Adf.ly links to the forum links for 4shared.

by Morganite May 8th 2016, 11:06 am

Technical Details

Forum version : #phpBB3
Position : Administrator
Concerned browser(s) : Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, Opera, Safari, Other
Screenshot of problem : https://servimg.com/view/13898798/1064 https://servimg.com/view/13898798/1065
Who the problem concerns : All members
When the problem appeared : Quite sometime ago, all links for the artwork zips in general permissions go to adf.ly first, some are not affected while most are, i do not want our members having to clikc to find they go to an adf.ly website which could give virus or malware. it needs to be sorted out quickly.. thank you
Forum link : http://www.threegemspsp.com/f4-general-permissions-area

Description of problem

HI the problem we have experienced is when you click to go get our artists artwork zip at 4shared we stumble across adf.ly which is a KNOWN website for virus's, malware and spam which could affect our members computers and also affect our artists artwork..
We have tried numerous things including deleting the tube links, adding a new link after uploading again to 4shared and also changing the wording in the direct link part, all have resulted in going to Adf.fl, you then have to wait for the timer to count down and can then click skip which will take you to the correct destination at 4shared.. as you will see in the screen shots its not ideal for protection of our members as well as the artists artwork..
If you could help with guidance to sorting this out it would be much appreciated thank you
Morganite (Teresa)

by **SLGray** May 8th 2016, 9:38 pm

They can not be removed. adfly usually occurs on the most popular host site links. Also companies use them to earn revenue.

by Ange Tuteur May 8th 2016, 9:59 pm

Correct, Forumotion adds adfly to links of common hosting sites such as mediafire or 4shared in your case, in an attempt to make some extra revenue. Paying to remove the ads should stop this from happening. You can also get around it by posting your download links in the code bbcode, like this :

Code:: http://www.mediafire.com/download/i92svcv0j28iaac/brs.psd

Then you can just copy and paste the link in your address bar.

As you will see, this will not occur on the support forum because it has no adverts enabled. Wink

http://www.mediafire.com/download/i92svcv0j28iaac/brs.psd

by Morganite May 8th 2016, 10:31 pm

Hi i will check with the other admin for the forum but we pay a fee each year to remove the ads in our group. It is not every link to 4shared but quite alot of them, the only way so far that i have found to stop this is to highlight the link copy and then paste it straight into the browser, this then goes straight to 4shared..

As it is not happening with every link to 4shared and places such as youtube, or photobucket which are both quite popular websites or even facebook links, i am assuming the forum has a problem with 4shared..

We are a corel paint shop pro creative art group that uses artwork from various artists worldwide and we strive to protect our artists artwork who have kindly given permission to use them in signature tags, comment tags, timeline covers for facebook and so on..

Thanks for the help maybe someone can help abit further with this,
Regards
Morganite (tilly)

by **SLGray** May 8th 2016, 10:57 pm

Using credits to remove ads will not remove the adfly from the links.

by Morganite May 8th 2016, 11:10 pm

Thank you SL.Gray for the info, could you please tell me how long this has been happening?

We have had the forum since May 2009, and this year 2016 is the first year we have had problems with some links going to adf.ly as mentioned not all only some..
Thanks

by **SLGray** May 8th 2016, 11:16 pm

It has been around for many years.

by **Ape** May 8th 2016, 11:37 pm

The ad fly system has been around for about 9 years but your host that hosts your links or what ever may have only just added it to help pay for there service

by Ange Tuteur May 9th 2016, 2:33 am

SLGray wrote:Using credits to remove ads will not remove the adfly from the links.

It should, because on my forum posting links to mediafire injects adfly into them, and on forums with ads disabled -- like the support forum -- I can post those links without adfly being added. The only way adfly would not be removed is if the user posted the adfly link themself.

