AdSense weirdness on XF 2.x sites - and only on XF sites

[djbaxter]

On several XF 2 forums using AdSense - and ONLY on XF forums using AdSense - I am seeing the following for the past several weeks now.

1. click on a navigation link
2. a square ad pops up in the middle of the page preventing the user from getting to the target page until that ad is dismissed via the corner X

Additional information:

• On other XF forums that are not using AdSense, this doesn't occur.
• For example, not an issue if only running locally sold ads.
• I haven't been able to find any information via Google search about the issue.
• On the XF forums where this is happening, server malware scans come back clean and File Health comes up clean.
• Malware and adware scans on my own computer are clean; also members have reported this so it's not just me.

Is anyone else seeing this? I don't understand why it's only XF forums and how the navigation links are being hijacked by AdSense.

 

[AndyB]

I have seen this on several forums. It's due to the forum using AdSense auto ads.

 

[briansol]

yeah, adsense just turned on Vignette ads for desktop a week or two ago

 

[Chromaniac]

one can opt out for just desktops as well.

 

[djbaxter]

Auto AdSense may well be the problem (I absolutely abhor Auto AdSense - it makes web pages look like a cheap affiliate landing page or take my course and make $5000 a month) but it still doesnt fully answer my question:

I have seen this as I said on several Xenforo forums.

I have not seen it anywhere else. Not on forums using other software. Not on WordPress sites. Just on Xenforo sites.

Is this just sampling error? Has anyone else seen this happening anywhere except with Xenforo?

If not, this still leaves the question of what triggers this behavior with Xenforo navigation links.

 

[Bonsai Coder]

This is strange. Some users are seeing vignette ads on my site... but I cannot get them to load/show on any of my devices.

Google "auto" ads are turned off on my site. I have only a limited number of ads and a restricted number of ad placements.

Any thoughts?

 

[djbaxter]

Unless something has changed at Google (again), this ("vignette ads", "interstitial ads") is absolutely and definitely related to Google AutoAds.

I saw this on several forums and only where AutoAds were enabled, either on the AdSense dashboard or via some leftover code for AutoAds in the head section or in the actual script posted in the ad locations. Double check all of these locations and look for template modifications, possibly from an addon.

In all cases where this was happening, getting rid of all AutoAds code AND disabling it in the AdSense dashboard (BOTH must be done) got ris of these annoying ads.

 

[Bonsai Coder]

Unless something has changed at Google (again), this ("vignette ads", "interstitial ads") is absolutely and definitely related to Google AutoAds.

I saw this on several forums and only where AutoAds were enabled, either on the AdSense dashboard or via some leftover code for AutoAds in the head section or in the actual script posted in the ad locations. Double check all of these locations and look for template modifications, possibly from an addon.

In all cases where this was happening, getting rid of all AutoAds code AND disabling it in the AdSense dashboard (BOTH must be done) got ris of these annoying ads.

I found the problem and resolved it.

Without my knowledge, Google was running an ad experiment on the site, showing vignette ads to 50% of my members, even though Auto Ads were turned off in my settings. I had "Auto Optimize" turned on for my responsive display ads, and I guess when Google introduced vignette ads last year they applied the optimize settings to vignette ads as well - and will run experiments with them even if you have Auto Ads turned off(!)

Hope this solution helps others.