Site exit traps

An irritating ploy of some Web sites (I have heard that it is most commonly found in connection with what some would call "porn" sites) is the exit trap.

Basically, when you try and navigate away from the site, you receive a message box that essentially asks "do you really want to leave this wonderful site?" and then gives some usually-ambiguous prompts as to what you can do instead of leaving.

I was startled the other day when visiting another supposedly "professionally-oriented" photography site, and having found that there was not yet a response to a question I had posted, tried to move on, and got this message box in my face (atop a screen inviting me to sign up for a newsletter about a product sold by the site proprietor):


(Well, which is it: "Stay on Page" or "Cancel"?)

I clicked on "OK" and the box and the underlying page disappeared, to be replaced with a blank screen, with the same message box again on top.

I clicked again and moved on.

I gave the forum proprietor the benefit of the doubt: that this might have been emplaced as a prank, by some hacker. I wrote the proprietor (twice) asking about this. No reply.

Sic transit gloria mundi.

Best regards,

Doug

alt+F4 is an usual retaliation from my side, is it working?

Hi, Sandrine,

Sandrine Bascouert said:

alt+F4 is an usual retaliation from my side, is it working?

Click to expand...

Well, yes, but a little drastic if I am only trying to get to another site, not end my session!

Best regards,

Doug

Doug Kerr said:

I clicked on "OK" and the box and the underlying page disappeared, to be replaced with a blank screen, with the same message box again on top.

I clicked again and moved on.

Click to expand...

Hi Doug,

Maybe clicking the Red X is a better attempt to avoid generating a 'useful' response from the dialog box. Many (poorly written) scripts only check for the response required for the buttons.

Cheers,
Bart

The operator of that site will lose a lot of clients and traffic by having an exit trap. Tacky programming that should be illegal. The site operator is showing just how little they care for their clients and the user experience.

Bart_van_der_Wolf said:

Hi Doug,

Maybe clicking the Red X is a better attempt to avoid generating a 'useful' response from the dialog box. Many (poorly written) scripts only check for the response required for the buttons.

Cheers,
Bart

Click to expand...

This sounds the best way out. Personally, I am so paranoid that I routinely clear all Private Data/Browsing History off my browser almost every time I change to another web-site. Paranoid? Well, one gets that way when one gets several phone calls every day from some organization, where English is not their native language, telling you that they know that your computer is infected with polymorphic viruses, and they can protect you if you follow their recommended procedures. See, for example, the page on PC Pro, which is itself not entirely free of annoying popups etc.

Warily,

Martin

As a matter of interest, the exit trap has now seemingly been removed from the ProPhoto Home forum site.

It was not well received by several of the other members.

Best regards,

Doug