Morganite wrote:Hi i will check with the other admin for the forum but we pay a fee each year to remove the ads in our group. It is not every link to 4shared but quite alot of them, the only way so far that i have found to stop this is to highlight the link copy and then paste it straight into the browser, this then goes straight to 4shared..

Did the admin disable ads for members only ? Because I do see them, as a guest anyway.

I know that your member(s) didn't add adfly to the links, because going by your screenshot : https://servimg.com/view/13898798/1065
It looks to me like Forumotion's doing as I have the same adfly link before my links. e.g. http://adf.ly/246619/ which can be seen via the "Download" link here. And no, I didn't add adfly to the link. Razz

by Morganite May 9th 2016, 8:18 am

SL Gray - they may have been around for years but the adf.ly linking has only occurred for the past 3 or 4 mths, i noticed it myself as admin a few mths ago when a member wanted some artists zips and she couldn't understand how to get them as it was going to a website she didn't recognise..

APE - it is possible then that 4shared has decided to ad the adf.ly on some of the links because i checked many yesterday including the one in the screenshot and its mostly the artists we have general permission to use..
I will however go through each one and check later today to see how many of the 300 or more links are affected..

Ange tuteur - Ads can be seen by guests visiting the forum but they can only see certain topics until they register, they would not have access to the links for the tubes, its set for certain members and admin to view them, i will check with the other admin just in case our yearly subscription is up..

I understand places need to earn revenue to continue to allow their free service but seriously choosing adf.ly is not good for any forum as it is a malware/virus/spam website, in our group we pay yearly for our domain name via forumotion, so we do pay a service and also for ad removal. I will let our members know the work around and hope they have no problems..

Thank you for helping much appreciated..
Morganite

by Ange Tuteur May 9th 2016, 5:52 pm

Morganite wrote:Ange tuteur - Ads can be seen by guests visiting the forum but they can only see certain topics until they register, they would not have access to the links for the tubes, its set for certain members and admin to view them, i will check with the other admin just in case our yearly subscription is up..

Aye I see, it would probably be good to check with your founder to see if you need to remove the ads again.

Morganite wrote:APE - it is possible then that 4shared has decided to ad the adf.ly on some of the links because i checked many yesterday including the one in the screenshot and its mostly the artists we have general permission to use..

That wouldn't be possible unless 4shared ( or any other hosting site ) included an adfly link in the direct link you copied. If you posted the direct download link on your forum and adfly gets added to it, it's no doubt being added during parsing of your message.

Could you possibly provide us with an example link that's affected by adfly, just to see if it occurs on the support forum as well ? It'd no doubt help clarify if the problem is from 4shared or Forumotion.

by Morganite May 9th 2016, 7:53 pm

Ange Tuteur - thank you again for the info.. here are a couple of links that are affected , as these artists allow general use i don't need to have this hidden on the forum the links hold tubed artwork and unless you are a tagger(signature comment tags etc) then they would be no use to anyone anyway..

Both of these links when clicking the text ''Tubes Here'' go to adf.ly first..

http://www.threegemspsp.com/t63-popeye-wong

http://www.threegemspsp.com/t201-hitana

Hopefully you will be able to access these links ok even without being a member.
Let me know how you get on.
Thanks
Morganite

by **SLGray** May 9th 2016, 7:59 pm

Can guests see the links? I get a log in page.

by **Ape** May 9th 2016, 8:00 pm

I Think the links he wants is the ones that are linked to the site not the link to your forum where they are posted.

sort of like this

Code:: [url=http://help.forumotion.com/t147058-adf-ly-links-to-the-forum-links-for-4shared][img]http://i86.servimg.com/u/f86/12/23/10/57/dialog10.png[/img][/url]

by Morganite May 9th 2016, 8:03 pm

ps..I logged out and tried the links but they went to login page.. I have now adjusted permissions to allow all users including guests to access the area while i gain help i will set it back to members only as soon as this topic is closed and solved to all our satisfaction..
Thanks for helping

by **SLGray** May 9th 2016, 8:06 pm

I am still getting a log in page for the topics.

