Traffic Junky ads: what the network is and when to worry
TrafficJunky is an advertising network owned by Aylo that places banners and pop-unders on adult sites; it is not a virus and installs nothing. If ads and redirects follow you to every site, the cause is adware or an extension on your device, and the steps below tell you which.
Facts checked October 14, 2026. Removal steps tested on Windows 11 (26H2) and checked against Microsoft's and the browser makers' current documentation.
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Traffic Junky ads: summary
| Type | Advertising network owned by Aylo, not malware; ads and pop-unders that it places can be unwanted, and adware can inject ads of its own |
|---|---|
| Risk | Low for the network's own site, medium for what can sit behind an ad: scam pages, unwanted adult content and adware that injects ads |
| Symptoms | "Ads by Traffic Junky" banners, pop-unders and new tabs on adult and video sites; ads on every site, a changed home page or redirects when adware is involved |
| How to get rid of it | Nothing to remove for the network. If ads follow you everywhere: uninstall recent unknown programs, scan with Microsoft Defender (full and offline), reset the browser |
| Our check (6 October 2026) | Registry records, name servers and three plain requests from one location; no page with ads was loaded and nothing was clicked, so one visit does not clear any ad |
| Running since | Company founded 2008 in Montreal; trafficjunky.com registered 8 August 2001, trafficjunky.net 16 June 2008 |
| Removal | Scan the PC with security software to find and remove the malware and anything installed with it. Fortect scans Windows for malware and repairs the system files and settings it damaged. Remove it nowTo use the full-featured product, you have to purchase a license for Fortect. The scan is free. |
Show 12 more facts
| First reported by us | 5 May 2021 |
|---|---|
| Installed on the PC | Nothing from the network; a program, extension or app must be installed to inject ads |
| Detection | Microsoft Defender: nothing is installed by the network, so there is no detection name to report; adware that injects ads has its own names |
| Distribution | Ads on websites; bundled free software, third-party installers and doubtful downloads for the adware |
| Evidence | The .com and .net registry records, the network's Rules & Regulations and "Who we are" pages, Wikipedia on Aylo, Adweek, our 2021 report |
| Name | Traffic Junky |
| Domains | trafficjunky.com |
| Ads shown as | Redirects through ad pages |
| Browsers | Chrome, Edge and Firefox |
| First seen | 5 May 2021 |
| Damage | Redirects to scam pages, fake updates and tech support scams |
| Facts checked | 6 October 2026 |
Facts checked on 6 October 2026 against the .com and .net registry records (RDAP), name lookups and three plain requests from one location, the network's own rules and company pages, Wikipedia and Adweek; no page carrying ads was loaded, no ad was clicked and no computer was examined.
What TrafficJunky is, and where its ads appear
TrafficJunky is an advertising network, not a program and not a virus. Advertisers buy space on it, and the ads it places are shown on websites, mostly adult ones. If you see "Ads by Traffic Junky" on a page, that page is showing an ad it was sent. Nothing is installed on your computer by that, and the test below shows how to tell when something is.
- What it is
- An online advertising network for adult sites. Its own pages call it an "Adult CPM Advertising Network" where advertisers buy traffic, and describe it as "an innovative web advertising and digital marketing company founded in 2008 in Montreal, Canada"
- Owner
- Aylo. Wikipedia says Aylo owns TrafficJunky, and the network's Rules & Regulations of 23 July 2026 define "TrafficJunky" as "Aylo Freesites Ltd." Adweek described it earlier as the ad network of MindGeek, the company that runs Pornhub and RedTube
- Where its ads run
- The network's own sites, which the rules list as Pornhub, RedTube, Tube8 and YouPorn, plus a run-of-network option and a pop-under format
- Domains
- trafficjunky.com (registered 8 August 2001) and trafficjunky.net (registered 16 June 2008). Both have the same eight name servers
- Who is responsible for an ad
- The advertiser who bought it. Under the network's rules, every ad is "subject to an approval process" and landing pages must open in a new window or tab
The old report called TrafficJunky "a legitimate advertisement service that might be abused by adware apps". The first half stands: it is a real, registered company with a published rule book. The second half needs to be said more carefully. The ads on adult sites are sent by the network. Ads on sites that never had them, or ads that follow you everywhere, are a different thing: a program or extension on your computer, and the removal steps deal with that.
