Spyware on Mamapedia?

Updated on October 26, 2011
V.C. asks from Plano, TX
14 answers

Has anyone else noticed what scrolls across the bottom of the screen when on mamapedia? It says "connecting to (lots of things besides mamapedia.") I have been getting lots of spam lately. And I have noticed they now have that huge advertisement across the top of the screen.

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Featured Answers

I.H.

answers from Dallas on

You can block it with extensions. I deletaed ALL these trash with Google extensions, mostly I use Chrome. And yes, you should try Linux.

2 moms found this helpful

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S.H.

answers from Honolulu on

Per websites:
AS a page loads.... you will see on the left bottom of your computer, the scrolling of things/sites/ads... as that computer page, loads and transfers data. Per that website. And it says "transferring data" or "connecting to..." as that page per the website, is loading.
It happens on any website.
It does not necessarily mean, that that is what is on your computer. It is often 'cookies' etc. and what that website has on it, per when a computer programmer creates the website, PER that website.
All websites, are an intricate thing made up of many parameters/advertising and computer programming. And as any website page loads, you will see the stream of it loading, per the page. And it is seen on the bottom left of your computer.
Most all websites, have advertisements etc. THUS when you go to a website and click on links to read articles or whatever, on the bottom left of your computer, you WILL see what is loading.... per that website. Because, that is what is on, that website.
It is not only, on MamaPedia.
It is a website, behavior.

Now, there is also malware etc., which will get onto your computer, if you click on a link or bad link or fake link etc. and download it or use it.

Then, per signing up for MamaPedia: you have an e-mail address that members list, when they sign up as a member. Per that e-mail you input... yes, "spam" can then be sent to you. Because, MANY websites, sell their e-mail lists/data... to 3rd party data miners. So then, you get, junk mail and spam.
**That is why, a person should always have, another e-mail address (not their own private personal e-mail address), to use on sites for purchases or signing up as a member. Because, this will cause, junk mail/spam, to them.

Then...there is the scrolling "banner" type advertisements, that you see on MamaPedia... on the top of their website.
It is advertisements, that also pays for their website and sponsors and whomever will pay to be on the MamaPedia website for advertising. Because, MamaPedia is free, for its members. But they have to make money somehow, in order to keep the website running and hire the people to maintain it and program it and for their support staff.
So yes, advertisements, will be on this site. As it is for many websites. IF you click on these links, you may then be, spammed.

The "https" feature per any website, is a secure page/link. That is used, per payments or other input screens in which privacy and personal account information is to be, input into.
It is not used, on websites on ALL pages.
This is not the norm, per "https" pages.

To make your computer and web surfing more secure, then you would, on your computer, tweak your preferences and set the 'cookies' preferences, and security preferences and pop-up, preferences as well.
And of course, have your own, virus software etc.

8 moms found this helpful
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M.B.

answers from Austin on

I use Mozilla firefox and use Adblock Plus....... it is doing a wonderful job of blocking ALL ads, except the mamasource ones.....

I was having problems with the flash ads tying up resources, so hubby installed adblock plus... it's free!

5 moms found this helpful

C.W.

answers from Lynchburg on

Hi victoria-

I am not seeing 'those' kinds of ads...

BUT do have a funny story to share...one of my kiddos required home nursing for a LONG time...particularly at night. She was in a special pediatric bed that could be raised...etc. It was a long fight, but I got my insurance to pay...

Anyway, one of the best night nurses we had was a devout christian...she was a 'love'...(and we are friends to this day). One night, she was doing some research on pediatric beds for another child she worked with...she typed in 'hard' (the name of the manufacturer) and you cannot believe the sites that came up!! lol

I heard her 'yelp'...and frankly thought *I* was going to have to give HER cpr!!

Too funny!

Not sure what is going on here...but as a general rule...I am REAL careful what words I use in a search!!

lol
Best luck!
michele/cat

2 moms found this helpful
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M.P.

answers from Raleigh on

I noticed the same thing just now logging in. I have no problems with ads (I get they have to do something to keep this free) but they really should be more selective.

2 moms found this helpful

G.T.

answers from Redding on

I havent noticed anything, I guess my anti- spyware is working?
I do get a lot of spam in my spam folder, but I'm pretty sure it's not generated from this site. I websurf a lot, and I'm sure my spam is coming from some of the sites I visit.... been an ongoing disturbance for me for awhile.
I have no banner ads and nothing running at the bottom of the screen while on this site tho. Yet.
I use Google Chrome for a browser.

2 moms found this helpful

E.A.

answers from Erie on

One word to prevent most problems: Linux.

2 moms found this helpful
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S.B.

answers from Redding on

I don't think I get spam from mamapedia.
I don't ever click on anything but the posts. I don't sign up for anything else or click on the ads directly. If I want to check them out, I just google the company separately.
I haven't had any problems.

S.H. ~ Your post was very informative. I am not all that tech savvy, but I did count 12 "pers".
You're awesome, really.
:)

2 moms found this helpful
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K.B.

answers from Tulsa on

They added so many ads. I also know that something always tries to change my computer when I click on. I cancel it and block it every time.
Also, on one day my google searches kept taking me other places. I don't know how, but it stopped by the next morning.

2 moms found this helpful
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J.B.

answers from Dayton on

I'm noticing it too...not just the ads at the top of the screen but at the bottom a scrolling each time I open a post. It scrolls by so quickly that it's difficult to tell what it is. I am going to follow OneAndDone's advise & ask about it on the "contact us" link. The ads at the top are a bit annoying but I can look past those without clicking on them. But this scrolling at the bottom makes me nervous!

2 moms found this helpful
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K.B.

answers from Cincinnati on

I had the exact same thing happen to me that happened to Leigh R. I DO think it was from here. It happened the same day that the weird red iPad banner was at the top of the site. I did not click on anything, but that was the same day that my computer started acting funny. Our Norton Antivirus trial had run out, so I ended up having to take my computer in and have it sweeped for hijackers/viruses/spyware/etc and have new security put on it.

1 mom found this helpful
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L.R.

answers from Washington DC on

I don't know about spyware but my computer picked up what is called "malware." The malware program hijacked my web searches: I would do a Google search, get a normal Google list of responses, but every single response I clicked on would go to a third party -- the same one every time. It basically wouldn't let me search using any engine at all. I cannot say I got it from being on here (and I never click on anything at all on here except to reply to questions) but I'm on here daily...watch out for your web searches and if they get hijacked to another site, you will need special software to fix it!

1 mom found this helpful
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M.H.

answers from Dallas on

I suddenly started getting 100-150 spam emails per day about 2 weeks ago. Not sure where I got it from. I don't click on ads ever so I don't know where I got it from but it sucks! I use one email for forums and such and one for private emails for family and friends but since I check each of them during the day it is getting ridiculous to wade through so many emails every day.

1 mom found this helpful
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M.K.

answers from Dallas on

I use Mozilla Firefox with the 'NoScripts' add on and allow only access to mamapedia.com and forbid scripts running off any other domain. It's just a generally good practice for any website, quick and easy to use.

1 mom found this helpful
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