Uassets: Ads on economictimes.indiatimes.com

[in4u]

URL(s) where the issue occurs

1. https://economictimes.indiatimes.com

2. https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/international/business/eu-plan-to-tax-facebook-amazon-heads-for-showdown-in-brussels/articleshow/66520374.cms

3. https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tech/software/how-microsoft-is-leading-quantum-computer-race-to-unlock-mysteries-around-us/articleshow/66486082.cms

4. https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/magazines/panache/a-look-into-kings-glory-5-iconic-crowns-on-public-display/the-crowning-glory/slideshow/66519416.cms

Describe the issue

Ads served served by ColombiaOnline content monetization network are getting through.

Link 1: Scroll down a bit to find From Around the Web section which is tagged as "Sponsored by COLOMBIA" and has a bunch of ad links.

Link 2: The above mentioned section appears at the end of article.

Link 3: At the end of article there is Recommended For You section which is tagged as "Sponsored by COLOMBIA". However, not all links in here seem to be ads. Ad links have an identifier in the format Ad: [Advertiser's name]. Rest are links to other articles on the site.

Link 4: Somewhere in the middle (I got it below 3rd image and also at the end), an ad link appears having the same identifier as above Ad: [Advertiser's name]. A small ColombiaOnline icon is also visible within the bottom right of an ad. The page has endless scroll with next stories and ads are visible in all such stories. Current pattern indicates an ad being served after every 3 images.

Versions

• Browser/version: Firefox 63.0.1
• uBlock Origin version: 1.17.2

Settings

Default

[mapx-]

test these filters

economictimes.indiatimes.com###aroundweb
economictimes.indiatimes.com##:xpath(//span[contains(text(),"More from ")]/../preceding-sibling::div)
economictimes.indiatimes.com##:xpath(//span[contains(text(),"Around The")])
economictimes.indiatimes.com##div h2:has(span:matches-css-before(content:/Sponsored/))
economictimes.indiatimes.com##:xpath(//p[contains(text(),"Ad:")]/../..)
||economictimes.indiatimes.com/*/columbia_logo.png$image

[in4u]

@mapx- Works for me!

[in4u]

The article pages (e.g. links 2 and 3 in original post) are broken on mobile. Only partial content is visible and READ MORE button does not reveal rest of the content. Disabling uBO/Easylist resolves the problem and button works as expected.

Example URL: https://m.economictimes.com/magazines/panache/tricked-by-tech-hackers-force-a-tesla-model-s-to-enter-the-wrong-lane/articleshow/68775757.cms

[mapx-]

Test this filter
@@||jsm.etimg.com/js_etsub/*.cms$script,domain=m.economictimes.com

[in4u]

It works. But an app banner now appears on top of the page which turns into a bigger sticky banner on scrolling down.

[mapx-]

upload an image with that banner on page

[in4u]

Refer to the screenshot below for top banner in LHS and bigger sticky banner on scroll in RHS:

[mapx-]

see if helps

m.economictimes.com##.open-in-app
m.economictimes.com##[href*="/ad"]
m.economictimes.com##.budgetButton

[in4u]

They do remove certain elements but not the ones I was talking about. The element zapper suggested a few options which nail the rogue elements. Any one of the following 2 combinations removes both the banners:

1. m.economictimes.com###appBanner,#stickyBanner

2. ||img.etimg.com/photo/67587082.cms and ||img.etimg.com/photo/67885009.cms

You are the best judge as to which of these are more appropriate as filters.

[mapx-]

Unfortunately I can not reproduce on desktop + responsive mode / or various user agent, so I'll add the exception filter and your first filter

[in4u]

Okay, thanks! But it's strange, I can reproduce on desktop without even entering responsive mode just by setting UASwitcher to Android Phone / Firefox 66 in private browsing mode.

[mapx-]

yep, you're right. I tried other 2 user agent switchers, only this 1 is working.

[in4u]

The site has implemented anti-adblocking now. There's an adbock detection message on every article page, except the homepage. The pages are accessible by activating Firefox's reader mode or disabling javascript though.

[mapx-]

I cannot reproduce the issue.
desktop ? android ? specific page ? maybe only for specific country ?

[in4u]

Hmmm... strange. Maybe it was fixed in Easylist or some other list. Or maybe the site is testing out a subscription promo. Even I cannot reproduce now but earlier there was anti-adblocking which led to this page.

Please ignore for now. I'll report back if it happens again.

[llacb47]

I can reproduce anti-adblock on https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/international/business/eu-plan-to-tax-facebook-amazon-heads-for-showdown-in-brussels/articleshow/66520374.cms.

It's done with this code

from the script https://js.etimg.com/js_common/v-906,minify-1.cms

Add

indiatimes.com##+js(std, objSubPromo)

Question: is this on other subdomains of indiatimes.com?

[okiehsch]

Weird, I can't reproduce even with a US IP, that script https://js.etimg.com/js_common/v-906,minify-1.cms does not get called on my end.

[okiehsch]

indiatimes.com##+js(std, objSubPromo)
seems to be unlikely to break anything. I will add it.

[in4u]

There's this ###pollBudgetWidget on top of the homepage which seems to be an interactive brand promotional ad for Uber under the guise of polling widget.