Our 2021 report said that the ads show up mostly as banners and are especially common on adult sites such as Pornhub, with pop-ups, pop-unders, in-text links and full-page ads showing up sometimes. That matches the formats the network lists today (banners, in-player and footer spots, interstitials, a pre-roll video and the pop-under). The report also pointed out that on a phone, a page that shifts while it loads can make you tap an ad by accident. That is still true, and it is why a stray tap is not proof of an infection.
Traffic junkie, traffic junkies, trafic junky: the same name?
Traffic junkie, traffic junkies, trafic junky and traffic junkey are, in our reading, misspellings of TrafficJunky, the advertising network owned by Aylo.
We found no separate program, virus or company under these spellings. People most likely type them after seeing the name in an ad label or a browser status bar.
None of these spellings names malware. TrafficJunky is an ad network: it places banners and pop-unders on adult and video sites and installs nothing on your device. Whatever you searched, the same answer applies. The network itself is not a virus, and the page above explains what it does and who owns it.
If you searched because ads or new tabs appear on every site, the network is probably not the cause. Adware or a browser extension on your computer or phone injects such ads, and it can show the name of an ad network even when the network never sent it. Our reading, not a measured result.
To act on it, do not search for a file with one of these names, because there is none to delete. Instead uninstall recent programs you do not recognise, run a full Microsoft Defender scan and an offline scan, and reset the browser. The removal steps in this guide cover each one in order.
On an iPhone or Android phone the same spellings lead to the same answer. A tap on an ad does not install the network. Clear Safari history and website data on an iPhone, or remove unused apps on Android, if pop-ups continue. The phone section of this guide gives the menu paths from Apple and Google.
Is Traffic Junky ads dangerous?
What we checked on 6 October 2026
TrafficJunky's addresses are an ad network's, and a plain page request cannot show what a program on your computer does to your browser. We looked at the registry records, the name servers and the answers of three addresses from one location on one day, and we did not load an adult site to count its ads. A network like this chooses its ads by country, device and visitor, so one visit shows little.
trafficjunky.com, trafficjunky.net and ads.trafficjunky.net · one location in Lithuania · 6 October 2026
- Registrationtrafficjunky.com has been registered since 8 August 2001, paid to 8 August 2027, through EuroDNS S.A., with a transfer lock. trafficjunky.net has been registered since 16 June 2008, paid to 16 June 2027. Both records were last changed on 18 June 2025.
- Name serversBoth names use the same eight name servers: four from Amazon Route 53 (awsdns) and four from UltraDNS.
- The company's sitehttps://www.trafficjunky.com/ answered 200 and trafficjunky.com redirected to it (301). The page is a sign-up page for advertisers. Its address list loads scripts from Google (analytics, sign-in), Reddit's pixel host and its own asset host, and the plain page text contains no service worker and no notification request.
- ads.trafficjunky.netAnswered 200 with an empty body (content length 0) from an OpenResty server. That fits an address that hands out ad requests, not pages to read. It did not redirect us anywhere.
- What we did not testWe did not open a page that carries these ads, did not click an ad or a pop-under, did not run the page in a real browser with a second visit, and did not look at any computer. A pop-under or an ad landing page is the advertiser's, and it is chosen by country, device and history.
A registered ad network on this one visit The company's own site and its ad address showed nothing wrong on this one visit, which tells you little about the ads placed through it or about adware on a computer. A quiet test does not clear an ad, a pop-up or a program.
