Uassets: Anti-adblock stickies on the bottom of many websites

[DandelionSprout]

URL(s) where the issue occurs

https://madensverden.dk/frikadeller/
https://bornholm.nu/
https://newsbreak.dk/drenge-faengslet-for-overfald-med-pistol-og-kniv/
https://gaffa.dk/
https://stiften.dk/
https://www.bilgalleri.dk/
https://www.recordere.dk/
https://kendte.dk/opdatering-v1-taarevaedet-kanye-west-begynder-valgkamp-med-kaotisk-moede/
https://www.gizmodo.jp/2020/07/216985.html

Describe the issue

An English-language anti-adblock message sticky with Google-hosted image files, are shown on the bottom a lot of websites. It seems to be ||fundingchoicesmessages.google.com^$3p in the main uBlock Filters list that is causing this, but I've had oddly much problems with verifying that it is the case.

Screenshot(s)

Versions

• Browser/version: Chrome 84.0.4147.89 x64 for Windows
• uBlock Origin version: Nano Adblocker 1.0.0.152 + Nano Defender 15.0.0.201

Settings

Notes

Thankfully enough, the message overlays uses very similar [style] values, meaning that a generic non-advanced hiding rule to simply remove the banners should be pretty possible on paper. From the bornholm.nu example page:

I know that the width: percentage changes from site to site, varying from 101% to 107%. The rest of the values don't seem to change very often that I'm personally aware of.

I've added a makeshift specific entry in my Nordic list for the Danish example sites, so you may or may not want to turn the Nordic list off on your PCs while testing this, for simplicity's sake.

[okiehsch]

It seems to be ||fundingchoicesmessages.google.com^$3p in the main uBlock Filters list that is causing this

That is a known issue.
See https://github.com/uBlockOrigin/uAssets/commit/08958cacab69ae2682248dee8c6df063b6a707a7#commitcomment-36959525 for a deep dive. 😉

[okiehsch]

For the sites of your regional list you can try
example.com##+js(nostif, f.parentNode.removeChild(f), 100)
to fix the issue.

[llacb47]

I can't reproduce this on any of these sites using a US IP.

[okiehsch]

I only tried gizmodo.jp and I can't reproduce with a EU IP but his screenshot of the site shows the typical google contributor message.

[DandelionSprout]

I've used newsbreak.dk,kendte.dk,madensverden.dk,gaffa.dk,stiften.dk,bilgalleri.dk,recordere.dk,bornholm.nu##div[style*=" fixed; width: 10"] thus far, which worked far better than it had any right to do.

The AdGuard team does however believe I should bring it up with you guys as per https://github.com/AdguardTeam/AdguardFilters/issues/59738#issuecomment-661818488, so that's what I've done now.

[llacb47]

Why would the sites geo-target anti-adblock though? Seems weird

[okiehsch]

@DandelionSprout
Can you test if gizmodo.jp##+js(nostif, f.parentNode.removeChild(f), 100)
works for you, I can't reproduce the issue.

[okiehsch]

@llacb47 I don't get any google contributor requests, so it seems those sites don't use it at all in some regions.

[DandelionSprout]

The suggested entry doesn't seem to work as far as I can tell.

I didn't expect this issue report to be replied to as quickly as this, so give me some minutes to come up with something clever without the report being closed or anything like that.

[okiehsch]

Don't worry I won't close it.
The usual fix for google contributor is
##+js(nostif, f.parentNode.removeChild(f), 100)
or
example.com^$ghide

[okiehsch]

Weird, I can't reproduce with a norwegian IP.
@DandelionSprout have you relocated. 😁

[okiehsch]

@Yuki2718 can you reproduce the anti adblock message at https://www.gizmodo.jp/2020/07/216985.html?

[DandelionSprout]

This is generally a pretty weird situation. Because on Chrome, I can't seem to prevent the message from showing up even when fundingchoicesmessages.google.com is whitelisted.

There's definitely some witchcraft that Google is doing here.

