Can this be done?

help_me

While browsing through my internet history I found a specific link to a video from an unsavory site that someone in my family was not supposed to be looking at. When I looked at the properties of the I guess you'd say page it said that it had been viewed four times. When I questioned the family member who had been on the internet at that time they said that they did not view it at all but recieved some pop ups that they deleted right away. The times of the viewed sites were all very close to one another. My question is: How can I tell from the information in my internet history wether the site was a pop up or was directly clicked and viewed? Also I guess, any comments would be appreciated.
PS I am using internet explorer.

TheSmJ

Chances are that if the video itself was over 500K in size, it was not spawned by a pop-up.

To be honest, I'd give my parents the same excuse if they cared to question me on it, and I personally wouldn't believe it for a second.

I'm happy to hear you at least looked into the possibility of him being honest before you laid the beat down on him, though.

help_me

Thank you for responding. Is there anyway to find out more information about IE history files. Like how their appearance and file type and detailed address could give more clues into the way the media was accessed?

TheSmJ

If the URL is linking to the movie file directly (IE http://blahblahblah.com/blah/pr0n.AVI, not .html) then I'd be 95% sure it's not from a pop-up ad. If the URL links to a web page (.html) and the page looks like it's made to load into a box about the size of the average pop-up, then it's from a pop-up ad. If it's fitting the whole screen, it's not.

You could PM me the URL and I'll let you know what it's from (and how I figured it out) if you like. Don't worry, I've seen it all and nothing shocks me anymore.

help_me

TheSmJ wrote:

If the URL is linking to the movie file directly (IE http://blahblahblah.com/blah/pr0n.AVI, not .html) then I'd be 95% sure it's not from a pop-up ad. If the URL links to a web page (.html) and the page looks like it's made to load into a box about the size of the average pop-up, then it's from a pop-up ad. If it's fitting the whole screen, it's not.

You could PM me the URL and I'll let you know what it's from (and how I figured it out) if you like. Don't worry, I've seen it all and nothing shocks me anymore.

I erased everything so I don't have the addy any longer. What made me believe it was a pop up was the fact that their were several within the same minute (over 30 min total unsavory content) but the movies (which after clicking and closing after seeing what they were) may have been short. The URL ended in a .wmv if that helps which also lead me to believe that it was not a pop up as aren't those files generally viewed in a Windows Media Player?

TheSmJ

aren't those files generally viewed in a Windows Media Player?

Yup. Again, I seriously doubt they were from pop-ups.

BTW, I hate to throw my opinion in like this, but you'll never stop the kid from looking at porn. He knows it's there, and there are a TON of easy ways to get it without you knowing unless you're looking over his shoulder ALL the time.

help_me

TheSmJ wrote:

Yup. Again, I seriously doubt they were from pop-ups.

BTW, I hate to throw my opinion in like this, but you'll never stop the kid from looking at porn. He knows it's there, and there are a TON of easy ways to get it without you knowing unless you're looking over his shoulder ALL the time.

I wish it were as easy as a kid. It's my husband who appears to have visited it. WHILE he was on his cell phone to me. Then lied (maybe, probably).

MAGIC

Theres software out there that can monitor and log computer use if your looking to confront the issue with some evidence...

help_me

' wrote:

[V][AGIC']Theres software out there that can monitor and log computer use if your looking to confront the issue with some evidence...

Although I am tempted to use such software, I'd rather he be honest with me. I think I will refrain from it unless an absolute last resort.

bothered

I think you'll find most males look at this stuff. It's a hormone thing, and usually harmless.

shwaip

You've deleted it. See if it comes back again. If it does, ask him with the evidence. Also, do you have children that could have been getting the porn, rather than your husband?

As for whether or not it was a popup...not that I would know about this or anything (looks around)...but most free porn sites don't have really large videos - just a bunch of 30s clips. Not that I look at that sort of thing. Really.

You might try searching your computer for *.mpeg *.wmv *.avi . Those will turn up pretty much any video file that's on your computer...open them up for second and see what they are.

bothered wrote:

I think you'll find most males look at this stuff. It's a hormone thing, and usually harmless.

I agree with bothered - except that he shouldn't lie to you about it.

Tex

shwaip wrote:

I agree with bothered - except that he shouldn't lie to you about it.

He should'nt HAVE to lie about it is the problem.

Unless its kiddie porn or homosexual or something really twisted just let it go. Its not that big a deal. Its not going to lead to incest with the family dog. Unless he is buying you leather bra's and wanting to spank your butt it's best to just let it ride and NOT make a huge deal out of it. It's NOT going to help your relationship in any way to raise a stink about some porn movie you found in his internet history.

If it's gay guys or something yes you have a problem and it extends way way beyond what he is viewing on the internet when your not around. And watching his internet history is the least of your problems.

Tex

Mt_Goat

Tex wrote:

..... Unless he is buying you leather bra's and wanting to spank your butt it's best to just let it ride and NOT make a huge deal out of it. .....Tex

Hey, wait a minute! My wife likes to buy me leather bras and have her butt spanked. Does that make me twisted?


...... Wait a minute, did that come out wrong?


help_me

I'm with Tex and sir bothered and think that it's not abnormal for a guy to want to look at porn but also do beleive he shouldn't have to lie about it. If he feels that he has to lie about it then there is either something wrong with part of the relationship (as all relationships are rooted in trust and without it are nothing) or maybe he just feels uncomfortable discussing it with you. I like the wait and see approach. Then if you find it again weild the evidence as your offence.


Edit:

Wow, I just realized that the 3 old wise men have now spoken.

Tex

mtgoat wrote:

Hey, wait a minute! My wife likes to buy me leather bras and have her butt spanked.