TrafficJunky over the years
8 August 2001
trafficjunky.com is registered
The .com registry record gives this date. The company itself says it was founded in 2008, so the name was registered several years before the network.
2008
The company is founded in Montreal
TrafficJunky's "Who we are" page says it was founded in 2008 in Montreal, Canada. The trafficjunky.net name was registered on 16 June 2008.
24 February 2017
The advertiser dashboard in our picture
Our 2021 report used a picture of an advertiser's campaign page whose date range ends on 24 February 2017, next to a list of the network's "Internal Products" (tube sites). It shows what advertisers see, not what a reader sees.
The advertiser dashboard and the list of the network's own sites as our 2021 report showed them; the date range on the dashboard is 25 January to 24 February 2017. 5 May 2021
Our report is published
We published "Traffic Junky" for readers who saw "Ads by Traffic Junky" on pages and feared a virus. The report mixed two cases, ads placed by the network and ads injected by adware.
An illustration from our May 2021 report: many windows loading at once. It is a drawing, not a screenshot of an infection. 23 July 2026
The rules are last updated
The network's Rules & Regulations page carries this date. It now includes a section on safe-for-work placements and age-verification jurisdictions, and forbids malvertising, scareware and tech-support campaigns in pop-unders.
Signs that adware is behind the ads
Our 2021 report listed these as the effects of adware that shows ads of this kind. Any one of them alone can have another cause; several together are worth acting on.
What adware does to a browser
- Banners and coupons on pages that had none
- Pop-ups and pop-unders that open by themselves
- Video and audio ads that start on their own
- In-text links and full-page ads
- Redirects to questionable sites
- Ads on every site you visit
These match the list in our 2021 report. We did not test any particular program for this guide.
Browsers the old report named
- Google Chrome
- Mozilla Firefox
- Safari
- Opera
- Microsoft Edge
The old report also listed Internet Explorer. Microsoft retired it on 15 June 2022, so it is not covered here.
What can actually go wrong
The old report said ads like these can lead to scams, malware and a leak of personal data, and that adware can collect information about you. Here are the risks with a level, from most serious to least.
- High
A scam or malware page behind an ad
Fake alerts, fake updates and prize pages come from advertisers or from adware. Our 2021 report said that readers lost money, installed unwanted programs or gave information to criminals. The network's rules forbid this type of ad and say it bans the advertiser, but a page that tells you to call a number or install a tool is dangerous whoever sent it. Close it.
- Medium
Adware that collects what you do
Security people warn that adware can gather information about you; the old report said it uses tracking technologies such as JavaScript and beacons. We could not verify what any particular program collects.
- Medium
Ads you did not want on your screen
The network sells adult ads, and the old report noted that some of them show inappropriate, X-rated content. That is a risk for a shared or work computer, and for anyone who did not ask to see it. A content blocker or leaving the page is the fix.
- Low
Accidental taps on a phone
A page that shifts while it loads can put an ad under your finger. Go back and close the tab.
- Low
A "Traffic Junky virus" that does not exist
People call it a virus because of the redirects. The network is not a program, and the real cause of ads on every site is adware that arrived with other software.
What our 2021 report said adware can collect
- IP address
- Geolocation
- Websites visited
- Links clicked
- Bookmarks
- Cookies
The list is from the old report; we have not confirmed it for any named program.
How Traffic Junky ads got into your browser
Our 2021 report said that adware lives off advertising money and so uses whatever way gets it onto a computer without being noticed. The most common way it described is software bundling, and that is still the route we see.
| Route | What you would see | How to check |
|---|---|---|
| Free software with extras (bundling) | Ads on every site, a changed search engine or home page, a program you cannot remember installing | Settings > Apps > Installed apps, sorted by install date |
| Downloads from third-party installer sites | The same, often with a toolbar or a "system optimiser" you did not ask for | Check the Downloads folder and the installed-apps list for the day the ads began |
| A questionable link or ad that you clicked | A download, a new extension or a fake update prompt | chrome://extensions, edge://extensions, about:addons, Safari Settings > Extensions |
| A phone app | Pop-ups and redirects in the browser or outside it | Phone Settings > Apps, newest first |
- 1
Read the installer, not only the first screen
Third-party apps such as add-ons, plug-ins, toolbars and extensions that come with free software must ask you before they are installed. If one was installed, the question was probably hidden in a screen marked Quick or Recommended. Choose Advanced or Custom setup instead and read each page.
