A web page that just won't finish loading, a multitude of windows opening up preventing you from browsing or that direct you to another site as you desperately try to close them... Sound familiar? This scenario has unfortunately become almost commonplace and is highly irritating for countless Internet surfers. Initially limited to animated banners, ads on the Web now come in more invasive forms. Now you see pop-up after pop-up appearing on screen, interactive banners get bigger and bigger as you pass the mouse over them, some ads show video clips or can even cover the entire Web page you're visiting. Most users complain that these highly intrusive ads are slowing down their connection. There are, however, pop-ups that contain important information and some ads may even be of interest to you. So how to weed out the good from the bad?
Today, many Internet search engines offer "toolbars" or "companions" as add-ons to your Internet browser's toolbar. They allow you to access certain sites and search the Web quickly without interrupting your initial browsing path. One of the integrated features of these tools is a pop-up blocker. If this option is selected, the toolbar prevents visited sites from displaying pop-ups and generally advises the user, who can then decide to authorise pop-ups from the site in question or to continue blocking them.
But remain alert. Even though these tools are generally efficient, there is an inherent risk that the propriety site of the solution in question can spy on your browsing session. The sites that you visit could be recorded in order to bombard you with targeted ads afterwards. In attempting to avoid pop-ups, you could be exposing yourself to even more unsolicited ads, not as windows this time, but as banners. But at least they're less intrusive...
Aware of the problem posed by windows popping up at inopportune moments, most newer browsers have pop-up blocking features. Users who have installed Windows XP Service Pack 2 cann for example, block pop-ups when browsing with Internet Explorer. Internet Explorer's "Tools" menu now has a "Pop-up Blocker" function. In the settings of this tool, you can allow certain sites to display pop-ups (or not). The Firefox browser has a similar feature.
Users who want to avoid other types of ads (banners with video clips or animations) can also configure their browser. In the "Advanced" tab of Internet Explorer's "Internet Options", you can choose not to play animations or even videos.
The most effective way of blocking pop-up ads, however, is to enlist specialist software. These applications monitor the data coming from visited Web pages and block pop-ups. The user can compile lists of sites authorised to display pop-ups or even block ads coming from one precise address in particular. While these tools guarantee you a more Zen browsing experience, they are particularly useful when it comes to protecting children from certain pop-ups with strictly adult content.
Not all pop-ups are dangerous. Many sites use them to indicate an important piece of information or display content without closing the original page. So if you block pop-ups systematically, you could, for example, miss out on information regarding the days on which a library is closed, or disruptions to public transport, or a shop's change of address, etc. Some online newspapers also use pop-ups to display breaking news. Other windows, even if they are ads, may contain useful information, such as discounts to certain destinations in the case of a travel agency for example.
Another aspect to the issue is each Internet surfer's personal code of ethics. Many independent sites need these ads to survive. Others, who have chosen free hosting, just don't have any other choice but to impose ads on you. Otherwise they wouldn't be able to exist.
Finally, you shouldn't confuse the pop-ups of certain sites with pop-up ads displayed by spyware. The solutions mentioned above cannot eradicate this problem. To rid yourself of this intrusion, you need anti-spyware software.
