Pop ups "force open" App Store

A few websites used to do this here and there, but it seems to be getting more and more common, it's extremely irritating.

I've now started downloading the offending apps just to give one star reviews explaining that I don't like their advertising.

This is how I got by this. I didn't see any replies like this, so I will share.

Go to Settings -> General -> Restrictions -> (Enter PIN if you set one)

Look for these 3 options and tap each to the OFF position.

1. Installing Apps

2. Deleting Apps

3. In-App Purchases

By setting these options, it will block the code that forces the App Store to open. In fact, when you set these 3 options to OFF, the App store icon disappears from the Home screen. The code can't open a program that doesn't "exist".

You can always flip these back on for when you want to buy apps and such. Your other apps will still work, but if they contain in-app purchases, the links won't work while the option is set to OFF. Also, this is security if you have little ones that might buy that extra life from Candy Crush and such.

Hope this helps!

I just called Apple, they blame the app developers. They said they have no control over it. I asked if they have control over their operating system. I got a run around. They said if you're watching YouTube, sometimes you have to watch advertisements. I said if you're watching YouTube and it open Microsoft Word, you would think it was a virus. The woman checked with the senior Apple advisor and said there's nothing they can do about it.

I already have my browsers configured correctly, it makes no difference.

Ive tried a large number of browsers and settled on chrome as its better than the competition.

That said the main issue is from the facebook app, and there isnt a viable alternative.

Patching the app store's response to non user initiated links would be a viable fix.

"Changing my behaviour" not a suitable alternative as i want to enjoy the sites i want to enjoy safely.

Even windows has safeguards to prevent websites automatically opening programmes other than the browser. Poor show in ios 7 allowing this.

However, if sites are hijacking your browser to send you ads....stop going to the sites.

The real answer is for Apple to fix this behavior by disallowing it without explicit permission, not blame it on the user. I was reading a technology article on the San Jose Mercury's site- which is about as reputable as a new site can even be. Without even touching the screen, and halfway through the screen I was reading, the browser closed itself** and opened the app store to sume stupid game. And when I saw the closed itself**, I mean the article I was reading was simply gone along with that Safari tab. There is no rhyme or reason as to who may have a site that runs these ads that are doing this. I really don't read much on mobile Safari apart from news articles that I pick out of the Google news aggregator, and if you tell a user 'stop going to the sites', it really doesn't mean much to me other than 'stop using your browser'.

We all need to send feedback to Apple on this. The more ******** they hear form us the more they will pay attention.

http://www.apple.com/feedback/safari.html

Here is what I wrote, please copy if you'd like:

"Safari on iOS has a problem when it goes to sites with iTunes/App Store popups. The popups interrupt the use of the browser, throwing the user out into the store to download some crap app we didn't want in the first place.

The website becomes un-browsable, because all it keeps doing is redirecting over and over, which switches the app you are currently using. We are being forced to use 3rd party browsers to stop this from happening.

Please, add in the ability to block iTunes/App Store redirect popups in Mobile Safari."

SUBMIT FEEDBACK EVERYONE!

They might be trying to fix it. I was still popped to the App Store, but sometimes when I return to Safari I see this screen:

It should ask BEFORE it opens the App Store, though.

On the bad side, this is getting ridiculously common. Almost every ad-supported page does it now.

This is more of an issue with bad advertising services trying to force there ads on viewers. I believe most of the time this issue is not the intended behavior of the owner or developer of the web site. It is usually caused by the advertising service they are using to help pay for their web site and may not be aware this is happening since it is related to only a few ads pushed to their website from the advertising service. If the owner of the website is not aware of this behavior and wants to provide a good service they will address this issue if you bring it to their attention. If they do not they will quickly lose me as a user of their web site. Most will want to provide a good service and will go to the advertising agency to get this behavior changed and taken off there site.

I would also hope Apple will see this issue and make some changes to prevent it from happening.

Send AppleFeedback a note.

[URL="http://www.apple.com/feedback/"]Send Apple Feedback.[/URL]

To be honest, I'm not having that problem.