- 2
Untick the optional extras
Remove the tick next to toolbars, add-ons, system-optimisation tools, media players and similar offers. The old report said bundles rarely carry anything useful, because their authors want quick money and do not spend on advertising their own program.
- 3
Skip third-party download sites
The old report named Softonic, InstallRex, Soft32 and Cnet as installer sites that often promote unwanted programs. We did not check what each one offers today; take software from its maker's site or from the Microsoft Store.
- 4
Read a review first
Before you install an unfamiliar free program, look for reviews that mention the extras it adds. A program with none, or that only has reviews on its own site, is a reason to look further.
Check your browser and PC
What the network says it forbids
The old report said TrafficJunky's ads had delivered scams and malware, and that site owners did not want to be linked to that. The network's own rules page answers both parts: it forbids these ads, and it says what happens to advertisers who run them.
| Ad type or practice | What the rules say | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| Malvertising, scareware, misleading and fear-mongering ads | Listed as not allowed in pop-unders | A pop-up that says your computer is infected is against the network's own rules; close it and do not call a number |
| Tech-support campaigns and malicious JavaScript | Campaigns are terminated without refund, the advertiser is banned and refund requests are void | The network says it removes advertisers who do this; we could not check how fast, or how often it happens |
| Antivirus and VPN download ads | Antivirus campaigns are not allowed in pop-unders; VPN ads may not use warning signs, auto-download or claims that the network's site spies on you | An ad that says your device needs a security update and starts a download is not one the network accepts |
| Back-button hijack, timed redirects, JavaScript alerts and exit pops | Not allowed in pop-unders | A page that will not let you go back, or that opens a new window after a delay, is not behaving as the rules require |
| Ads that resemble system warnings or request notifications | Listed under Chrome's "Abusive Ad Experience" as forbidden | Our test found no notification request on the company's own site |
| Landing pages | "Each landing page must open in a new browser window/tab" | A page that replaces the one you were on, without a click, is not what the rules describe |
The rules also say that the network may pause any ad that affects its sites and that it can refuse an ad, whatever is provided for it. A rule book shows what the network says it wants, not what an advertiser or an adware program does. If an ad on any site breaks these rules, the person to tell is the site you saw it on, and the network has a contact form on its site.
An ad from the network, or adware on your computer?
The old report said some of these ads lead to harmless sites and some to scams, inappropriate pages or malware, and that persistent ads on every site you visit point to adware. Use this table before you uninstall anything.
| What you see | Most likely | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| A banner marked "Ads by Traffic Junky" on an adult site, a video site or a site that sells ad space | An ad the site was sent by the network | Nothing is installed. Leave the page or use a content blocker (see the section on blockers) |
| A new tab or window that opens behind the page you were on, with a different site in it | A pop-under: the format the network sells, or one placed by another network or by adware | Close it. If it happens on sites that never did this, follow the removal steps below |
| Ads, banners or pop-ups on every site, including ones that never had ads | An extension or program injecting ads | Follow the removal plan and the browser steps |
| Your home page, new tab page or search engine changed, toolbars or bookmarks you did not add | A browser hijacker, usually bundled with other software | Reset the browser, then check the search engine |
| Redirects to deals, coupons or sites you did not ask for | A site's own redirect, or adware | Test on a second browser or device; if only one browser does it, reset that browser |
| A fake alert, a phone number, or a download you did not start | A scam page behind an ad | Close the browser, never call, follow the "If the ads keep coming" steps |
| One accidental tap on an ad while a page was still loading | A normal ad that shifted under your finger | Go back and close the tab; nothing is installed by that tap alone |
How to remove Traffic Junky ads
How to stop the Traffic Junky redirects
Work in this order and test a few links after each step, so you know which one was the cause.
