HUD troubleshooting for Safari, ad blockers, and cookies

Common issues and fixes when loading the Marfeel Heads Up Display (HUD). Each section below targets a specific problem with a direct solution.

HUD not opening on Safari

The HUD loads inside an iframe on top of the host page and shares the auth session with hub.marfeel.com to securely interact with Marfeel APIs via third-party cookies.

Safari requires the sandbox flag allow-storage-access-by-user-activation on the iframe before it will prompt the user to grant third-party cookie access.

For sites using HTTP Content-Security-Policy (CSP) sandbox, the HTTP header takes precedence over any inline sandbox flag. The CSP header must explicitly specify allow-storage-access-by-user-activation for the HUD to work.

Valid header example:

Content-Security-Policy: sandbox allow-storage-access-by-user-activation;

Use of ad blockers

Ad blockers can prevent the HUD from loading entirely. Most ad blockers support domain-level exceptions. Add the following allowlist rules to restore HUD functionality:

@@||www.googletagmanager.com^
@@||hub.marfeel.com^
@@||events.newsroom.bi^
@@||sdk.mrf.io^

Below are configuration examples for two popular ad blockers.

Adblock

uBlock Origin

Use of cookie blockers

Privacy extensions that block data gathering can also interfere with login sessions and the HUD. You can configure them to allow authentication while still blocking tracking domains (events.newsroom, icu.newsroom, ingest, etc.).

Privacy Badger

1. Set api.newsroom.bi to Block cookies (yellow).

DuckDuckGo Privacy

1. Go to extension options and set Unprotected sites.
2. Add hub.marfeel.com.

Missing data

Not enough data available for this URL

This message means there is no recirculation data for the page. Verify data availability in the Recirculation view for that specific URL.

No data available yet

If the HUD works in one browser but not another, the issue is likely browser cache. Clear all data, storage, and cookies in the affected browser to resolve it.

HUD not appearing in consecutive navigation

After the initial load via the URL parameter (e.g., #mrfhud=true), the HUD relies on browser storage to persist across page navigations. Several conditions can prevent this:

1. Marfeel is not set up as a partner in the CMP.
2. Cookies are not accepted during navigation.
3. The browser or an extension is blocking storage.
4. Incognito mode blocks the required storage by default.

Third-party cookies

The HUD runs on a third-party domain, so blocked third-party cookies will prevent it from loading. Some browsers block these by default.

Firefox

1. Go to Settings > Privacy & Security.
2. Choose Custom.
3. Disable the Cookies checkbox.
4. Reload all tabs.

Loading time

The HUD loads with low network priority to avoid interfering with page performance. Loading time depends on the site itself: pages must fully load before the HUD overlay can complete rendering.

User access

Users need the Homepage Editor role to conduct A/B testing. Admins and User Managers can update user roles from the platform settings.

Missing label

A link inside a recirculation module may show no label if the article has not generated any clicks, leaving insufficient data for a label. To verify, check the click count in the Recirculation view for that specific module and URL.

HUD Pro colors not showing on labels

1. Colors are based on Historical CTR, which compares the current week’s data against the previous week for a given Recirculation Module. New modules require one week of data before colored labels appear.

2. Historical comparison is designed for non-editorial content. If your homepage has a Publication date, the system treats it as editorial content and displays gray labels throughout, the same as on article pages.

Browser plugins

If disabling ad blockers and enabling third-party cookies does not resolve the issue, load the HUD in a Chrome Guest window with all plugins disabled. This provides a clean environment for testing. If the HUD works there, a browser setting or plugin is interfering. Disable plugins one at a time to identify the culprit, or switch to a different browser.

Why is the HUD not opening in Safari?

The HUD loads inside an iframe that requires third-party cookie access. Safari requires the sandbox flag allow-storage-access-by-user-activation to grant this access. If your site uses a Content-Security-Policy sandbox header, it must explicitly include this flag, because the HTTP header takes precedence over any inline sandbox attribute.

How do I fix the HUD when an ad blocker is active?

Ad blockers can prevent the HUD from loading. Add allowlist rules for www.googletagmanager.com, hub.marfeel.com, events.newsroom.bi, and sdk.mrf.io in your ad blocker settings. In Adblock or uBlock Origin, add these as exception rules prefixed with @@||.

Why does the HUD show 'No data available yet' or 'Not enough data'?

The “Not enough data available for this URL” message means there is no recirculation data for that page. Verify data exists in the Recirculation view at hub.marfeel.com. The “No data available yet” message usually indicates a browser cache issue. If the HUD works in another browser, clear all data, storage, and cookies in the affected browser to resolve it.