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Facebook popup faced by non-users

albertdalbertd Posts: 14,361
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in PC & Mac Hardware and Software #1
As a non user of Facebook, can anyone tell me if there is any way to prevent a huge sign up/login banner appearing when a site has a link for "more information" which directs you to Facebook?

The banner sits over about 30% of the visible page and seems to have no way of being dismissed (not even a visible "x"). Even when it expands to include "Not Now" that only returns you to the original banner.

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    emptyboxemptybox Posts: 13,917
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    #2
    Try deleting the extraneous stuff at the end of the URL, that sometimes works.
    You should only need the page name after facebook.com/
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    albertdalbertd Posts: 14,361
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    #3
    emptybox wrote: »
    Try deleting the extraneous stuff at the end of the URL, that sometimes works.
    You should only need the page name after facebook.com/
    There isn't any.

    This is one I am seeing https://www.facebook.com/gometrobus
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    emptyboxemptybox Posts: 13,917
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    #4
    albertd wrote: »
    There isn't any.

    This is one I am seeing https://www.facebook.com/gometrobus

    Ah yes, I see what you mean. That's annoying.
    Guess you just have to scroll to read the page in the bit you can see.
    Just one of Facebook's 'helpful' features I suppose. :(
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    Hacker HarrierHacker Harrier Posts: 1,616
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    #5
    Give Facebook the big swerve. Visit the Metrobus Twitter page instead. Or alternatively, send a message to Metrobus to complain about the Facebook message issue. http://www.metrobus.co.uk/about-us/contact-us/
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    albertdalbertd Posts: 14,361
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    #6
    Hacker Harrier wrote: »
    Give Facebook the big swerve. Visit the Metrobus Twitter page instead. Or alternatively, send a message to Metrobus to complain about the Facebook message issue.
    The twitter page is useless as it just gives the first few words. I have already been in contact with Metrobus and they say that it is all down to the people at Facebook.
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    albertdalbertd Posts: 14,361
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    #7
    By the way, though I don't actually want to use it, trying the BBC News Facebook link does exactly the same.
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    chrisjrchrisjr Posts: 33,282
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    #8
    I get the feeling that Facebook don't want anyone who is not signed up to the thing to be able to view any content on the website.

    Very often if I follow a link to a Facebook page I get some "enter this Captcha text to continue or sod off" page. 99.99999999999999999999% of the time I take the "sod off" option.
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    Hacker HarrierHacker Harrier Posts: 1,616
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    #9
    You could contact public transport service and fares expert Barry Doe about this. I'm sure he might be interested in this problem. Email: faredealer (at) barrydoe.co.uk

    You could also contact Go-Ahead head office to complain. http://www.go-ahead.com/en/contact-us.html

    You could set up a Facebook account as an alias, with a alias Gmail account to go with it, then deactivate or close the account when it's not needed anymore.
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    evil cevil c Posts: 7,833
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    #10
    I'm using IE9 with W7. If I view the facebook page in the Internet Zone on the default Medium setting (Active Scripting enabled) then I get the banner, with Active Scripting disabled via the Custom level settings no banner.

    Using Firefox 41 with Adblock Plus I get the banner, but if I block Javascript with the Quick Java add-on no banner.

    So Javascript is what you need to disable to see the page without the banner.
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    Hacker HarrierHacker Harrier Posts: 1,616
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    #11
    evil c wrote: »
    So Javascript is what you need to disable to see the page without the banner.

    The messages didn't look like typical crude Javascript ones. Good work for testing it out. :) O.P. forget about my alias Facebook account suggestion, just change the settings of your web browser when you need the bus service information. For some browsers like Chrome, Javascript on/off is found in the 'advanced settings' - go to 'Privacy' - select 'content settings..'.

    Or permanently create an exception for https://www.facebook.com/gometrobus so add that URL and select the action of 'block'.
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    zx50zx50 Posts: 91,270
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    #12
    albertd wrote: »
    As a non user of Facebook, can anyone tell me if there is any way to prevent a huge sign up/login banner appearing when a site has a link for "more information" which directs you to Facebook?

    The banner sits over about 30% of the visible page and seems to have no way of being dismissed (not even a visible "x"). Even when it expands to include "Not Now" that only returns you to the original banner.

    I suppose it's Facebook's way of trying to get those who just read pages on its site to sign up, just so the banner thing won't be there.
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    albertdalbertd Posts: 14,361
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    #13
    Thanks folks, that has all been most useful. I now have QuickJava added to Firefox and with "Reload on Change" selected I just have to click the icon (turns red) whenever I get the banner and the page reloads without it. I just have to remember to turn it off again so that other things that need JavaScript still work OK.

    As for having a gripe at GoAhead or refering it to Barry Doe, I don't think that would be appropriate as other sites' referals to Facebook do exactly the same, such as BBC News, so it is a Facebook issue, not Metrobus.
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    Hacker HarrierHacker Harrier Posts: 1,616
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    #14
    It might be worth informing Metrobus about the Javascript off workaround for viewing the Facebook page/s, so they can help others with the same issue.
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    albertdalbertd Posts: 14,361
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    #15
    Hacker Harrier wrote: »
    It might be worth informing Metrobus about the Javascript off workaround for viewing the Facebook page/s, so they can help others with the same issue.
    Yes, I did that earlier today.
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