Search Support

Avoid support scams. We will never ask you to call or text a phone number or share personal information. Please report suspicious activity using the “Report Abuse” option.

Learn More

Everytime I open Firefox it opens the web site below in an additional tab

  • 7 replies
  • 2 have this problem
  • 14 views
  • Last reply by FredMcD

more options

https://info.criteo.com/privacy/privacy.aspx?infonorm=3&partner=17790&campaignid=71230&zoneid=191203&bannerid=3599509&displayid=a2e3302b29&uaCap=0&u=|JNJayiaGAu3Ngd1iWCZSLjNTHo9QJyEdrO5qlwD9nr4%3d|&confirm=CrossDeviceOptOut

I first clicked on this link to opt-out of their adverts, but since then, for several weeks now, every time I open Firefox on my chosen Home Page, it also opens a tab for this site. I have written to them several times but get nothing but a boiler-plate answer telling me how to opt out of their adverts. Any help would be appreciated.

https://info.criteo.com/privacy/privacy.aspx?infonorm=3&partner=17790&campaignid=71230&zoneid=191203&bannerid=3599509&displayid=a2e3302b29&uaCap=0&u=|JNJayiaGAu3Ngd1iWCZSLjNTHo9QJyEdrO5qlwD9nr4%3d|&confirm=CrossDeviceOptOut I first clicked on this link to opt-out of their adverts, but since then, for several weeks now, every time I open Firefox on my chosen Home Page, it also opens a tab for this site. I have written to them several times but get nothing but a boiler-plate answer telling me how to opt out of their adverts. Any help would be appreciated.

Chosen solution

Hello,

I am glad to hear that your problem has been resolved. If you haven't already, please select the answer that solves the problem. This will help other users with similar problems find the solution more easily.

Thank you for contacting Mozilla Support.

Read this answer in context 👍 0

All Replies (7)

more options

Your System Detail list shows that you have a user.js file in the profile folder to initialize prefs each time Firefox starts. The user.js file will only be present if you or other software has created this file and normally won't be present.

You can check its content with a plain text editor (right-click: "Open with"; do not double-click). The user.js file is read each time Firefox is started and initializes preferences to the value specified in this file, so preferences set via user.js can only be changed temporarily for the current session.

You can delete the user.js file if you didn't create this file yourself.

You can use this button to go to the current Firefox profile folder:


Create a new profile to test if your current profile is causing the problem.

See "Creating a profile":

If the new profile works then you can transfer files from a previously used profile to the new profile, but be cautious not to copy corrupted files to avoid carrying over problems.

See also:

more options

Thanks for your reply. There are two user profile files - user.js and user.js~ - I quit Firefox and moved both of them out of the Profiles folder, then re-booted. When I re-opened Firefox, the same thing happened. The Criteo web site opens a tab. I am a bit nervous messing around with the Profiles and testing a new one.

I attached an image of the tabs showing the Criteo one that always opens.

Any other specific suggestions?

Thanks, R

more options

That looks like a bookmark on the bookmarks toolbar. Right click on it, and select Delete.

more options

Thanks, Fred for taking the time to reply. Unfortunately it is not a bookmark issue. The bug in question opens a new tab each time I start up Firefox into my Home Page. The image I attached to my last message may not be very clear, but it does actually create a new tab to the Criteo web site each time I open Firefox. I am still at a loss. R

more options

Type about:preferences#general<enter> in the address bar.

There are two settings;

  • When Firefox Starts

When the browser is started, what do you want to display. Many of us choose Show My Home Page.

  • Home Page

When a new page is opened, what do you want displayed.

  1. Use Current Page. Use what ever page(s) are open at that time.
  2. Use Bookmark
  3. Restore To Default. about:home shows a Mozilla home page with tools.

You can use any of these that you wish;

about:home (Firefox default home page), about:newtab (shows the sites most visited), about:blank (a blank page),

or you can enter any webpage or about: page you want.

more options

Thank you, Fred. Just for the information of anyone who was in any way interested in this silly saga, I will explain what happened, which, by the way, your response led me to.

I had chosen the Current Page as my home page, but when I checked the web address for the current page, it actually contained two web addresses - the one I wanted and the other offending one from Criteo. I have no idea why that happened, but regardless, when Firefox opened my Home Page selection, it also opened another tab with the Criteo web page. Go figure!!

Thank you all for your help. R

more options

Chosen Solution

Hello,

I am glad to hear that your problem has been resolved. If you haven't already, please select the answer that solves the problem. This will help other users with similar problems find the solution more easily.

Thank you for contacting Mozilla Support.