In the event that more people are able to reproduce the issue on whatever site (Doesn't necessarily have to be the example sites I used for this), I propose adding ##div[style^="bottom: 0px; left: 0px; position: fixed; width: 10"][style$=" display: flex; justify-content: center; font-family: Roboto, Arial;"] as a generic entry.

[llacb47]

Don't worry I won't close it.
The usual fix for google contributor is
##+js(nostif, f.parentNode.removeChild(f), 100)
or
example.com^$ghide

Sometimes there is a different letter than f. It is usually in an inline script. @DandelionSprout can you copy and paste the source code of one of the pages where you see this message and share it here in a gist or pastebin? I'm too lazy to look for a proxy/VPN lol =)

[DandelionSprout]

I have a new theory, but I'll have a very hard time confirming that one as well:

It turns out that I Don't Care About Cookies is also blocking fundingchoicesmessages.google.com, as well as fundingchoices.google.com.

I'm still trying to figure out why my Vivaldi alternate setup isn't trying to load either of those two domains at all. I'm indeed beginning to suspect that cookies could be a big factor.

(To llacb47) The div elements aren't showing up at all in the resulting text when I use "Show page source", sadly.

[llacb47]

I'm not talking about the div elements,... I would like to see the googlefc inline script that is causing it. Just to confirm that it is the same thing we are all familiar with.

[okiehsch]

@DandelionSprout to illustrate go to view-source:https://www.spiele-umsonst.de/ and search for googlefc

[DandelionSprout]

I can confirm that there is no such script on my end. https://pastebin.com/xyL6S1Rr

And in the DOM tree I could only find iframes that had name=googlefcPresent.

[DandelionSprout]

I have finally found a solution!! Which is also pretty bizarre, and probably paints me in a bad light for not being keen on using privacy lists...

It turns out that blocking /gtm.js^, which is done by uBlock Filters - Privacy, prevents the sites from trying to load fundingchoicesmessages.google.com at all.

[okiehsch]

Yes, after allowing gtm.js at gizmodo.jp I can reproduce.
I still can't reproduce at https://www.bilgalleri.dk but if it works for you with a default setup the issue can be closed I suppose.

[okiehsch]

For anybody who is curious or who has uBO-privacy disabled
gizmodo.jp##+js(nostif, g.parentNode.removeChild(g), 100)
fixes the issue. 😉

[DandelionSprout]

I've now replaced the makeshift entry in my own list, at least. Hopefully this means it shouldn't become a problem on Danish sites anymore.

I do however think there's legitimate grounds to simply move ||googletagmanager.com/gtm.js^ from uAssets Privacy to the uAssets main list, now that the entry is established to have successful anti-anti-adblocking abilities.

[okiehsch]

simply move ||googletagmanager.com/gtm.js^ from uAssets Privacy to the uAssets main list, now that the entry is established to have successful anti-anti-adblocking abilities.

"Google Tag Manager is a free tool that allows you manage and deploy marketing tags (snippets of code or tracking pixels) on your website (or mobile app) without having to modify the code."

It is a privacy issue, the anti adblock message is caused by the fundingchoice message script being blocked.

[mapx-]

well, we can close it, right ? maybe @DandelionSprout you could test using the default setup in the future

[DandelionSprout]

How was I possibly supposed to know that one entry in a privacy list would also fix anti-adblock problems? Removing those anti-adblock messages shouldn't have to depend on using lists that are solely dedicated to blocking trackers.

[okiehsch]

Nobody says that you should have known that the issue is also fixed by blocking a tagmanager.
We always test with a default setup, so if there are problems to reproduce it is kind of important to know if we are all on the same page so to speak.
You have provided a screenshot of your settings, but your setup is rather convoluted, no offence.
It is easier for you to test with a default setup than for us to recreate that setup imo.

[DandelionSprout]

Typically my main Chrome setup is very convoluted and has around 35 lists (75 if the subfiles loaded by my own private list is counted), whereas my test Vivaldi setup is usually using the default setup. Therefore I've usually assumed in cases like this that it's browser- or cookie-specific instead of "Default lists or not"-specific. 😅