You wake up one day, and decide to turn off your television. But, instead of going through the usual channels, like Sky or Netflix, to avoid the commercials, you find yourself trapped in “Speedway TV.” And it takes a while to realize that this isn’t a coincidence. The following information will guide you on how to turn off this mysterious phenomenon so that you can get back to living your life without having to worry about watching unnecessary commercials:
Check The Channels
The first step to turning off Speedway TV is to simply log off of any devices that are associated with streaming services. This will stop the auto-renewal process and prevent you from getting hit with another subscription charge (if you are charged at all). While you are at it, you can also change the channel associated with your TV provider, so that you aren’t constantly bombarded with commercials.
Consider Other Options
Nowadays, there are several different ways in which you can become a victim of Speedway TV. Perhaps the most insidious is through a device called a “skinny fast pipe,” which was initially designed to help people reduce their waistlines and increase their energy levels. But, as it turns out, these pipes make you an instant candidate for speedway tv, since they tend to speed up the TV signal, resulting in more commercials and pop-ups on your screen.
Use Your Apps
There are many different apps available for download from the Apple App Store and Google Play, which make it easy for you to turn off the ads and speed up the playback of your favorite TV shows and movies. For example, on Apple devices, you can use the Screen Cast app to record your screen, while on Google Play devices, you can use Google’s Screen recording app to do the same.
Install Pop-Up Blockers
If you are still using an old browser that doesn’t support advanced features, like pop-up blockers, you are essentially stuck with Speedway TV. Fortunately, there are several different plug-ins and extensions available that you can install in your browser, which will automatically block pop-ups and other potentially unwanted advertisements as you browse the web. Some popular ones are Pop Up Blocker, Adblock Plus, and Better than Adblock.
Use Your VPN To Log Off
If you already have a VPN connection set up on your device, you can use it to log off of any service and avoid Speedway TV altogether. You just have to remember to log off when you leave the house, since once you are connected, all network traffic, including that from streaming services, will be routed through the VPN. Be careful when using this option, since it wouldn’t be easy to reconnect to an unwanted service once you are logged off. Also, make sure that your VPN connection is up-to-date, since older versions are more susceptible to being hacked and giving away your personal information. VPNs can also slow down your connection, so if you are already experiencing slow speeds, it’s best to avoid using one altogether.
Avoid Free WiFi
If you regularly connect to free WiFi hotspots, you are likely to become a victim of speedway tv all the time. This is because WiFi hotspots, by their very nature, are open and accessible to anyone, which means that your signal can be received and redirected to any device at any time. To prevent this from happening to you, always choose a secured WiFi connection when available, or at least use a VPN to log off of any public WiFi hotspot that you are connected to. In some cases, you can also purchase a WiFi access key that will only work at certain locations and times (if, for example, you don’t want strangers to be able to access your WiFi connection at any time).
Delete Your Cookies
The internet loves cookies, and more and more people are falling victim to the tasty morsels, which are tracked by many sites and services. If you really want to be rid of Speedway TV, you can go through the motions of deleting your cookies as often as possible. However, this can be a major hassle, so if you aren’t tech-savvy enough to do this, you may end up with unnecessary pop-ups and advertisements on the sites that you visit. Instead of trying to remember to do this every couple of days, you can set your internet browser to automatically delete cookies whenever you visit a new site.
Change Your IP Addresses
Every time you restart your internet connection, it will ask you for a new IP address. You can either use the one that is provided or input a specific one, such as one from a VPN, in order to prevent any copyright strikes or ads from being served up when you visit a website. In some cases, you may need to register with the particular IP address provider, in order to gain full access to the internet from a specific location. If you decide to use your own IP address, it will be visible to the public, so, if you are concerned about this, you should use a VPN to conceal your identity online.
Use A Different Browser
There are various aspects to the speedway tv epidemic, but one of the most significant is that it is frequently associated with an old browser. If you are currently browsing the web with Internet Explorer or Firefox, you are already a victim of this problem, since these browsers are more than 20 years old and were never designed to prevent ads or stream content without pop-ups. Fortunately, there are several different browsers out there that were specifically designed with privacy and security in mind, which prevents speedway tv from being a problem for users of those browser. For example, if you use Google’s Chrome browser, you won’t have to worry about ads or tracking since it was designed to keep your personal data private and doesn’t track your online activity, which allows you to enjoy your media in peace.
Use An Adblocker
Even if you have done everything else on this list and you are still plagued with speedway tv, you can use an adblocker to get rid of it once and for all. Adblockers work by recognizing advertisements and other unwanted content (like pop-ups and autoplaying videos) as you browse the web and preventing them from being displayed. This allows you to focus on content, rather than being distracted by unsolicited advertising. Many adblockers have a whitelist feature, which allows you to decide which ads you want to see and which you want to hide from view. When an ad is on the whitelist, it will not be blocked by the adblocker. Some popular adblockers are: Adblock Plus, uBlock Origin, and Ghostery.
Check Your Social Media Accounts
Your social media accounts, like Twitter and Facebook, are frequently used by marketing and sales people to track your online activity. If you get bombarded with ads when you log into these platforms, it’s most likely because they have monetized your account. To prevent this from happening, you can simply log off of these platforms whenever you want to watch TV. Your account information, including your email address, is frequently sold and stolen by hackers, who use it for various scams, so it’s best to avoid these whenever possible.
Use A VPN
A VPN is a virtual private network, which creates a secure and private connection between your device and the internet. The moment you connect to a VPN, all your internet activity, including that from streaming services, will be encrypted and secure. This means that no one, not even the authorities, can see what you are doing online. Your VPN provider can also give you a special link that you can use to access the internet with no pop-ups or advertisements. Some of the biggest players in the VPN field are: IP Vanish, TunnelBear, and NordVPN.
Consider Another TV Provider
If none of the above tips seem to work, or if you just want to change the channel for the night, you can try switching to another TV provider. While most cable TV providers don’t track their subscribers’ activity, there are several that do, in order to profit from it. This makes it easy for them to offer personalized TV content, based on their knowledge of your internet activity. Since your activity is already tracked by these platforms, it’s easy for them to cross-reference this with their own database and find the right channel, at the right time, for you. Some of the biggest players in this space are: Fios TV, Spectrum, and AT&T Uverse.