Which browser shows the ads?
Set another search engine
Open Settings > Search engine, click Change next to the search engine used in the address bar and pick the one you want. Then open Manage search engines and site search and delete any entry you did not add.
Remove extensions you do not recognise
Paste
chrome://extensionsinto the address bar and click Remove on anything you did not install yourself, especially "search" or PDF helpers added recently.Full procedure with screenshots: Remove a browser extension
Clear the site data
Press Ctrl + Shift + Delete, choose All time, tick Cookies and other site data and Cached images and files, and click Delete data.
Reset Chrome
Open Settings > Reset settings > Restore settings to their original defaults and confirm with Reset settings. This resets the start page, search engine and pinned tabs and turns off extensions; bookmarks and saved passwords stay.
Full procedure with screenshots: Reset a browser and fix a hijacked search engine
Set another search engine
Open Settings > Privacy, search, and services > Address bar and search and choose the search engine used in the address bar. Check Manage search engines for entries you did not add.
Remove extensions you do not recognise
Paste
edge://extensionsinto the address bar and click Remove under anything you did not install yourself.Full procedure with screenshots: Remove a browser extension
Clear the site data
Open Settings > Privacy, search, and services > Delete browsing data > Choose what to clear, set All time, tick Cookies and other site data and Cached images and files, and click Clear now.
Reset Edge
Open Settings > Reset settings > Restore settings to their default values and confirm with Reset. Extensions are turned off and the start page goes back to default; favourites, history and saved passwords stay.
Full procedure with screenshots: Reset a browser and fix a hijacked search engine
Set another search engine
Open Settings > Search and pick another engine under Default Search Engine. Under Search Shortcuts, remove any entry you did not add.
Remove add-ons you do not recognise
Paste
about:addonsinto the address bar, open Extensions, and choose Remove from the three-dot menu of anything you did not install yourself.Full procedure with screenshots: Remove a browser extension
Clear cookies and site data
Open Settings > Privacy & Security > Cookies and Site Data > Clear Data, tick both boxes and click Clear.
Refresh Firefox
Open the menu > Help > More troubleshooting information and click Refresh Firefox. Add-ons and custom settings are removed and the home page goes back to default; bookmarks, history and passwords stay.
Full procedure with screenshots: Reset a browser and fix a hijacked search engine
Set the homepage and search engine you want
Open Safari > Settings > General, type your own address in the Homepage field (for example
google.com), then click another tab of the Settings window, such as Passwords or Privacy, and go back to General to check that it stuck (the old report did this to stop Safari undoing the change; we could not confirm that it is still needed). Then open Search and choose a Search engine you recognise.Switch the extensions off, then on again one by one
In Safari > Settings > Extensions, untick every extension and see whether the redirects stop. If they do, tick them one at a time until they return: the last one is the culprit. Select it and click Uninstall.
Clear the site data
In Safari > Settings > Privacy > Manage Website Data, remove the site's data, or use History > Clear History > all history. To empty the cache as well, turn on Show features for web developers in Settings > Advanced and choose Develop > Empty Caches.
Look for a profile you did not install
Open System Settings > General > Device Management (on macOS 12 and earlier: System Preferences > Profiles). A profile left behind by an adware app can keep a search provider in place after the app is gone. Select a profile you do not recognise and click the minus (-) button to remove it. Then use Finder > Applications and System Settings > General > Login Items & Extensions to remove unknown apps and items. Then use Go > Go to Folder to check
/Library/LaunchAgents,~/Library/LaunchAgents,/Library/LaunchDaemonsand/Library/Application Supportfor folders with the same unknown names.
