Web Hosting Talk : Other Forums : Web Hosting Lounge : How do I stop sites from adding links in my bookmarks without asking me?

[Mike43]

everyday i come across websites making themselves my home page or adding links to other sites in my favorites/bookmarked sites WITHOUT asking me how do i stop this it's really annoying i think all i need to do is turn off my Java script but i don't know how, I'm using IE 5.5

Why do people do this anyway? It just makes people mad.

[c0bra]

You saying it's now possible for a site to set itself as your homepage without any interaction from the end user? Personally if a site did that to me I'd 1) change back the settings right away and 2) never visit them again.

It's annoying but I wouldn't ruin the whole "web experience" just because a few idiots decide to take the piss.

[Mike the newbie]

Originally posted by Mike43
everyday i come across websites making themselves my home page or adding links to other sites in my favorites/bookmarked sites WITHOUT asking me how do i stop this it's really annoying i think all i need to do is turn off my Java script but i don't know how, I'm using IE 5.5

Use Opera (www.opera.com) instead of IE. Security in this and other areas is better as well.

[Seer]

I had a new one recently...
The site replaced the Favorites folder with itself and whenever I opened the browser it would load half a dozen pop-up ads. I tried everything to get rid of it, finally just updating the browser ( IE 5.5 ) did the trick..

[kunal]

Originally posted by Mike43
everyday i come across websites making themselves my home page or adding links to other sites in my favorites/bookmarked sites WITHOUT asking me how do i stop this it's really annoying i think all i need to do is turn off my Java script but i don't know how, I'm using IE 5.5

Why do people do this anyway? It just makes people mad.

Like which site did this? Coz, i think its not possible without taking user permission

[XTStrike]

nothing like what people are saying here is possible, unless:

A) you havent upgraded your browser - this is YOUR fault and you should have upgraded

B) a popup box appears - you have to click YES to allow it ro run, again, its YOUR fault if you click OK !!

C) a change of security levels - again, it defaults to ask YOU if YOU have changed this it is YOUR fault !!

happy?? thats YOUR situation and it only happens wuth YOU click the "YES" box !!

sorry to be blunt but ive been to some pretty crude sites and it always asks me before i click YES.

you can also try www.intermute.com, this is some pretty cool software i purchased which filters ads/java/cookies/etc...!!

[Seer]

I got the link from a friend that asked if I could figure out how to fix it. I didn't believe it could simply change it like that so I visited myself expecting some sort of alert or message. It did the usual full-screen bit, I closed that out and got a few popup ads, after closing all the browser windows ( I was careful to watch for anything ) I restarted and walla it was now in my favorites list, replaced the favorites folder and gave me a bunch of porno popups. I didn't think it could be done myself, so If I can find the link, i'll be more than happy to share it with anyone that wants a visual.

[Mike43]

It's used on adult sites click this link and see if you don't get 3 book marks added to IE 5.5 WITHOUT BEING ASKED first. I'm using IE 5.5 and it's up to date.....yes that a sponsor link but it's missing it's id so no one gets credit for it.


http://ctc.amateurpie.com/cgi-bin/ctc/ctc.cgi?00000000


Yeah I know stay away from adult sites and I have no problem but it's catching on with regular sites now.



<<Admin edit : removed uncivil remarks. Insults aren't appreciated around here, thank you.>>

[Duster]

Remarks like that are uncalled for. They contribute to an atmosphere of hostility that can spoil a forum and make it inhospitable. I've seen it happen before and would not like to see it happen here.

While I haven't seen the actions described here, they don't surprise me. All the dirtiest tricks on the Internet have come from porn sites. Whatever sites someone chooses to visit are their business, though many computer tech sites have links to adult sites as a way of paying for their own sites, so they are not that easy to avoid.

One thing that might help is a utility named Kill Ad that squashes all those annoying pop up windows. I use it when visiting sites that I suspect might have pop ups. It is available from TUCOWS. They may have other utiities that are specific to this problem.

[Mike43]

sorry but xtstrike has no clue to what he is talking about at all because it is possible.

read about the source script here and what it does.

http://webdeveloper.earthweb.com/pag..._42531,00.html


((((Bookmarking w/out consent +more
Submitted: 05/02/2001
By: Jer

Make a bookmark on a person's computer without thier consent, all you have to do is to get them to click a link. Desription and code on the page. (This has only been tried on Win2000, IE 5.5)
))))

[Duster]

Someone being wrong is no excuse for incivility. Any of us can and will make mistakes. Would you like to be called an idiot the next time you make one, Mike?

Each of us contributes to the atmosphere of this forum (and all others we participate in). For the most part, it has been a place where people share information and a bit of humor and generally disagee in a civil manner.

Only a very few people have displayed bad manners and barbaric behavior and shown themselves to be the south end of a north bound jackass.

There is no place for insults in intelligent conversation. It is the person making the insults, rather than their target, who ends up the equine hindquarters. Any of us can be mistaken, especially as regards computers. Things change, and often quite rapidly where computers are concerned.

Insults are never justified or appreciated. Facts that prove the truth of things are.

[Curious Too]

Not only are some adult sites replacing the browser's home page with their own page, they are also downloading DIALERS (sex.exe) onto their website visitors hard drives.

[akashik]

well there's your problem... clicking a link *is* consent according to the program anyway... It's something that shouldn't be possible without your interaction.. The link clicking is the trigger. Pop-ups should never be closed with the 'close this window' link on them. Just hit the X at the top right. Downloading *anything* is a judgement call. Maybe it's experience but I can happily say I've never in over 5 years downloaded anything adverse to my computer (or my phone bill).

If in doubt... don't

Greg Moore