Ads going through to Play Store as if they were tapped

hermdelica

(Android) Twice in the last few days, I've had an ad finish playback and then move immediately to the Play Store as if I had tapped on it, when I'm pretty sure I hadn't. It also wasn't that I missed the close X, I hadn't touched the screen at all.

DavideBooks

This has happened several times to me, too. Just this morning it did that and the game restarted so I lost a hunch of ISM. (More of an annoyance than truly upsetting as I have a whole lot of ISM.

-{Punisher}-[BAD]

This is happening on every ad warp that I do now, when the ad finishes a google play tab opens.

Star Trek Timelines Android client 8.0.0
Playing on Bluestacks 4.260.20.4001

Shan

Please provide a screenshot of the ads, and showing the ad network as well, please. Thank you!

hermdelica

The first few times I wasn't paying attention :-)
I will try to catch which ad(s) it is from now on though.

Shan

hermdelica wrote: »

The first few times I wasn't paying attention :-)
I will try to catch which ad(s) it is from now on though.

Much appreciated

=j= Zathras

I've seen this many times. I just assumed it was by design. If I remember to, I'll screenshot when I see it in the future.

FYI--not sure what is meant by "ad network", but I will screenshot the play store screen showing the app's prompt to install.

=j= Zathras

Android 11 - Pixel 3XL

-{Punisher}-[BAD]

Sorry my screenshots wasn't what you needed.

=j= Zathras

It's starting to look like every one I do as well. I don't think there's much value to posting screenshots if that's the case.

It's somewhat of a hassle to get my phone to backup my screenshots (since I don't back them up by default), so instead I'll just post the name of the app:

Game of Thrones: Conquest

Prime Lorca

I've been noticing this too, but once I hit the X it goes away, just like ads did previously. Personally, I don't find this too concerning. Looks like it's just the evolution of ads. If it's something more sinister, then I hope it gets fixed.

=j= Zathras

I agree. Hitting the X makes it go away. Minor annoyance.

There is, of course, the possibility that the ads are being registered as clicks (which gives parties different compensation) when they shouldn't be instead of just "impressions".

hermdelica

[rr] Zathras wrote: »

There is, of course, the possibility that the ads are being registered as clicks (which gives parties different compensation) when they shouldn't be instead of just "impressions".

Exactly why I brought it up :-)

-{Punisher}-[BAD]

[rr] Zathras wrote: »

I agree. Hitting the X makes it go away. Minor annoyance.

There is, of course, the possibility that the ads are being registered as clicks (which gives parties different compensation) when they shouldn't be instead of just "impressions".

Yea it really doesn't bother me, because I use Bluestacks. But it probably drives phone and tablet users insane.

hermdelica

Of course, now that I've reported it, it's not happening anymore.

At any rate, what I was seeing is not what's been reported above by others, an overlay that goes away like normal when you close it. My situation was that I ended up completely in the Google Play Store app, no longer inside the Timelines app. I would actually have to go back to Android's home to get back into Timelines.

Maybe the overlay is a new thing that wasn't working at first, and moving me completely into the Play Store app.

-{Punisher}-[BAD]

hermdelica wrote: »

Of course, now that I've reported it, it's not happening anymore.

At any rate, what I was seeing is not what's been reported above by others, an overlay that goes away like normal when you close it. My situation was that I ended up completely in the Google Play Store app, no longer inside the Timelines app. I would actually have to go back to Android's home to get back into Timelines.

Maybe the overlay is a new thing that wasn't working at first, and moving me completely into the Play Store app.

I can't speak for others, but on mine it is opening the Google Play app. Any extra tab on Bluestacks is another app that is open. But Bluestacks displays apps like a browser so that is why I can just close the google play app and continue.

For phones and tablets I imagine it behaves very differently. Just exactly as it's behaving for you I'd imagine.

Can anyone else confirm how it's acting on phones/tablets?

Shan

So some ads make it look like you are in the Play Store but it does not seem it was the case here.

I tried it on my device and it was not happening.

The reason I ask for screenshots, especially showing the ad network, is that this has to be looked into per ad/per network.

To check the ad network, click on the symbol that is usually found in the lower right corner.

=j= Zathras

No, it's the actual play store. It looks nothing like your screenshot, @Shan . Look at the one screenshot I posted above. That's what I see when it happens and there's no ad-network link in the lower right (as there shouldn't be in the play store).

=j= Zathras

Here's what actually happens: the ad countdown goes to 0 and then behaves as if install was clicked and opens the play store to the app's play store entry.

=j= Zathras

Several of Punisher's screenshots illustrate the same.

-{Punisher}-[BAD]

Sorry my screenshots wasn't what you needed.

KaiRo

Those that just show the Play Store in part of the screen and have an "X" on it are the more harmless kind. Recently I also get ones where the actual Play Store App is opened, and then I need to close it and/or switch back to the game and then also tap the screen in the upper area so that an area with a spinning wheel goes away and then game continues normally. It's a big hassle now.
Not sure how I may get screen shots of that on my Android tablet though...

=j= Zathras

KaiRo wrote: »

Those that just show the Play Store in part of the screen and have an "X" on it are the more harmless kind. Recently I also get ones where the actual Play Store App is opened, and then I need to close it and/or switch back to the game and then also tap the screen in the upper area so that an area with a spinning wheel goes away and then game continues normally. It's a big hassle now.
Not sure how I may get screen shots of that on my Android tablet though...

Harmless to you and I, but potentially fraudulent from an ad-revenue point of view.

Follow-up assessment: it doesn't happen every time for me, but often enough.

are_dub [ET]

Shan wrote: »

So some ads make it look like you are in the Play Store but it does not seem it was the case here.

I tried it on my device and it was not happening.

The reason I ask for screenshots, especially showing the ad network, is that this has to be looked into per ad/per network.

To check the ad network, click on the symbol that is usually found in the lower right corner.

I posted a screenshot in the other thread on ad problems of one that actually takes you to the playstore without any interaction from the user.

Shan

are_dub [ET] wrote: »

Shan wrote: »

So some ads make it look like you are in the Play Store but it does not seem it was the case here.

I tried it on my device and it was not happening.

The reason I ask for screenshots, especially showing the ad network, is that this has to be looked into per ad/per network.

To check the ad network, click on the symbol that is usually found in the lower right corner.

I posted a screenshot in the other thread on ad problems of one that actually takes you to the playstore without any interaction from the user.

And that was really helpful, thank you - that is the kind of screenshots I need

=j= Zathras

FWIW--the ones I've seen are from Unity ad-network. The icon is recognizable and I do make a note while I wait for the timer.

=j= Zathras

More observations: when this happens, the play store scrolls up from the bottom of the screen. I tested the install button and the play store starts processing the request--so I know it's a real play store screen.

Blast Hardcheese

are_dub [ET] wrote: »

Shan wrote: »

So some ads make it look like you are in the Play Store but it does not seem it was the case here.

I tried it on my device and it was not happening.

The reason I ask for screenshots, especially showing the ad network, is that this has to be looked into per ad/per network.

To check the ad network, click on the symbol that is usually found in the lower right corner.

I posted a screenshot in the other thread on ad problems of one that actually takes you to the playstore without any interaction from the user.

While TP's at it, how about dropping ad networks that run scamy ads like this one?

This Sisko1

Yeah it's not just this game, all games ive played with ads with do that so it's on the provider to change. Very annoying

=j= Zathras

Ad Network: Ad Choices, Inc.
App: RAID

hermdelica

This has started happening again, with "Pirates Legends - The War of the Oceans".
Didn't catch the ad network this time.