Then, whichever browser you use
Step 1: Scan the PC if you downloaded anything from the ads
If you only saw the notifications and clicked nothing, you can stop before this step. If a notification led you to download or run something, delete that file, then scan Windows.
In Windows Security > Virus & threat protection > Scan options, run a Full scan, then choose Microsoft Defender Antivirus (offline scan) and Scan now. The offline scan restarts the PC and takes about 15 minutes on Windows 11 and Windows 10.
Windows 11: Windows Security > Virus & threat protection > Scan options. Full procedure with screenshots: Run a Microsoft Defender Offline scan
After removal: keep the ads from coming back
Ads embedded in a page: block them or leave
Some ads are simply part of the page you opened, and removing a program will not touch them. The old report said there are two ways out: leave the page or use an ad-blocking extension.
| Option | What it does | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Leave the page | Ends the ads from that site | Works every time, and costs the content you came for |
| An ad-blocking extension | Hides ads on the sites you open | Some sites refuse visitors who run one, and some parts of a page can break; it also takes away the income of the people who make the content |
| Do nothing and close the pop-under | Costs a few seconds | Fine for an ad that only appears on an adult or video site |
The old report called ad blockers a great tool against overly intrusive and malicious ads that can be met almost anywhere. We agree with that for malicious ads: they cut the chance that a bad advertiser reaches you. Install one from your browser's own store and keep one only, since several at once slow pages and conflict. The network's rules list "the promotion of ad-blockers" among the things advertisers may not advertise on it, so you will not see a blocker advertised there.
The old report also said that website developers whose pages carried these ads were appalled and did not want to be associated with the delivery system. The network's rules say a publisher may not ask users to click ads, and may not use "deceptive implementation methods to obtain clicks". If you run a site and your visitors complain about the ads you show, the ad network you chose is the first place to look.
Pop-ups on an iPhone or Android phone
Our 2021 report did not give phone steps, but ads of this kind are often tapped by accident on a phone. A phone has no Windows-style "installed program" to remove, so the steps are about the browser and the apps.
- 1
Delete apps you did not choose
On an iPhone, touch and hold an app you do not recognise and choose Remove App. On Android open Settings > Apps, pick the app and tap Uninstall, or Disable when there is no Uninstall button (Google Play Help covers both). Menu names differ by phone maker.
- 2
Clear Safari's history and website data
On an iPhone open Settings, tap Apps, select Safari, scroll down and tap Clear History and Website Data, then confirm the time range and tap Clear History. On iOS 17 and earlier, Safari has its own entry directly in Settings. Apple's page says this does not change your AutoFill information.
- 3
Clear Chrome's data on Android
Open Chrome, tap the three dots, Settings > Privacy and security > Delete browsing data, choose All time, tick Cookies and site data and Cached images and files, and tap Delete data. We did not test this on a phone.
- 4
Erase the phone only as a last resort
Our 2021 report ended with Settings > General > Erase All Contents. On an iPhone that menu is now Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Erase All Content and Settings. It removes everything, so make a backup first (Apple's page walks through it). Try the steps above first, and do this only when pop-ups remain after them.
If the ads keep coming: remove what causes them
The old report said the cure for adware is a full system scan, or a manual removal for readers with the time and some computer knowledge. The steps below do both. Close any page that asks you to call a number or type your password first.
- 1
Close the browser, not the page
Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager, select the browser and click End task. When you reopen it, choose not to restore the old tabs.
- 2
Uninstall what came with it
Open Settings > Apps > Installed apps in Windows 11 (Apps & features in Windows 10), sort by install date and uninstall anything installed on the day the ads began (Uninstall a program or app in Windows On uGetFix). Confirm the User Account Control prompt with Yes. On a Mac, drag unknown apps from Finder > Applications to the Bin, then check System Settings > General > Login Items & Extensions.