You in a leather bra spanking your wifes butt is a visual image I could of lived a lifetime without goat.

Tex

Thrax

I feel like the pot's calling the kettle black, weighing in on this issue as a male and all.. But unless you notice other, dire signs, I'd let it go. Men and women alike, even when married, often use pornographic material to enhance sex lives by way of providing an outlet for fantasizing and experimentation.

However, lying to you about it was not exactly a choice decision.

As for the files, the most you can do is check the temporary internet files from time to time. Also search for any one file bigger than 200mb, as it's possible he zipped it up, stashed it somewhere, and renamed the extension.. Lord knows that's a pretty common tactic to hide that stuff.

primesuspect

Let's stick to the technical aspects of this thread, because people have many and varied reasons for not wanting their spouses to look at pornography, ranging from personal beliefs to religious strictures, cultural sensitivities, past issues, etc. It's not our business to interject our opinions on whether or not she should support her man looking at porn.

Tex

We are talking about an adult and his rights not a child.

Sorry but I do not agree she has any inherant right to police his internet activity. Nor do I think we should assist her in monitoring another adults internet activities.

They may have other problems in their mutual beliefs etc.. Thats THEIR problem.

But I am not in any way wanting to promote an adult being sactioned on their internet activites.

It was one thing when this thread was sorta geared to an adult monitoring a minor. Which was what we all thought was going on when she said "they were visiting sites they are not supposed to visit". SAY WHAT?

Trying to help her spy on and monitor her husbands internet activity and search through his files is a violation of his privacy. If it's illegal activity.... kiddie porn or something then I agree. It effects her also since they share a computer.

But from whats been presented to this point this is just wrong on so many levels.

And I still say its to bad he felt he HAD to lie about it. That should be a warning about their relationship in the first place. He shouldnt be made to feel ashamed enough to lie about something like this.

Tex

primesuspect

Right, but we're not talking about this dude's rights - we're offering technical advice for a user who asked a technical question. She never asked for our opinions on how any of us felt about the issue.

tefleming

But it is a valid answer to her request to suggest that the best solution to the problem that she posted isn't technology-based.

It is also valid for us to refuse to give her technical know-how to conduct an activity which is at best of questionable morality. What if she had the same question and they were on separate computers, that would of course be immoral and potentially even illegal and you'd lock her thread.

The consensus seems to be that she needs to talk to her husband about this in an honest and non-judgmental manner.

//EDIT: for grammar

Tex

So if lets just say... A poster asks a technical software question.... How to write a piece of code.....and in the course of more posting we find he intends to use the answers we posted to create a worm to monitor others surfing or files downloaded... we can't comment?

This is a pretty fine line we are walking here.

I think when we are posting information that invades on another adults privacy we should be able to post our opinion and advice just as we did when we posted HOW TO MONITOR another ADULTS internet activity. If they didnt share a computer it would be illegal much less immoral. Which would be worse? Him viewing the porn and lieing or her spying on him and searching through his files? Pretty much a toss up.

We tried to suggest it wasnt a huge problem and not to blow it out of proportion is all. No one is trying to make moral judgements or judge what is or isnt lacking in their relationship. We simply suggested it maybe wasnt that serious. Probably teh vast majority of men with internet access has at one time or another viewed it. Certainly not worth jacking up an otherwise sound relationship.

Many women wouldn't have a group of worldy and savy men like us to bounce the question off of without being embarassed.

Speaking of "Em Bare Assed" I keep having flash backs to Mr. Goat in the leather bra spanking his wife now and my eyes are burning.

I would be a lot more alarmed if I was her and she found he was in chat room trying to pick up chicks pretending he was single.

Tex

ryko

primesuspect wrote:

Let's stick to the technical aspects of this thread, because people have many and varied reasons for not wanting their spouses to look at pornography, ranging from personal beliefs to religious strictures, cultural sensitivities, past issues, etc. It's not our business to interject our opinions on whether or not she should support her man looking at porn.

why not? i thought we were allowed to express our opinions here...

i agree with everybody here in that he shouldn't have lied to you about it, but he might just have been embarrassed. also keep in mind that if you decide to confront him in a negative manner, he will probably start going to more extreme lengths to hide things from you like deleting his internet history and temp files, using removable media, renaming extensions, etc...

anyway, my personal opinion is that you two should be watching it together. great way to get some new ideas, and it's always fun to experiment!

primesuspect

I agree with many of your points (both tex and tefleming), but there is an easy answer: if you morally object to what the user is asking (and the post doesn't break any rules, as this one doesn't), then simply don't offer advice. If she came in asking how to write a trojan, that would be against the rules and the post would be removed. But say a church IT director comes in here and wants to know how to filter MTV.com from their network, you may morally object to that - so don't offer any advice. It doesn't break any rules, though.

The only point I was trying to make is this: Try to understand that she may not hold the same cultural, spiritual, or moral beliefs as you, and yet there has been more moral advice given than technical in this thread. That's all I'm trying to say. I'm not policing the thread or deleting any posts or banning anybody - I'm just trying to help everyone appreciate that there could be a lot more to the story than you know.

help_me

I think this thread did get drivin a little off topic. My issue initially and ultimately is a technical one. I simply want to learn more about my internet history files so that I may better monitor what content is being viewed on my computor. My or any one else's opinion of what is acceptable content isn't technical so I shall refrain from mentioning anything not technical any further. I simply seek information on better understanding the file types that are contained in my internet history folder so that I may better know how my internet is being used while I'm away from the desk. Simply from a virus protection standpoint it is important to know what files one has on their computor and where they come from.

bothered

http://filext.com/
Or even better.
http://www.computeruser.com/resources/dictionary/filetypes.html