However, your verbiage suggests you may be using a browser like Safari or Chrome to view iTunes content. If that's the issue - and I believe it is - then the easist way of addressing this is by previewing Apps only by using the App Store. It's possible to view Apps through the browser....but it's a lot easier simply to tap the App Store icon - and that brings you all the apps, 100% searchable by several criteria.

You're totally missing the point with that reponse.

Its got nothing to do with app shopping or itunes browsing.

Some websites have popup code in them containing itunes or app store links. The ipada response to these links is to dump the browser and then open the app store at the advertised app.

Its a total pain in the backside, apple need to submit a fix for ios 7 to block this kind of behaviour.

Its just like being on the internet on a lat 90s windows pc before the windows xp service pack 2 security patches.

Typical sites exhibiting this behaviour are www.geeksaresexy.com and www.buzzfeed.com, amongst many others.

Under settings and safari you can block pop ups. However, if sites are hijacking your browser to send you ads....stop going to the sites.

Or shop the app store and find a browser that has better blocking.

You can complain to apple (there's a 'contact us' link on the bottom of this page), but you'll get faster results either altering your behavior or finding a different browser or communicating to the site about their aggressive advertising. It's entirely possible that those sites don't even realize that their ads are doing that.

Hello. It's not just you - I just saw this yesterday, although mine was a bit different. My browser didn't grey out and no buttons appeared, my iPhone just switched to the App Store and opened the page of one of those games that ask you to pay. The problem is infuriating, possibly a security breach, but doesn't seem very common. The best discussion I've seen on this is at http://productforums.google.com/d/topic/chrome/EDJTbPaW5dg/discussion, where it happens on both iOS and Android.

On Android, it doesn't seem associated with any specific page and seems to happen after an amount of time, suggesting the problem lies within the system. On iOS, it seems to be caused by malignant ads on specific pages. The theory I believe for now is the ad uses JavaScript to open a popup window that links to the App Store - just the same as you clicking on an App Store link on a page yourself, except this doesn't require you to click it.

This is my opinion also (I'm getting sooooOOOOOOO MAD with these in-app pop-ups), some of the devs are probably unaware their advertisers are using these means, HOWEVER, I'm sure an equal or greater number are completely aware and likely encourage it.

For example; the prime violater in my experience is topoffer.mobi with Candy Crush Saga, a game I assume is designed by the same people who design poker-machines to suck people into throwing away their money for bright lights and pretty noises. I don't think they'd hesitate for one second to utilise an unavoidable click-through.

At the end of the day, the devs can cry ignorance all they want. If Apple gets off their fat lazy ***** and enforces fines for TOS violations or pulls the offending devs app until they stop, then *******, you see how fast the devs will pull their shonky ads.

Worth noting that in Australia, where I reside, under the commercial trade practises act it is NOT LEGAL for these pop-up ads to operate the way they do, and Apple can be held responsible for unwanted/unavoidable advertising material as ultimately, it's their device, their appstore. It's only a matter of time before the ACCC here fines Apple for operating outside of a reasonable expectation of service, as I'm sure there are cases already underway. If you don't think this is likely, maybe look into how Apple and Coke to name but a few, have all been fined in Australia for false advertising claims they were able to get away with in UK, US and Canada under the 'No Reasonable Person' gambit. We don't take that kind of crap here.

I have same problem.. I'm open setting and go to privacy -> advertising. then I turn on 'limit ad tracking' and 'reset advertising identifier'. I'm also go to setting ->safari -> advanced to turn of javascript. it works for me, the ad never force to open appstore.. sorry for my english. :)

I am having this issue also, it started off rarely happening around September but now it happens on most websites.

I've been on n4g.com, tickld, oddee, pcmag and then also just random sites I have visited. It's extremely intrusive and although I know it is not spyware, it feels very much like spyware that infects your computer and force opens pop ups. This is an issue apple needs to fox, boycotting some of my favourite websites is not an option or an alternative.