Uassets: Websites using SSAI (server side ad injection)

[ZaphodBeebblebrox]

URL(s) where the issue occurs

http://www.cwtv.com/shows/arrow/brothers-in-arms/?play=498cfef8-fa09-4b70-b860-88fd4f1e3362&extended

Describe the issue

At certain points in the video, ads play. They are marked on the bottom bar by the thicker sections. The first one starts at 7:45.

Versions

• 65.0.3325.181 (Official Build) (64-bit)
• uBlock Origin version: 1.15.18

Settings

Default settings

[mapx-]

as I can see it's about uplynk streaming (SSAI), so ... it seems nothing to do
https://github.com/uBlockOrigin/uAssets/issues/772#issuecomment-351716738

[ghajini]

Something like this
https://github.com/uBlockOrigin/uAssets/issues/1837
Can it be done? Noopmp4 @gorhill

[mapx-]

an idea from ABP:
https://issues.adblockplus.org/ticket/6592

[uBlock-user]

Isn't that the same as $redirect directive ?

[gorhill]

They suggest to rewrite the URL without blocking the request -- redirect's purpose is different, and two-fold: 1st to block, then to redirect to a local resource such that no network request leaves the browser.

[gorhill]

Can it be done? Noopmp4 @gorhill

So far I haven't been able to investigate any of the cases, they all require to create an account, and it seems one need to be in the US. For example, the URL here I get "Access forbidden" and the page renders badly.

[uBlock-user]

the URL here I get "Access forbidden" and the page renders badly.

Same here, they purposefully deface the page upon detecting the IP being outside of the US.

[gorhill]

The rewrite option is now available in ABP dev build. Does it work to fix the issue here?

[uBlock-user]

As per the comment#11 it does.

[gorhill]

That comment is for http://6abc.com/shots-fired-at-police-in-gloucester-twp-standoff-schools-closed/2927128/, not for the case here, http://www.cwtv.com/shows/arrow/brothers-in-arms/?play=498cfef8-fa09-4b70-b860-88fd4f1e3362&extended. I am asking for a verified answer, not a speculated one, i.e. is it working for the case here and with which filters exactly. I can't test this myself, I get a "Access is forbidden" for the URL in opening comment.

[uBlock-user]

That comment is for https://6abc.com/shots-fired-at-police-in-gloucester-twp-standoff-schools-closed/2927128/, not for the case here, https://www.cwtv.com/shows/arrow/brothers-in-arms/?play=498cfef8-fa09-4b70-b860-88fd4f1e3362&extended

They both use uplynk, wouldn't that make them both the same test case ?

Also - https://adblockplus.org/development-builds/rewriting-url-instead-of-blocking

[ZaphodBeebblebrox]

Strangely, they appear to have stopped using uplynk. At the moment, I cannot find something that uses the uplynk player, and ads are skipped. I guess this issue should be closed? (It doesn't really feel like my issue, so I shall leave it up to others discretion.)

[mapx-]

@zaphodbeebblebrox I can confirm: no uplynk at all

[mapx-]

6abc still using uplynk, and $rewrite filter is working only for chrome, firefox getting a black screen video (as reported here). Probably it's the same issue uBo has with xhr redirections on FF.

[uBlock-user]

They saw ABP's new directive and reacted, they will come up with something else. Don't expect it to be one and done.

[okiehsch]

I have closed/merged all other issues with sites using SSAI.

These websites are using SSAI
6abc.com 7plus.com.au abc11.com abc7.com brighteon.com citytv.com cwtv.com discovery.com fox.com hgtv.com investigationdiscovery.com nbc.com sciencechannel.com threenow.co.nz tlc.com viceland.com

[jspenguin2017]

I got one more report, it has New Zealand GeoLock and requires account. I got 403 even with a VPN, but from network requests, I can see it requests manifest from Unicorn Media (owned by Brightcove), so I assume it is server side ads insertion as well.

https://www.threenow.co.nz/shows/svu/season-19-ep-20/S1543-013/M22244-050

[jspenguin2017]

More:

https://www.investigationdiscovery.com/tv-shows/fear-thy-neighbor/full-episodes/the-war-next-door
http://watch.hgtv.com/show/hlili/love-it-or-list-it/3309922/a-sentimental-situation/

[ZaphodBeebblebrox]

More:

www.discovery.com 
www.sciencechannel.com

[uBlock-user]

Another one

https://www.tlc.com/tv-shows/90-day-fiance-happily-ever-after/full-episodes/there-is-something-they-dont-know

[Alanimus]

This is a real problem. I spent a couple hours trying out the URL rewrite with adblock plus and while the filter works, I can't block the ads. Could someone explain how this should work? You can bypass the geo block with VPN and the "unlocked" videos have the same problem on investigationdiscovery.com so you don't need a TV account or anything.

