Admob - insecure content from gmsg://mobileads.google.com/loadAdURL?

[AndroidDev]

I am facing strange issue with Admob. It is literally driving me crazy:

This is the setup I have;
1. Two apps (App1 and App2), both have same version of google play services (added as library to projects in eclipse).
2. I have 2 emulators configured as EM1 on API level 15 without google play service and EM2 with API level 23 with google play service)

When I run App1 on EM1 and EM2 -I get ads on both the emulators
When I run App2 on EM1 and EM2 - I get ads only on EM2 and not on EM1.

For App2 on EM1: I get the following error in logcat:


"W/Web Console(5169): The page at about:blank displayed insecure content from gmsg://mobileads.google.com/loadAdURL?drt_include=1&pan_include=0&request_id=9065dcf0-1ce8-4c09-9c45-7a5a394b9f84&request_scenario=online_request&type=admob&url=https%3A%2F%2Fgoogleads.g.doubleclick.net%2Fmads%2Fgma%3Fsession_id%3D3707874891003926994%26seq_num%3D2%26rm%3D2%26js%3Dafma-sdk-a-v8487000.8487000.0%26hl%3Den%26submodel%3DAndroid%2520SDK%2520built%2520for%2520x86%26gnt%3D3%26ma%3D0%26carrier%3D310260%26platform%3Dunknown%26forceHttps%3Dtrue%26u_sd%3D2%26sp%3D0%26cnt%3D0%26muv%3D11%26riv%3D5%26ms"


It is very strange that App1 gets the admob ads on this emulator but not App2. I have extensively searched forum for the error but there is no information.

Please provide your inputs.

[Vu Chau (Mobile Ads SDK Team)]

Hi there,

You have to make sure you are getting the same ad when you carry out your tests.  If your second app receives a different ad coming from a different ad network, and if it isn't HTTPS-enabled, you will get the above error message.  

My recommendation would be to test your apps on the emulators first using our test ad.  If there is no issue, then the culprit of the error message is likely network-/HTTPS-related.  You will get a different ad error (code 0) if somehow the ads don't render on devices because they don't have Google Play services.

Vu Chau

Mobile Ads SDK Team

[AndroidDev]

I don't have any mediation set. The ads are coming from the same network, in this case admob.

One app gets the ad on the emulator and the other app on the same emulator throws the error. Would look for additional suggestions / inputs from your side.

[Vu Chau (Mobile Ads SDK Team)]

Hello,

Do you also run into the same issue even when using our test ad? As noted, this is a network-related error and is beyond the scope of the SDK.  If an ad response comes back in insecure HTTP, the WebView will throw the error.

What you can do is to proxy your network traffic and inspect the protocols when an ad fails to request/render.  On the AdMob's web interface, there is an option to enforce HTTPS serving.  

Also, if you add the error listener, you should be able to get back an error code that will give an idea what goes wrong. 

Vu Chau

Mobile Ads SDK Team

[AndroidDev]

Thanks. I will try the test ad and will also implement error listener.

[AndroidDev]

Hi Vu,

I investigated it further and noticed that at times the ads are loaded and other times it errors out with the message shared earlier.

Or in other words -> some of the ad requests throws error and some don't. I have also validated that
"HTTPS for ad request" is not checked and there is no mediation.

Is this in-consistent behavior could be because of some bug in Admob implementation?

Regards,

[Vu Chau (Mobile Ads SDK Team)]

Hello,

If "HTTPS for ad requests" isn't checked, you should enable it to enforce HTTPS for your ad requests (which, due to the lack thereof, I think is the cause of the error).  

If when serving with HTTPS, you continue seeing the issue, then feel free to share your ad unit ID(s) and Charles logs with us.  We will try to replicate it on our end.  

Thanks,

Vu Chau

Mobile Ads SDK Team

[AndroidDev]

but as per the documentation, HTTPS enabled might not show ads on slow net connection.

I am of the opinion that Admob should support non-https requests, if not, then HTTPS enabled option doesn't make sense in first place.

[Vu Chau (Mobile Ads SDK Team)]

Hello,

There is an initiative to migrate all ad requests to be on HTTPS by default, given more and more platforms now require it.  

If ads fail to request, I wouldn't say HTTPS is a culprit (although mixed HTTP/HTTPS content might be - for that I'd need to see the Charles logs).

Vu Chau

Mobile Ads SDK Team

[AndroidDev]

Ok. How and who would monitor charles log?
Sorry, but I am not aware of charles log :(

[Veer Arjun Busani(Mobile Ads SDK Team)]

Hi there,

You can use Charles Proxy tool to generate one for us. Make sure that you enable SSL Proxying for all the hosts and send us the logs. Also, send us your Android Studio logs as well. Send us your Ad Unit ID if you are reliably able to receive these ads. 

Thanks,

Arjun Busani

Mobile Ads SDK Team