How to stop adverts coming up on my HTC One (M8)?

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Heathsideboy
  • Forum posts: 21

Feb 9, 2019, 4:05:26 PM via Website

I never used to get adverts or news pop-ups coming up on my HTC One (M8) android phone. I think I've stopped the news pop-ups but is there any way to stop the adverts coming up other than swiping them to rid them temporarily?

The reason I want to know this is because I am disabled and cannot use my hands. Therefore, swiping them is not an option. I can get rid of them by pressing a button with my head through another, special device. I would rather not have them come up at all. So, any ideas anyone?

HB

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Deactivated Account
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Feb 10, 2019, 5:26:44 PM via Website

I did a little bit of web searching for you.
The website in the picture has step by step on how to turn off your web activity image

It's the website highlighted in purple.
I read through it. Follow these instructions and you shouldn't have any problems

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Deactivated Account
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Feb 10, 2019, 12:04:47 PM via Website

I have 3 suggestions that may help.
First go into Google setting and pause your web activity. Then delete all your past activity.
Then find your Location history, and turn it off!
In the future when you do any web search
Turn on your secret mode (private mode).
That should stop most of the ads.

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Heathsideboy
  • Forum posts: 21

Feb 10, 2019, 1:09:11 PM via Website

When you say go into Google setting to pause the web activity, can I do this on my PC or do you mean on the phone itself? If it is on the phone, can you tell me where to find it?

Where would I find my location history to turn off?

How do I find where the secret mode (private mode) is?

Being disabled, I do most of my work on a PC. I do not use Google web on the phone. Originally, I had a pay as you go tariff and I had no adverts or pop-ups. Then I got a Sky Account. The adverts and pop-ups only started when I got this account.

Therefore, I know very little on the workings of this phone.

What you have suggested makes sense but could you list step by step instructions on how to accomplish this for me please?

I appreciate your help

HB

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Deactivated Account
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Feb 10, 2019, 3:02:29 PM via Website

I'm referring to the settings in your phone.
Tap on your apps icon.
Then your settings icon.
Scroll down to Google settings.
Open that and you will see Google account. Tap that.
Find Data and Personalization.
Look for Activity Controls. Tap that.
There you will find several selections like,
Web and web activity
Location
Device information
You tube.
And Manage your Web Activity (tap on this).
Then you will be able to pause and delete all the selections mention.

Secret-Private Mode.
Open up your internet app.
At the bottom of the screen there is a tool bar. In that bar you will find a icon called Tabs. Tap that. And you will be able to go into your secret mode, private mode, or it is also called the Incognito mode. (They are all the same thing)
This secret mode will hide your device ID number. And Advertisers won't know who to send the ads to!

Caution; this is how to do all this on my Galaxy s7.
Because you have a different phone, your settings may be slightly different.
I hope what I have posted hear will lead you to the proper settings in your phone.

Just a thought, if these ads started popping up when you activated that Sky Account, by turning on the secret mode,
It may restrict your access to some web sites. (But it may not!)
I hope all this helps.

— modified on Feb 10, 2019, 3:10:02 PM

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Heathsideboy
  • Forum posts: 21

Feb 10, 2019, 4:15:44 PM via Website

Once I got to 'manage your web activity' as you said, there were many things to pause. I tried one that being YouTube but once I did that, YouTube would then not come up on my PC. This is what I mean, I'm not that savvy when it comes to the phone.

I'll have a look in detail next week when my other carer is here. Then we can look together. I'm worried that I'm going to pause or delete the wrong thing. I really need to know the exact wording for just stopping the adverts.

When I opened up the Internet app, and went to the bottom of the screen, there was no toolbar at the bottom of the screen. So obviously, I could not find an icon called 'Tabs,' 'secret mode,' 'private mode,' or 'incognito mode.' You are probably right and this is a different setting on my phone somewhere. I will have a look in more detail tomorrow. Perhaps somebody with the same phone as me may know the exact place or setting on my HTC One (8) that you mention.

I have another problem that I will put in another thread. Having all sorts of problems lately that may be related to some lack of housekeeping that you have mentioned.

I'm not worried by having restriction through some websites on the phone because as I said, I don't use it for that. If it affects the websites on my PC too, then that will be a problem.

Thanks

HB

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Deactivated Account
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Feb 10, 2019, 4:28:34 PM via Website

When pausing web activity don't mess with You Tube. I can't pause it on my phone either!
You just want to pause Web&Web Activity. And location history.

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Heathsideboy
  • Forum posts: 21

Feb 10, 2019, 4:52:48 PM via Website

I couldn't find anywhere where to pause web & web activity > location history but I will try again tomorrow. That just may be me not look properly.

HB

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Deactivated Account
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Feb 10, 2019, 5:26:44 PM via Website

I did a little bit of web searching for you.
The website in the picture has step by step on how to turn off your web activity image

It's the website highlighted in purple.
I read through it. Follow these instructions and you shouldn't have any problems

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Heathsideboy
  • Forum posts: 21

Feb 11, 2019, 8:12:47 PM via Website

As I look at the thread, the answer that was the original question that you answered is labelled 'Best Answer.'

When I look at the other posts, they all say 'Mark as the best answer' and every one of the posts have a check mark next to that citation. As far as I can see, I can only mark one as the best answer.

If you know better, can you tell me how to go about it because I have tried checking multiple 'Best Answers'. It hasn't worked when I tried to do this.

Thank you Lindsay for the tips and links with the instructions on them. I will look into it when I have time.

HB

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Heathsideboy
  • Forum posts: 21

Feb 13, 2019, 3:57:23 PM via Website

Those links helped me Lindsay. I think I have stopped the adverts for the time being anyway. I will let you know if I come back.

Thanks very much for your help.

HB

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Heathsideboy
  • Forum posts: 21

Feb 13, 2019, 4:20:20 PM via Website

Sorry, that should have read,

Those links helped me Lindsay. I think I have stopped the adverts for the time being anyway. I will let you know if they come back.

Thanks very much for your help.

HB

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