[jspenguin2017]

They saw ABP devs playing around with the new filter syntax and updated their system to break the filter.

I know it's becoming a real problem, but I don't think these kind of ads can be blocked with a browser extension, might need a sophisticated native app.

[Alanimus]

Ha, figures. Man that ticks me off. It doesn't matter if you pay for it or
not (I have a cable TV account) you are still inundated with up to 7 ads at
once. All this does is discourage people from watching it through legal
means.

On Tue, Jul 31, 2018 at 6:18 AM Hugo Xu [e-mail] wrote:

They saw ABP devs playing around with the new filter syntax and updated
their system to break the filter.

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You are receiving this because you commented.
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[terrorist96]

https://abc7ny.com/plane-with-blown-tires-attempting-to-land-at-nj-airport/4019303/

[mapx-]

https://github.com/uBlockOrigin/uAssets/issues/2384
https://7plus.com.au/AST?episode-id=AST-245

[uBlock-user]

https://github.com/uBlockOrigin/uAssets/issues/1173 too

[terrorist96]

abc13.com

[terrorist96]

https://abc7chicago.com/woman-who-was-pinned-by-suv-at-indiana-toll-booth-dies-four-days-later/4904557/

[THEtomaso]

Looks like you can add nettavisen.no to this list as well:
https://github.com/DandelionSprout/adfilt/issues/7#issuecomment-449497812

[DandelionSprout]

Note that the inclusion of SSAI on nettavisen.no doesn't occur on all videos on the site, and occurs on virtually none of the non-geoblocked videos. More details at https://github.com/DandelionSprout/adfilt/issues/7#issuecomment-449560661.

[okiehsch]

As mentioned at https://github.com/DandelionSprout/adfilt/issues/7#issuecomment-449569146
nettavisen.no##.vjs-ssai-ad-click-target nettavisen.no##.vjs-hidden:style(display: initial !important;) nettavisen.no##.vjs-hidden:not(.vjs-ssai-skip-ad-btn)
enables the skip ad button which would be atleast a partial fix, so maybe that also works for other sites using SSAI.

[jasonkingsley]

URL(s) where the issue occurs

https://www.investigationdiscovery.com/tv-shows/true-crime-with-aphrodite-jones

Describe the issue

Video ads are no longer blocked on this site. They haven't been for the last 6-7 months.

Screenshot(s)

https://i.imgur.com/XQkLRBV.jpg

Versions

• Browser/version: Chrome - Version 71.0.3578.98
• uBlock Origin version: uBlock Origin v1.17.4

Settings

No changes made to default settings.

Notes

Ublock Inspector screenshot:

Each time video ads start playing it shows 3 of those blocked scorecard URLs in a row. Same for each of the individual video ads once the ads start playing. It also shows the 3 blocked URL ads right before the show resumes playing.

Is there any solution to bypass these ads on investigation discovery?

[ghost]

For discovery.com, I used SVP4 Pro (which fakes 60fps and it's looking really great for 30fps videos) to grab m3u8 and play it directly in MPV player. No ads in it. It can be used as a workaround. maybe it works on all other discovery network sites

If you really need workaround, maybe you can play directly on MPV player official version like `mpv.exe with youtube-dl.exe placed next to it

EDIT: This SVP4 workaround does not work on fox.com sadly, got 403 forbidden. Gonna report issue to youtube-dl

[okiehsch]

https://github.com/uBlockOrigin/uAssets/issues/5803

[llacb47]

Can someone test this filter discovery.com##+js(set-constant.js, vpaidAdUnit.initAd, noopFunc)?

It skips some midroll ads (not all of them are injection).

Test URL: https://go.discovery.com/tv-shows/shark-week/full-episodes/air-jaws-strikes-back (US geolock?) Then in the video navigation bar, click after a dot that signifies an ad break. Some of the ads should be skipped.

[terrorist96]

discovery.com##+js(set-constant.js, vpaidAdUnit.initAd, noopFunc)

I still see ads. 6 ads after every dot in the seek bar.

