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Web ads re-directing you to an app on the App Store
- Thread starter YanniDepp
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With this sort of thing there is usually some effort to make sure it's triggered by actual user interaction. I just think this security needs to be beefed up. It may have become lax or new tricks/exploits found which is why people are seeing more of it.
Yesterday a coworker has this happens to him on websites (no tap or interaction) and today I see this thread!
Considering the recent Yahoo ad-based (Windows) malware, it is a good time to restate that while a browser does need to do certain things, anything that it does must be able to be controlled by the user. Sites that work around user preferences, e.g., pop-up blockers, cookies, etc. should be reported and avoided loudly.
Considering the recent Yahoo ad-based (Windows) malware, it is a good time to restate that while a browser does need to do certain things, anything that it does must be able to be controlled by the user. Sites that work around user preferences, e.g., pop-up blockers, cookies, etc. should be reported and avoided loudly.
Standard according to who?
There's no such thing as a "standard web protocol".
HTTP may be adopted everywhere, but at the end of the day, it's just something that a group of respected organisations created. Anyone could put out a competing standard and it would have no more or less merit.
Many companies have defined their own custom URI schemes including Google and Microsoft.
As such, there's absolutely nothing wrong with this.
I can confirm that this happens in iOS 6 as well. I keep my iPad 3 on 6.1.3 just for nostalgia. It does the same. I have two other iPads on iOS 7.
I've found a solution, but it involved jailbreaking my iOS devices and installing AdBlocker and AdBlockerNetworks.
Goodbye forever, Candy Crush, Jelly Splash, Clash of the Titans and Papa Pear Saga!
Yeah, that doesn't really have anything to do with application-specific URI schemas and how devices choose to interpret them. This is entirely up to Apple.
I've found a solution, but it involved jailbreaking my iOS devices and installing AdBlocker and AdBlockerNetworks.
Goodbye forever, Candy Crush, Jelly Splash, Clash of the Titans and Papa Pear Saga!
Yeah, that doesn't really have anything to do with application-specific URI schemas and how devices choose to interpret them. This is entirely up to Apple.
You completely missed the point of my post.
The W3C was ONE of the organisations involved in the HTTP spec.
But who made them queen of the universe?
What authority?
Was it a government?
How would you pick which country got to decide that?
The W3C and similar organisations may have become the de facto creators of standards like this, but they have no "divine right" to do so - anyone can define a "standard" and it may or may not end up being used widely - either by whoever made it or a wider community.
Sure, but there are still various accepted standards that are followed if someone wants to actually reach their end users. Even if that doesn't mean that there won't be new ones or different ones. Now, how much all of that has to do with the particular issue in this thread, that might be a bit more of a stretch.
As far as I can see, this issue involves links created with an Apple-specific URI scheme, being interpreted by an Apple-built browser, and automatically opening another Apple app, on Apple devices.
It's totally up to Apple to fix this issue.
It's totally up to Apple to fix this issue.
You asked who defined web standards. I gave you the answer, mate. The W3C have become the de facto guardians of net standards and neutrality.
If my criticism of Apple isn't enough for you, perhaps you'd care to take it up with Tim Berners-Lee, who has said the same thing. If you're having troubles with context, look for the bit that says 'You can access an iTunes link only using Apple's patented iTunes program'.
Yes, this happens to me too. It's been taking me to the Candy Crush app in the app store without any user interaction apart from opening a web page.
On my Galaxy S4, I don't get redirections such as that, but I do get javascript popups "Check your android for VIRUSES!".
Both are a menace and advertisers should be completely ashamed of themselves for resorting to this kind of obtrusive advert which only exists to prey on the confused ("why has this popped up?").
Luckily on my Android device I can and have installed AdBlock, which appears to have stopped it, but alas no such product can be installed on iOS.
On my Galaxy S4, I don't get redirections such as that, but I do get javascript popups "Check your android for VIRUSES!".