- 3
Scan, then scan offline
Open Windows Security > Virus & threat protection > Scan options, run a Full scan, then the Microsoft Defender Antivirus (offline scan), which finds programs that hide while Windows runs. The old report suggested a full scan with a security program because it is quick and needs no computer skills; the manual steps take more attention and do not stop the next unwanted program, so we put the scan first.
- 4
Reset the browser
Adware often changes the start page, search engine and extensions. Use the reset step for your browser above, then check the search engine once after a restart.
- 5
If you typed a password or paid
Change that password from a clean device and call your bank if you gave a card number or let someone connect to your computer.
How to keep it from happening again
Do
- Choose Custom or Advanced setup in installers, read the list and untick extra programs, extensions and pre-ticked search settings.
- Install programs from their makers' sites or the Microsoft Store, and extensions from your browser's own store. Update your software regularly.
- After installing free software, open the browser's search engine, home page and extensions pages once and check them.
- Keep Microsoft Defender SmartScreen on, or Chrome's Enhanced protection: both warn before known bad pages and downloads. Use the real provider of security software, so you do not pick up another unwanted program.
- Keep a current backup of your files (File History or OneDrive).
- On public networks, a VPN hides your IP address from the sites and ad networks you visit; it does not block ads or malware.
Don't
- Click through Default or Recommended setup without reading it.
- Download from file-sharing sites and doubtful download pages.
- Call a number shown in a browser alert, or enter your Windows or Microsoft password into it.
- Install a removal tool because a page about a domain name offered it; that is how people end up with the real adware.
Questions about Traffic Junky ads
What is TrafficJunky?
TrafficJunky is an online advertising network where advertisers buy adult-site traffic, and where the ads you see marked "Ads by Traffic Junky" come from. Its own pages say it was founded in 2008 in Montreal, and Wikipedia says its owner is Aylo, the company behind Pornhub and RedTube.
It is not a program, installs nothing on your computer and is not a virus. The ads it sells include banners, in-player and footer spots, interstitials, a pre-roll video and pop-unders.
If you see its name on a banner, a site was sent that ad. That is a different thing from adware on your computer, which shows ads on sites that never had them.
Is TrafficJunky a virus or malware?
No, TrafficJunky is an ad network and not a virus. People call it a "Traffic Junky virus" because of redirects and pop-unders that come with some ads, but the network is a company with registered domains and a published rule book, and it installs nothing.
The risk sits in what an advertiser puts behind an ad, and in adware that is already on your computer. The rules say malvertising, scareware and tech-support campaigns are forbidden and that advertisers who run them are banned.
Our test on 6 October 2026 found nothing wrong on the company's site on that one visit, which does not clear any ad. If ads follow you to sites that never had them, scan the computer.
Why do I see Ads by Traffic Junky on a site?
You see it because that site sells ad space through the network, and the network sent your browser an ad to show there. The label is part of the banner, not a sign that something is installed.
The network's own sites are Pornhub, RedTube, Tube8 and YouPorn according to its rules page, and our 2021 report found the ads mostly on adult sites. Ads on other sites can come from a site that is on the network's exchange.
If the ads show on pages that never had ads, or on every site, check the browser's extensions and the list of installed programs, because that pattern points to adware.
Who owns TrafficJunky?
TrafficJunky is owned by Aylo. Wikipedia says Aylo owns it, and the network's Rules & Regulations page, last updated 23 July 2026, defines "TrafficJunky" as "Aylo Freesites Ltd." Adweek described it earlier as the ad network of MindGeek, the parent of Pornhub and RedTube, and Wikipedia's Aylo page covers the company behind those names.
The domain trafficjunky.com was registered on 8 August 2001 and trafficjunky.net on 16 June 2008; the company says it was founded in 2008 in Montreal. We checked the registry records and the network's pages on 6 October 2026, not the company's accounts.
