Blocking pop-ups on online streaming

[Beetlegeuse]

Armykid93's thread about watching streaming TV online prompted me to write this.

If you've tried to watch much streaming video online, you might have found the video you're trying to watch tends to get buried under a pile of pop-ups, all of which are trying to tempt you into clicking on something you'll probably wish you hadn't. Different people have different preferences in pop-up blockers, but right now I'm using uBlock Origin on both Firefox and Chrome*.

The problem with using a pop-up blocker on these streaming video sites is some of them have figured out how to sense that you're using a pop-up blocker, and if your blocker is active, they degrade the image quality and prevent you accessing the on-screen controls until you turn it off.

Now some guys have devised a counter-measure to prevent these websites from detecting that you have a pop-up blocker turned on. It's called Anti-Adblock Killer.

It's a little more complicated to install than a usual browser add-on for two reasons. First, it has to run under another type of add-on called a "user script manager." I use Grease Monkey on Firefox and in Chrome I use TamperMonkey.

This 'fix' also will work with Safari or Opera. If you're using Internet Explorer or Micro$oft Edge, you deserve pop-ups.

The second complication is that you need to 'subscribe' to the Anti-Adblock Killer script. The script works the same way virus definition updates do for your antivirus. When the pop-up guys figure out how to defeat the Anti-Adblock Killer, the Anti-Adblock Killer guys work out a countermeasure, which they send out to everyone who has subscribed. it a cat-and-mouse game, just like viruses and antivirus definitions.

Here it is again, in shorthand:
1. Install a user script manager extension in your browser (Grease Monkey or TamperMonkey)
2. Install Anti-Adblock Killer
3. Subscribe to the Anti-Adblock Killer script (AakList)

That's it.


*I don't really use Chrome, I use a de-branded version of Chrome called SRWare Iron, which is Chrome stripped of the Google spyware. It works exactly the same, even uses all the regular Chrome add-ons, it just keeps Google from rummaging through your medicine cabinet.

[Frank777]

This is a good piece of information as pop-ups and ads are really annoying while watching streaming TV online. I have recently installed fire stick ad blocker on Amazon Firestick (and I'm happy), but I think it can be used only for this device. Though I also watch streaming TV on my PC from time to time, so thanks for sharing, I'll check the suggested way of blocking pop-ups.

[Beetlegeuse]

Unfortunately, Anti-Adblock Killer stopped being maintained when the Firefox browser went through the Quantum update in 2017 (FF 57). However, I find fewer websites blocking me for using an ad blocker now than back then, so I don't much miss it.

But I still swear by uBlock Origin as an ad blocker.

[Frank777]

Thanks for this info, Beetlegeuse!