[llacb47]

I will try to take a video recording of this filter in https://github.com/uBlockOrigin/uAssets/issues/1905#issuecomment-517960703 in action to show that it works.

[llacb47]

Edit: https://github.com/uBlockOrigin/uAssets/pull/6368

[terrorist96]

https://abc11.com/politics/another-nc-county-passes-2nd-amendment-sanctuary-measure/5869857/

[PIZZA90]

https://www.kissfm.es/player/
https://play.los40.com/

audio SSAI ads??

[llacb47]

Yes, most radio streams have instream commercials. Since it is a live stream, they can't be skipped

[THEtomaso]

Possible fix for Sky.com:

@@||ping.chartbeat.net^$domain=sky.com
@@||static.chartbeat.com/js/chartbeat.js$domain=sky.com

At least, with these whitelistings in place, the videos will play, after refreshing the page a couple of times.
Considering the large amount of problem filters (se below), uBlock filters - Unbreak seems like a natural place for a potential fix, unless a more clever solution can be conjured up for uBlock filters.

Example:

https://news.sky.com/video/huge-shark-swims-near-family-boat-in-nova-scotia-12037282/

Problem filters:

• AdGuard Tracking Protection filter (@BlazDT):
  ||chartbeat.com^$third-party

• Dan Pollock's hosts file:

chartbeat.com
ping.chartbeat.net
static.chartbeat.com

• EasyPrivacy (@Khrin):

/chartbeat.js
||chartbeat.com^$third-party

• hpHosts - Ad and Tracking servers only [DISCONTINUED]:

ping.chartbeat.net
static.chartbeat.com

• Lunar Blocklist by Moonchild (@wolfbeast):
  ||chartbeat.

• Malvertising list by Disconnect:
  chartbeat.com

• MVPS HOSTS:
  ping.chartbeat.net

• Peter Lowe's Ad and tracking server list (@pgl):
  chartbeat.com

• Schacks Adblock Plus liste [DISCONTINUED]:

||ping.chartbeat.net
||static.chartbeat.com

--

System info:

• OS/version: Windows 8.1 Pro (x64)
• Browser/version: Pale Moon v28.11.0 (x64)
• Adblock Extension/version: uBlock Origin v1.16.4.24 (XUL)

[BlazDT]

Sometimes the video works for me, sometimes not (even when filters are not enabled). Please check @AdamWr

[AdamWr]

Regarding - https://github.com/uBlockOrigin/uAssets/issues/1905#issuecomment-664468079
At the first visit this video doesn't work even without any ad blocker on my side, but after refreshing website, it works even if chartbeat.com is blocked.

[THEtomaso]

If you've allowed the connections once, then the videos will play afterwards, event if chartbeat.com is blocked.
But if you start fresh, with an empty cache, the videos won't play if chartbeat.com is blocked, no matter how many times you refresh the page!
At least, this is what happens at my end.

[AdamWr]

I checked it two times in incognito/private tab.
First time with ad blocker enabled and at the first visit video didn't work, but after refreshing website it worked fine and chartbeat.com was blocked.
Second time I checked it without any ad blocker with the same result, but of course chartbeat.com wasn't blocked.

[THEtomaso]

I managed to get it to play that way too now, after many page refreshes.
I hate it, when this type of inconsistent behaviour manifests itself, because it makes things very difficult to troubleshoot!
Nevertheless, since we actually ARE able to play the videos without any ads (at least in this case)..
then perhaps the issue can be remedied, through the use of some type of clever ##+js fix (despite that sky.com has been reported to be a SSAI-case)?

[Lv44EnderShaman]

I'm a bit confused by this. To sum it up, is SSAI basically unblockable by our currently filtering tools? I don't understand the context, here.

[uBlock-user]

abc7ny -- https://abc7ny.com/stabbing-outside-hotel-robbery-four-points-nyc-crime/6421164/ reported at https://www.reddit.com/r/uBlockOrigin/comments/iswbej/how_to_remove_video_ads_on/

[gorhill]

Using queryprune, I was able to skip ads at:

https://6abc.com/shots-fired-at-police-in-gloucester-twp-standoff-schools-closed/2927128/

Using:

||content.uplynk.com/api/*&ad=$xhr,queryprune=|ad=,domain=6abc.com

So we will have to go through those cases above and see which ones are now fixable.

It's ok to start to add queryprune to filter lists, the filters will just be discarded as invalid on older versions of uBO.