Just post the download link here.

by Morganite May 9th 2016, 8:07 pm

APE.. i didn't know which one was needed so thought if you actually came to the group and clicked what we have our members click so you can see where it leads, you may get a better idea of the problem we face..

Hope this would help

by **SLGray** May 9th 2016, 8:09 pm

SLGray wrote:I am still getting a log in page for the topics.

Just post the download link here.

by **Ape** May 9th 2016, 8:10 pm

Okay Thanks but the links you added are not seen unless your a member and logged in to your forum so Please make a test account without any staff powers so we can take a look Smile

and send it to Ange Tuteur by PM

by Morganite May 9th 2016, 8:12 pm

SLGray wrote:Can guests see the links? I get a log in page.

I think i sorted it now for permissions for those 2 links via the forum..
Please can you try them now
thanks

by **SLGray** May 9th 2016, 8:16 pm

If they are in topics not visible to guests, we will not see them.

by **Ape** May 9th 2016, 8:16 pm

That's it I get took to the right page but when i click on your links in the posts i don't get sent to adfly I just get took to the place it is meant to be took to Think

EDIT:

sorry i had to read your post again to see you say all members

by Morganite May 9th 2016, 8:17 pm

APE wrote:Okay Thanks but the links you added are not seen unless your a member and logged in to your forum so Please make a test account without any staff powers so we can take a look
and send it to Ange Tuteur by PM

Sorry it took me ait to figure how to change it back from member permission to all, i have now only changed permission for those 2 links i posted Popeye Wong and Hitana and will change them back when we are finished here..
Thank you

by Morganite May 9th 2016, 8:21 pm

SL Gray- thats so odd as far as i know the members are also having a problem as one of them alerted me to it, i will send a chat me up topic and ask the members to all check both these links for me and see.

If they no what can be the problem with me doing it, would it be because i am an admin or someone has hacked my account and added it?

do any of the staff here have an adblocker that could prevent them being taken to adf.ly first as i do not have a separate adblocker only what comes with java/browser settings..

by **SLGray** May 9th 2016, 8:22 pm

I have an adblocker, but it does not stop this from happening.

by **Ape** May 9th 2016, 8:26 pm

strange that I am not getting the same problem I have clicked on this link 8 times with no problem.

by **SLGray** May 9th 2016, 8:34 pm

Is it the topic link or the download link, @APE ?

by Morganite May 9th 2016, 8:39 pm

It is happening for me when i click the ''tubes here'' text almost to the bottom of the second topic from the link i posted on both artists..

This is the coding found when editing , i inserted a link and put description as ''tubes here'' so it can just be clicked and take you to 4shared, but for me it takes me to adf.ly (please note i have removed bracket after the first url and second url so you can roughly see the link.

[url=http://www.4shared.com/file/111266855/4daee57c/Artist_Popeye_Wong_Tubes.html] /url]

TUBES HERE

[url=http://www.4shared.com/file/111266855/4daee57c/Artist_Popeye_Wong_Tubes.html]/url]

and when i click tubes here this is where i end up with the adf.ly at the beginning..

http://adf.ly/246619/http://www.4shared.com/file/111266855/4daee57c/Artist_Popeye_Wong_Tubes.html

by **SLGray** May 9th 2016, 8:44 pm

I can not click the TUBES HERE link in the topic on your forum.

by Morganite May 9th 2016, 8:53 pm

SL Gray sorry i don't quite understand i saw your message saying it is taking you straight to 4shared and then you say you can't click the ''tubes here'' how did you get to 4shared if you can't click it?

Oh i see now the link is not working for some reason in guest mode, i am not sure how i solve that. will try not doing very well really am i.

Edited-------------- I have solved the problem the ''Tubes Here'' should now be clickable for guests

Adf.ly links to the forum links for 4shared.