How to stop video ads running

I opened the technet.microsoft home page yesterday for the first time and as soon as the site loaded a video starting running (automatically). It was an advertisement. It ate several MBs before I could close the URL. I did not click on a 'how-to' or 'get instructions here' page where one would expect to get a video. This was definitely an advertisement.

I have pop-ups disabled in my browser. It works for them but obviously not for video ads. If this is the new way advertisers are going to present themselves on websites, then I would like to have something that will stop the videos from running automatically when the URL opens. Some websites are bandwidth heavy and that is OK if the content is useful, but video ads make them heavy at the users expense.

Does anyone know of a something that I as a user can implement to stop this form of web advertising? I am prepared to change my default browser if there is a solution to be found in an option, extension or add-on. I also have SBIE if it can be utilized to do this (tho I would need help in configuring it).

 

im using FF with adblock plus and Flashblock addons.. i couldnt find that ad in this site
-http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/-

 

Flashblock for Firefox (&SeaMonkey) will not only block flash ads but will block Silverlight as well.

 

One measure that may help if you're using Firefox is to go into Tools, Options (or Edit, Preferences) and then click on Applications. Set as many of them as you think fit to "Always ask". It may solve issues with things running without your permission (and behind your back).

I haven't tested this with the site you mention since I have no need to visit that site.

 

And do mention the browser you use.

 

Yes, good point, remember that there is a Flashblock for Chrome/Iron as well.

 

Sorry guys, that should have been obvious. I use Chrome (latest version) as my default browser and the technet.microsoft.com website was the Canadian one, not the US one.

Will the Flashblock extension prevent the video from playing automatically or does it stop all flash on the website? I just want to zero in on these video ads not stop all flash on all websites. These video ads may get popular with advertisers and start appearing on other websites.

 

Ad Muncher

 

Adblock Plus for Chrome has this feature, it can block ads inside flash videos without blocking the whole video: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/cfhdojbkjhnklbpkdaibdccddilifddb

Flashblock would block the whole video. In fact, it would block near every flash element of webpages.

 

You can block the flash BHO by disabling Silverlight, use per-site cookie permissions
Spyware Blaster has an option to block Adobe Flash temporarily or forever.

 

Thx everyone for your recommendations.
I tried out the adblock plus extension this morning and reopened the offending website. There was a blank space where the video was. This is good.
Will also check out AdFender. Just noticed the post by another member in this section. An appl. appeals to me more than a chrome extension, even though this Adblock Plus did the job.

 

I disabled flash altogether. On those rare occasions when I want to play the video I simply enable it and refresh the page. Easy peasy.