HuffPost is unreadable!

[ClusterFreak]

Why? Because of the non-stop, never-ending barrage of videos and video ads that ceaselessly fire up and play as you try and navigate the site!! I am sooo sick of it!! You click on this story or that, and you get an ad or a video adorning the screen and blocking you from seeing or reading what you want!!

Who is or are the brainiacs in the marketing department who think that readers actually appreciate being abused like this??

Just fucking let me click on what I want and then let me read the story, or click on the accompanying video IF I choose to!!

Aargh!!!!

To say the fucking least.

[Siwsan]

1. I'm noticing that, more and more, on so many sites

It is beyond irritating. If I wanted to watch the video, I would click on the video!!

[ClusterFreak]

2. I agree.

And I hate to say it, but DU isn't totally innocent in this regard either. Nothing even close to HuffPost for example, but some video ads on the homepage (at least for non star members like myself) do fire up automatically. HuffPost is I think though the worst abuser by a long shot that I have come across, although yes it is rife now across the net.

[Eyeball_Kid]

33. Yes.

It drives me crazy. I've cut down my time on Huffpost to about a fifth of the time previously spent. And you know what? There isn't a place to give the website feedback on this major annoyance.

So, I guess we vote with our "feet", as it were. Sooner or later, the ad department will get the hint when their hits go into decline.

[leftyladyfrommo]

3. I get it on my phone.

I don't seem to have that problem.

[elfin]

4. Agree! Plus now looks like a cheap tabloid. EOM

[amuse bouche]

5. I love HP. Yes the videos are relentless but I click them off before they start

I can't imagine not having HP. I check in there several times a day.

[ClusterFreak]

6. I try and click them off, but they just keep playing.

Wish I were as lucky as you.

[George II]

26. Some of the time they're not even on the screen, they're above or below what I'm reading...

...so I have to go searching for them, all the while the sound is blaring. And some don't have a "pause" button, either.

[Eyeball_Kid]

34. There are a lot of overlapping stories on Raw Story.

[Hayduke Bomgarte]

7. I use Ghostery and don't get that

I also don't spend much time there. I just scan the headlines mostly, and move on to here or KOS.

[tableturner]

8. If they abuse you like that, and if you use Chrome, then download these 3 extensions:

Disable html5 autoplay:

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/disable-html5-autoplay/efdhoaajjjgckpbkoglidkeendpkolai?hl=en

Flash control, which you can use to disable flash autoplay:

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/flashcontrol/mfidmkgnfgnkihnjeklbekckimkipmoe?hl=en

Ublock Origin, to block ads (it's as good as adblock, but uses fewer resources):

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/ublock-origin/cjpalhdlnbpafiamejdnhcphjbkeiagm?hl=en

I do not feel guilty using ad blocking extensions when websites make their websites almost unusable without them. There should be an advertising industry initiative to move to a new standard that minimizes the content so that the ads do not make sites unnavigable. The ads would not be as rich in content, but if the rich content makes people use ad blockers, what good is the rich content?

Edited to change "2" to "3" in the heading.

[uponit7771]

13. +1

[lordsummerisle]

14. Thanks for these n/t

[Stonepounder]

20. Ad Blocker also does a great job of blocking ads and other garbage.

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/adblock-pro/ocifcklkibdehekfnmflempfgjhbedch

I have it installed as a Chrome extension and just don't see ads anymore.

[mr_lebowski]

28. I like it too ... what'd be great is if someone could make one that the site can't tell you're using

Some sites will actually not let you use them with ad-blockers turned on ...

I'd think that'd be entirely possible. Kinda surprised I've not heard of one.

Actually looks like I'm on Ad-Block Plus ...

[tableturner]

41. Ublock Origin, which I listed above, works as well as any of them, but uses much fewer resources!

[steve2470]

21. great advice, thanks! nt

[HeartachesNhangovers]

43. Thank you! Loaded "Disable HTML5" and it took

care of a lot of annoyances.

[ClusterFreak]

44. I'll try anything.... thanks!

[brooklynite]

9. ...and yet, you're reading it.

...like the people who continually watch MORNING JOE in order to tell us not to watch it.

[bathroommonkey76]

10. AOL screwed up Huffpost

I rarely go there anyore b/c of the constant ads and click-bait articles.

