InformAction Forums

Sometimes, even if I allow every single script on a page, NoScript will often block ads from that website. Ad revenue is an important way to help content creators develop money, and, morally, I don't feel right blocking ads for content I regularly consume and enjoy. As an example, NoScript disables ads from this page, even if I allow everything on it. I noticed it also occasionally blocks vBulletin elements, like formatting buttons and hotkeys.

What I suspect is actually happening is that NoScript is denying a certain type of permission across all sites, and both these elements use those permissions. Is there a setting I can disable in NoScript to allow it to run?

NoScript has a LOT of additional security features other than script blocking; as such there is no "catch-all" solution to a problem this generic.

You can check the Browser Console (Ctrl-Shift-J) for messages related to NoScript, if it's NS blocking the ads and all scripts are allowed, there is likely a message there explaining what NoScript did.

In a case like this, if you are at all unsure what to do please post the message(s) here (usually related messages start with "[NoScript" or "[ABE]") and we'll tell you A) whether it's safe to make an exception or otherwise allow this, and B) if so, how to do that.

Ants wrote:Ad revenue is an important way to help content creators develop money, and, morally, I don't feel right blocking ads for content I regularly consume and enjoy.

I agree with this point of view except that sometimes the ads themselves are unethical or use unethical means, I don't feel that I'm doing anything morally wrong to block those kinds of advertisement. You should think about that too, how far are you willing to go to support these webmasters? How much of your computer's security are you willing to open yourself up to sacrificing, for this? NoScript is probably blocking these ads for a good reason, you need to decide how much you trust the advertisers and ad-servers to serve you only "safe" content, even in an attack scenario.

Ants, if you're concerned about a developers revenue all you have to do is donate when ever you feel this way. Developers almost always except donations and if you think about it if you're "consuming and enjoying" their "content" then based on the way you feel about this you've most likely already paid in some manner for what they provide to you by now anyway. Consider the fact that for someone already aware of the services provided it won't be the ad that provides the revenue but is instead the forking over the money so it makes no difference in regards to whether ads are being blocked on your personal computer in this case anyway since blocking the ads does not stop you from providing revenue to a website if you choose to do so. For example, just go to the "Store" tab on the website you've linked here and buy what they have to offer to your hearts content, I'm finding that NoScript does not block this function on the website you mentioned in your post.

Oh and btw speaking of this website, I checked out the Mystery Box link you provided and compared my browser that has NoScript that is actually blocking this specific website as compared to another browser that does not even have Noscript installed and I even disable AddBlockPus on the browser without NoScript and I saw no difference between the web page for this site on either browser so I'm not able to see where NoScript is blocking anything "visually" even when NoScript is set to not allow the actual website itself (of course to actually buy something you'll need to allow the site but that's far different than your allegation that "NoScript will often block ads from that website").