Buzz
You are trying to access a file or website, but you are blocked by survey pages. Surveys are methods used by marketers to collect data, and many websites use them to make money. If you don't want to provide any information, you'll need to find a way to bypass these surveys. Sometimes, not completing the survey means you can't access the page you want, but it's still better than sharing personal information with an unfamiliar site.
Steps
Using NoScript
Install the NoScript extension. This tool blocks scripts running on websites. While it may not block all surveys, it is effective for many of them. This extension is available for free on Firefox, but not for Chrome.
- Click the Firefox icon, then go to the Add-ons section. Type 'NoScript' in the search box, and add the NoScript Security Suite to Firefox.
Block scripts to disable surveys. Depending on how the surveys are programmed, you can use NoScript to bypass them. When you load the page, a bar will appear at the bottom of the screen. Click on the Options menu to customize what should be blocked and bypassed.
- There’s no guarantee you can skip the survey with this method. If the file you are trying to access requires completing the survey, you won’t be able to reach it.
- Other script-blocking tools are available for Chrome, though they aren’t as powerful as NoScript on Firefox.
Use the Survey Removal Bookmarklet
Install the XJZ Survey Remover bookmarklet. This is a browser-based tool added via a bookmark. You visit a webpage with a survey, then click on the bookmark to remove the survey.
- You can find the XJZ bookmarklet on the developer’s website. This app is completely free. Simply drag and drop the link into your browser’s bookmark bar.
Access a survey page. When the survey appears, click on the XJZ Survey Remover bookmark. The website will be restructured, and if everything goes well, you’ll be able to access the content blocked by the survey.
- This tool only works with surveys blocking content. If the content you’re trying to access loads only after completing the survey, this method won’t work.
- You can also install the XJZ Survey Removal extension on your browser, though it will come at a small fee and may not be more effective than the bookmark app.
Extracting Links From the Site
Access the survey website on Google Chrome. You will need to install Chrome for the developer tools to function. This enables you to scan the links on the site, which will help you find the link you're looking for without having to complete the survey.
- This method works only when the download link or the site you need to access shares the same address as the survey site.
Right-click on the webpage. Select Inspect element. This will open the developer tools.
Open the "Console" tab. It is located at the top, on the opposite side of the developer window.
Paste the access URL into the console. Copy and paste the following code into the console and press Enter:
urls = $$('a'); for (url in urls) console.log ( urls[url].href );
Find the link you want. After running the command, you will see a list of links on the webpage. If the download link or page you need is also on this site, you can access it by clicking on the link.
- Links with the extensions . or .js are not download links, but lead to other elements of the website. You can ignore them.
Use Inspect Element
Access the survey website. You can use any browser to access the Inspect Element feature. This tool allows you to disable elements of the page, which could potentially block the survey.
Right-click on the survey page. Select "Inspect Element" from the menu bar. A development window will appear at the bottom of your browser. As you hover over the page, you will see various elements highlighted on the screen.
Search for the terms “survey” and “overlay”. As you highlight different parts of the screen, look for the words “survey” and “overlay” in the code. These are the elements preventing you from accessing the content you need.
Copy the found section into the console. Copy and paste the following code into the console and press Enter. urls = $$('a'); for (url in urls) console.log ( urls[url].href );
Repeat the steps above for all survey elements. In addition to automatically removing the survey, you will need to remove the overlay that is blocking your access to the underlying content. Removing this overlay makes the webpage "lighter" and allows you to access the hidden content.
- Removing the overlay may cause your scroll bar to disappear. You can use your mouse scroll wheel to continue working.
Use Fake Information
Find a source for fake information. If you are unable to figure out how to access the content, or if the website is programmed to require you to complete the survey, you can use fake information to fill out the survey.
- One of the most popular websites for this is FakeNameGenerator.com, which allows you to create a complete fake identity, including a name, phone number, address, occupation, and more.
Create an identity. Gather all the information you need to fill out the survey.
Fill out the survey with fake information. If you need an email address for verification, create a free account, then you can access your inbox and try the links sent to you.
Advice
- You can search for extensions or add-ons for Google Chrome, Firefox, or Internet Explorer to compare features. Most of these are only effective in certain cases, as survey websites are often specially programmed to counteract survey bypass tools.
Warning
- If you are asked to complete a survey to download content, as opposed to just covering up content, tools will not be able to bypass the survey in this case.
- Be cautious when downloading browser extensions and add-ons, as you may accidentally download harmful software for your computer.
- On some websites, if you attempt to remove the current survey, a dialog box with the message "Survey Bypass Detected" will appear.