[lester94111]

11. A "Reader View" addon or extension on your browser is your friend

A "Reader View" addon or extension on your browser is your friend

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/reader-view/?src=search

[displacedtexan]

12. The HuffPo app is much easier to read.

The full site was crashing every time I tried to read something there, but the app seems to work better for me. Talking Points Memo still crashes on me daily, but it works on my phone. Go figure. It's always something.

Good luck!

[lordsummerisle]

15. I find Salon.com annoying like that as well

the other day it was actually playing two videos at the same time.

[Generic Brad]

16. That web site drove me away

They removed sections I enjoyed. They made it clunky to navigate. Their content has degraded.

That used to be one of my go to sites. They cheapened their product and gave their readers the middle finger. Right back at them.

[NobodyHere]

17. The braniacs are people who hate diversity

[workinclasszero]

18. I hate all sites doing that crap

You go to read an article and suddenly some damn video starts blaring out from your speakers! I hit the back button and gtfo when that happens.

[Worktodo]

19. costs a lot of battery and data charges

These sites must think we're living in 2025 where every phone can play video all day on a single charge and everybody's data plan is free.

I find myself avoiding huffpost for these very reasons.

[murielm99]

22. When a site starts doing that to me,

I click off and never go back.

[judesedit]

23. It's true. When I try to share I often get a black screen

If I really want to forward something I'd go out and back in sometimes numerous times, but got tired of it. It's too bad. Wish Ariana hadn't sold. I never had problems before.

[George II]

24. I stopped reading it years ago...

....and I used to have it as my home page, but it got to the point where it took 30 seconds to finish loading, and then the pop ups and ads got to be ridiculous.

Not worth the bother.

[mtngirl47]

25. I backed away from HuffPo when they wanted me to log in thru Facebook

in order to comment....

I switched to Truthout and DU

DU has headlines WAY before HuffPo

[PatrickforO]

27. I agree. I despise those pop up videos. I want to be the one to choose if

I watch the accompanying video and not have it forced down my throat.

[Kablooie]

29. Use an adblocker . They are essential nowadays.

[kimbutgar]

30. It's not what it used to be

Seems they followed the buzzfeed clickbait model. No real news reporting but links to other sites.

[Kleveland]

31. I agree with this very incovenient issue. Damned videos! Here is Firefox setting to disable.

It should be a choice to view the video, not shoved down your throat!

I really don't like the whole remake of Huffpost. It wasn't broken, so why fix it?

(Apple pulls this kinda' crap all of the time.... don't get me started)

It can be a real issue, especially when dealing with data usage caps.

Although this may not help that, you can also turn off auto-playing the videos in Firefox.

On the URL line type "about:config". (without the quotes of course)

Then accept the risk (kinda silly, unless you really mess around!)

Scroll down and find the line

media.autoplay.enabled user set boolean true

Change true to false.

Close the tab, and it should stop the autoplay. It may still load it, haven't really messed around with it further.

There may be a quicker way to do this, but if there is...I have missed it!

Oh! I also agree with using an Adblocker.... causes some issues on some sites, but you can tweak it on the fly if you need to.

Peace

[elmac]

32. all sites are going that way

the internet is slowly losing its appeal.

[progressoid]

35. Same reason I stopped reading Raw Story.

[still_one]

36. I agree. The first thing I do when I click a story over there is immediately after the video loads

pause, and read the story

but you are right, it is a pain

[Eyeball_Kid]

37. Get Chrome, DL "Disable HTML5 Autoplay". Problem solved.

[doodsaq]

38. Huffpost is mostly sensationalist garbage

Stopped reading it a long time ago.

[ClusterFreak]

45. Well, aside from that fact.

I still do check it out a couple times a day probably. Guess I'm a glutton for sensationalist garbage lol.

Ya it ain't what it used to was. And I'm not sure if it ever was that.

[white_wolf]

39. Any site that doesn't pay their writers is one that can afford to do without me as a customer. N/T

[HAB911]

40. What browser do you use?

Firefox with the NoScript add on can remove all that stuff.

[ClusterFreak]

46. I use IE. I'm a dinosaur.

[mvd]

42. It's not so bad in the app

It's annoying, but an ad blocker such as Adblock Plus should take care of it.