What are web push notifications?
Push notifications, often referred to as simply notifications, are sent via desktop and mobile web. Depending on the operating system, push notifications are 'alert' messages that slide in at the top or bottom right-hand corner of a desktop screen.
What is the difference between Popups and Push Notifications?
The difference between popups and push notifications is a common source of confusion. Notifications aren't popups at all (it doesn't make them less annoying). Websites generate popups that include advertisements, and they typically appear when a user visits a particular website. Popup ads will usually appear in front of the main window and are generally blocked natively by modern browsers.
Push Notification Types:
Legitimate: These push notifications are helpful and expected. Legitimate push notifications add to a product's core value (e.g., incoming chat messages, meeting reminders).
Expected Advertising: Some websites offer push notification channels to inform subscribers of new products, sales, or promotions. These are usually not harmful but may confuse subscribers with unrelated offers and no straightforward way of turning them off.
Malicious Advertising (Malvertising): "Click Allow to continue," "Press Allow to watch this video." Guardio's protection is tailored for these types of push notifications. They usually 'trick' the user into granting excessive permissions to send notifications as part of an unrelated offering (e.g., "Click Allow to continue"). Once a user clicks the "Allow" button, low-quality and malicious advertising content will start appearing even long after you have left the website.
In-Page Popup: In an attempt to confuse users, some websites will provide advertisements within their pages that mimic the look-and-feel of native OS push notifications. These are not "real" push notifications and will not appear outside the website participating in sketchy advertising methods.
Understand your Dashboard
Guardio traces the sources and stops the invasive notifications all at once.
- Open your dashboard
- You will see the sources blocked and have access to manage your whitelist.
Are you still experiencing push notifications? Send us a report from your dashboard and select "Unwanted push notifications."