont count). I am not up to speed on modern computing so all this information is better than gold. Hopefully then can I take full advantage of this forum as mobile version sort of sucks. The few times I have tried to post on so tablet it gets lost and I get frustrated & give up but its nice to see the whole site and .not have to log on constantly. (I never realised how much of it there is) I also have had the issue of setup when I get my own as win10 is so different looking to what I am used too hate that everything HAS to have access to everything else ie location contact list other app's and gives me cookies and generaly can run rampant.I would privacy a cuppa and biskets for choice.Thank you all and I hope to learn.
Gina shiney

[Stephanie47]

I had to chuckle somewhat because it is not just eBay or Google. Yesterday I was perusing JCPenny because I received an email indicating there was a 30% off sale ending soon. There had been some dresses I was pondering to buy during the last sale, but, thought I had bought enough. Well, I found one and bought it. I use Mozilla FireFox. I had not yet logged out of my session. I checked some news articles. I played a game on MSN. There they were. Ads for dresses at J C Penny and other goodies. It is the same with Macy's. There are cookies awash in my browser. However, when I logged off of my session the cookies are deleted. Yes, I do get emails from J C Penny asking if I was still interested in a particular dress, etc or if the 'shopping bag' is mine? But, my wife and I do not share our accounts. I also have a hotmail account, but, rarely use it. However, it is also set to delete upon logging off. Both are set to block ads. If I logoff and come back later to eBay it does not show display all those inquiries you made.

And, you may also want to consider the possibility your wife knows more about the computer than you suspect.

[Edie Palmer]

I'm always deleting my cookies, which one should do often, and I don't have any problems afterwards, plus I never get popups because I use and ad blocker.

[donnalee]

You need to implement the pop-up blocker in your browser for starters.
The virtue of multiple email accounts is to target what you don't wish seen to separate emails; this keeps junk out of the inbox of your main email and away from prying eyes. It also can help keep things better organized.

[LexiNexi]

Get Tor and multiple junk accounts, although running multiple ebay accounts is hard if you need to keep you feedback built up.

[sometimes_miss]

Even easier is to simply use one browser for anything CD related, and others for your regular web surfing. Internet Explorer, Edge, Chrome, Firefox, Opera, Safari, simply pick one for your CD stuff. Use the rest for normal things. Just be careful when the browsers ask you to make them your 'default' browser, most of them automatically try to get you to click on that little box periodically. It also will give you an option should something mess up your browser's settings. Oh yeah, and back up your bookmarks, and keep a list of any browser add ons that you use as it will make it easier to fix should you accidently click on the wrong thing.

[CarlaWestin]

I kinda' like the pop-up ads. Occassionaly, my wife notices that I seem to have an interest in sexy shoes, dresses, makeup and lingerie. Duh!

[DonnaP]

I got ad blocker it's free and it stopped the ads which My wife had questioned a couple of times it does a great job ands it's free. Good Luck DonnaP

[larry]

I see a lot about using (private mode) Would anyone like to tell me where that is ?

[Julia1984]

Larry
Pretty much all browsers will have "private" or "incognito" mode if you click on the main menu icon/box in the browsers top right corner. You need to remember to close all private tabs when you've finished...
Julia

[Jenny22]

I do all of my CD searching on Firefox. My passwords, and for this forum, are complex. I always sign off this forum and Firefox, and my Firefox history is always blank.
Am I safe from prying eyes, if a family member uses my Mac?
Where on Firefox do I find "Private Browsing"? I couldn't find it, though I tried.