What is a pop-under, and is it from TrafficJunky?
A pop-under is a new window or tab that opens behind the page you are on, and the network does sell it as an ad format. Its rules list "Popunder" among the spots on Pornhub, RedTube, Tube8 and YouPorn, and say the advertiser supplies the landing page.
So a pop-under can be a normal ad from the network, or one from another network or from adware. The rules say pop-unders must not use scareware, fake alerts, timed redirects or back-button hijacking. If a pop-under tells you your computer is infected or asks you to call a number, close it; do not call.
How do I stop Traffic Junky ads?
You stop them by leaving the page, closing the pop-under, or using one content blocker, and by cleaning the computer if the ads follow you to every site.
A blocker hides ads on pages you open, but some sites refuse visitors who run one. If ads appear on sites that never had them, uninstall programs you did not choose (Windows 11:
- Settings > Apps > Installed apps)
- run a Full scan and a Microsoft Defender offline scan
- reset the browser
Our test did not cover blocking trafficjunky.com or trafficjunky.net, so we cannot say what blocking them does to a page.
What data can adware that shows these ads collect?
Our 2021 report listed the IP address, geolocation, websites visited, links clicked, bookmarks and cookies, and said advertisers usually gather them with JavaScript and beacons. We could not confirm this for any named program, so treat the list as what adware can collect, not as what the network does.
A normal ad on a page can also set a cookie that is used to choose what you see; that is the ordinary working of an ad network. Adware is different because it sits in your browser or on your computer and sees every site. Uninstall it and reset the browser to remove it.
Should I worry about an accidental tap on an ad on my phone?
No, an accidental tap alone is not an infection. Our 2021 report said that a page that shifts or loads can put an ad under your finger, and that is how most accidental taps happen. Go back and close the tab.
Do not install anything the next page offers and do not enter a password. If the phone then shows pop-ups outside the browser, open Settings > Apps, remove an app you did not choose and clear the browser's data. A phone is only at risk if you let an app or a profile in, so check the newest apps first.
Is it safe to visit TrafficJunky's website?
On our one visit on 6 October 2026, yes: www.trafficjunky.com answered 200, was an advertiser sign-up page, and its plain text had no notification request or service worker. We did not log in, sign up or click an ad, so we cannot speak for the account area, and a quiet test does not clear a site.
There is no reason for a reader to visit it, because the ads you see come from the advertisers, not from the company's site. If you are asked to type a password anywhere on the way, close the page.
Will Fortect remove Traffic Junky?
Fortect scans Windows for malware and unwanted programs and repairs the system files and settings they change, and its free scan shows what it finds on your PC before you decide anything.
For Traffic Junky, follow the plan above as well: the browser steps take back permissions and settings that no scanner treats as a threat, and uninstalling the program that brought it removes the source.
Run Microsoft Defender's full scan and, if anything was found, its offline scan as a second opinion. If the symptoms are gone after the plan and both scans are clean, there is nothing more to do.
Sources
- Verisign RDAP: trafficjunky.com registration record (read October 6, 2026)
- Verisign RDAP: trafficjunky.net registration record (read October 6, 2026)
- TrafficJunky: Rules & Regulations (last updated 23 July 2026) (read October 6, 2026)
- TrafficJunky: Who we are (read October 6, 2026)
- TrafficJunky: home page (read October 6, 2026)
- Wikipedia: Aylo (read October 6, 2026)
- Adweek: Pornhub's ad network has a demand-side platform (read October 6, 2026)
- Apple Support: Delete your Safari history, cache, and cookies on iPhone (read October 6, 2026)
- Apple Support: How to factory reset your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch (read October 6, 2026)
- Google Play Help: Delete, disable & manage unused apps on Android (no longer online) (read October 6, 2026)
- Microsoft Support: Virus and threat protection in the Windows Security app (read October 6, 2026)
- FTC: How to recognize, remove and avoid malware (read October 6, 2026)