Web Browsers have stopped blocking pop-ups

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

What “pop-ups” are now

  • Many comments note that the old window-based popups (via window.open) are mostly gone; today’s “pop-ups” are in-page modals, overlays, sticky banners, autoplay videos, and newsletter/app prompts.
  • Several argue these modals feel worse than old popups because they block content, follow scrolling, and require hunting for “magic pixel” close buttons.
  • Banking/2FA and document downloads are among the few remaining legitimate window popups, which browsers still block by default and sometimes break.

Why browsers don’t fix it by default

  • In-page popups are just HTML/CSS/JS elements, not a special API, so it’s technically hard for browsers to distinguish “legitimate UI” from “annoying marketing” in a generic way.
  • Suggestions like “only allow DOM/CSS changes after user action” are seen as trivially circumventable and breaking many sites.
  • Some argue this is exactly why adblocker-style filter lists (uBlock Origin, etc.) exist, but baking them into browsers is politically/economically hard, especially for ad-funded vendors.

User coping strategies and tools

  • Desktop: Firefox + uBlock Origin + Annoyances lists + things like Consent-O-Matic and NoScript are repeatedly cited as highly effective. Reader mode also helps.
  • Mobile: experience is much worse. iOS content-blocker APIs are limited; people mention Wipr, AdGuard, uBlock Lite, Brave, DNS-level blocking, but none match desktop uBlock.
  • Many simply close sites on first intrusive modal, use search-engine blocking features (e.g., “never show this domain”), or rely on archive sites.

Economics, incentives, and newsletters/cookies

  • Popups, email-capture modals, and guilt-based dark patterns persist because they work: marketers can show measurable gains (newsletter signups, conversions) while negative effects are hard to quantify.
  • Some report experiments where adding newsletter modals significantly increased signups without visible metrics harm.
  • Cookie banners and partner lists in the EU are widely hated; debate centers on whether EU law or non-compliant, overreaching sites are to blame.
  • There’s extended frustration with news sites in a “death spiral” of autoplay videos, ads between paragraphs, paywalls, and subscription pushes.

Broader reflections and alternatives

  • Some suggest AI assistants as “proxy browsers” that shield users from popups, predicting these tools will themselves be monetized via ads or sponsored answers.
  • Others call for browser-level content preference APIs (for cookies, modals, etc.), or for more sites to abandon ad-driven models in favor of products, donations, or community support.