New problem blocking ads on startpage.com

[cjsmall]

Adblock Plus 2.6.10 (Allow some intrusive advertising is not checked)
Firefox 40.0.3
Xubuntu 15.04

Startpage includes three header "Ads related to <search>" at the start of its search results. For a long while these have been blocked properly using the custom filter:

Code: Select all

startpage.com###sponsored

but as of yesterday this has stopped working. I took a look at the page source and see the following code:

Code: Select all

<div id="bottom-result-container" class="web_results">
<div id='spon_links'><p class='head2'>
<span></span>
<span>Ads related to <b>search string</b></span></p>
<ol class="sponsored">
<li>
    <div class='result'>
        [the code for the three ad entries is here]
    </div>
</li>
</ol>
</div>
<ol class="web_regular_results">
<li id='result1'>
    [remainder of search results here]

This code can be verified by performing any search on startpage.com.

So the three ads are contained in an ordered list with the class "sponsored" while the remainder of the content is in an ordered list with the class "web_regular_results", yet this filter is no longer working.

When I attempt to use the element hiding helper, I can select the three-ad block and "b" blinks just this ad content, but the tag on the block is: "ol, class: regular_web_content" rather than the proper "sponsored" class and selecting this actually causes all search content including the ads to be hidden.

Is this a bug in a recent update to Adblock Plus, or has the coding of the startpage changed in some strange way? Suggestions?

[Gingerbread Man]

Startpage includes three header "Ads related to <search>" at the start of its search results. […]
This code can be verified by performing any search on startpage.com.

I don't see any such elements on the search results page. The following filters are active:

Code: Select all

||startpage.com/do/avt?$image
?adtype=

[BobSter]

I am getting the same problem since yesterday (before and after updating the firefox ABP add-on (2.6.10 to 2.6.11).

same on Firefox 40.0.3 and Opera 32.0.1948.25

Code: Select all

<div id="bottom-result-container" class="web_results"><div id='spon_links'><p class='head2'><span></span>
<span>Ads related to <b>SEARCHTERM</b></span></p><ol class="sponsored"><li><div class='result'>

Win 10


Also the "report an error" dialog borked on submission

[BobSter]

Same on Firefox 41.0

filterlists in use:
Adblock Warning Removal List
Easylist
EasyPrivacy
Fanboys Annoyance List
[edit]all filters updated[/edit]

.

[Gingerbread Man]

Code: Select all

<div id="bottom-result-container" class="web_results">
<div id='spon_links'>…

I'm now seeing the following EasyList filter applied. It hides the element you mentioned (which I can see in the source code, but not on the page).

Code: Select all

###spon_links

[BobSter]

MalwareBytes found:
PUP.Optional.NetFilter (location win/system32/drivers/networkx.sys & registry)
PUP.Optional.ConduitTB.Gen

nuking these seems to have cured it (edit: in Firefox, but not in Opera!).

I think they maybe came from Networx freeware traffic monitor

[cjsmall]

I have the ###spon_links filter in EasyList, but the ads are not being filtered out.

When making a search, the results are being displayed without the header ads, and after the page is fully displayed the ads are then injected at the top. Is this the behavior others are seeing, or for those who do see the ads, do they render at the same time as the rest of the results? Is it possible that Startpage and Ixquick developers have found some way to fool Adblock Plus filtering by delaying injection of the ads onto the page?

[mapx]

I see the ads only allowing some non intrusive advertising

[cjsmall]

The ads appear with or without the "Allow some non-intrusive advertising" box checked.

BTW, I'm seeing these ads on:

Firefox 40.0.3 on Ubuntu
Chrome 45.0.2454.85 on Ubuntu
Opera 32 on Ubuntu
Firefox 31 on Solaris
Firefox 31 on Windows XP
Firefox 41 on Windows 7

So it appears to be an issue with this page and Adblock plus, not the browser.

Is this topic being followed by any of the maintainers of Adblock Plus or should this issue be reported elsewhere?

[mapx]

it was reported also on easylist support forum
http://forums.lanik.us/viewtopic.php?p=77622#p77622

and MonztA (easylist maintainer) doesnt see the ads too ...

[amj555]

I have had to disable ABP on SP domain as it causes the below screen to show for a few seconds before returning not only results, but also ads.



I do however see stylish solution to the problem, and If you use this user style and disable the ABP for SP you'll notice a big performance difference.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@namespace url(http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml);

@-moz-document domain("startpage.com") {

div#sponsored_csa1, .sponsored, .head2, .midline_right, #settings, .enhanced_by_td, .cloud {display:none !important}

}
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hopefully someone can incorporate some of the elements in the above userstyle and use it to fix the filters for SP.