Both are a menace and advertisers should be completely ashamed of themselves for resorting to this kind of obtrusive advert which only exists to prey on the confused ("why has this popped up?").
Luckily on my Android device I can and have installed AdBlock, which appears to have stopped it, but alas no such product can be installed on iOS.
De facto being the key point. They have no right or ability to control what people do.
Technology would be incredibly limited if everybody had to wait for organisations like the W3C to approve everything.
Ergo, Apple has done nothing wrong.
There's no need to get snappy with me for stating facts! I have no problem with context!
As above, Tim can say whatever he wants - but he has no authority to decide what is "right" and what is "wrong".
To me, Tim's statement is moronic!
"You can access an iTunes link only using Apple's patented iTunes program."
Well, duh! If you could access it from anywhere else, it wouldn't work!
The whole idea is that it opens the iTunes desktop application for Windows or Mac OS and then takes you to the correct page so you can buy something. No other application can do that.
Sure you might be able to view the content in a regular web browser (it is just a web page after all), but Apple's intent with those links is to open the application so that you can buy something.
I could understand his problem if iTunes links really didn't need to use the iTunes application for anything...
I mentioned it before, but I'll say it again - I generally loathe Apple.
But I'm not going to criticise them for what they're doing here - there's basically no alternative.
That's spectacularly missing the point of Tim Berners-Lee's contention (and many would say that his opinion counts for a lot). It's the access method, the protocol that is fragmentary. The rest of the internet, with which we have become so familiar, delivers secure proprietary content, but through perfectly functional and standardised protocols. Just suppose for a moment that Microsoft only allowed Excel spreadsheet files to be opened in Excel. Fine, they are at liberty to do that if they want. But to make such a file available on a website, they would still deliver it to clients over the internet with a response header that indicates a 'content disposition', i.e. a hint as to how the client can deal with the content. That's why the particular client you're using now is able to detect images or fire up a spreadsheet application when it sees a link to an Excel document. No special protocol called piccypiccy is involved or needed in getting the data where it is needed.
Tim is quite right.
Finding these pop up app store links annoying. I have ads turned off in settings, so i really do not expect to be redirected to the app store to have the option to download some crappy game when i am trying to read the BBC/Guardian/Retraction Watch etc. it happens on numerous websites when using the iPad.
I find it invasive and there should be an opt out. Anyone have any ideas on a fix? Searches so far have mentioned turning off ads in settings but i still get these pop ups!!!
I find it invasive and there should be an opt out. Anyone have any ideas on a fix? Searches so far have mentioned turning off ads in settings but i still get these pop ups!!!
You can't turn off ads in settings. Enabling "Limit Ad Tracking" does not turn off ads...
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Actually, not Apple's fault. It's the person that coded the javascript at fault, using the link to open on page load. No different to someone using an RTP:// or whatever. There should be a way to stop them loading the links on page load, should be on click only.
As if anyone who was forced to an app linked whilst merrily browsing, got the app. Your comment is absurd. Now if they voluntarily clicked on a link to an app, then you may have a valid point.
No, we've been through this before. itunes (as in itunes:// or indeed anyoldprotocol://) is proprietary. This way of accessing resources is why it has attracted the attention of the W3C and Tim Berners Lee in particularly, as being something leading to fragmentation of the internet.
There are plenty of protocols that have been endorsed by the W3C that could be used to access iTunes resources and the iTunes store, but Apple have gone their own merry way. Normal practise is for the resource that is being asked for to be delivered along with a header informing the client how it should be used.
Well done for totally ignoring what I was saying. Did you actually read my post or you just wanting to bang on about W3C and Tim Berners-Lee. None if which I was talking about.
The thing is, if it's possible to exploit than someone will exploit it. This is very much Apple's fault for allowing it in the first place, and the W3C and Tim Berners Lee in particular are related as they're trying to direct the evolution of the internet.