Android: A disturbing trend is afoot: ads popping up on Android device's notification area, even when you aren't using the originating apps. The Tested blog reveals your options for tracking down those apps and opting out of the ads from at least one ad server.


AirPush and SlingLabs are two companies that are enabling app developers to place these intrusive and insidious ads in your notification bar. One of the biggest problems, Tested shows, is that you may click on the ad out of confusion, thinking it is a notification when really it's an ad that will lead you to a Market app to buy or an ad web page.

If you don't want to receive these notification ads, you'll need to find out which apps on your device are serving them by trying to figure it out from the referral URL of the ad page or, for AirPush, you can download a free app called AirPush Detector that will find out which apps have AirPush enabled. AirPush also has an opt-out page where you can download an app to block the apps or enter your IMEI number to opt out of the ads.


Update: SlingLabs has an opt-out form where you can enter in your mobile number to be removed. (Thanks @cerebus_aRs!)

For more on this situation and other things you can do, check out the full post from Tested below.

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Ads in Android's Notifications Pane: Why It's Happening and What to Do | Tested

You can follow or contact Melanie Pinola, the author of this post, on Twitter.