Strange images & album have appeared in my X

[manhattan123]

A couple of weeks ago, two strange images appeared in my photos, one is a lower case "i" and one is a sort of lightning bolt looking thing. Both are in black & white. I deleted them but a few days later they came back, and now they apparently have created their own album in my galleries, it's called "campaignlcons."

I long pressed the album and it deleted, but, sure enough, the next day it was back. Anyone know what this is, what's causing them to come back? Should I be concerned (is it a virus) or just annoyed? is it haunted?

 

[UJ95x]

Could you post screenshots of it next time it shows up (Or if you have some now)? It would make it easier to tell you what it is.
It could just be from an app you downloaded in the past. Highly doubt it's a virus.

 

[B. Diddy]

They are likely images used either by some app or by some ad service. If you keep using the app or visiting the website that they're associated with, the folder will likely continue to be re-created.

 

[manhattan123]

Here they are, I am not sure if they will be easily seen here. I put them onto my computer to upload them and they were tiny, but on the phone they take up the whole screen when you click on them.

Well, on edit I don't even see them at all here, I guess they didn't upload? Very annoying but glad to hear they are not likely a virus.

Ok, on second edit they are there after all, above my text but very very faint, but they are there.

 

[manhattan123]

I wondered if they were from an app too. I haven't installed anything too wacky though, but you never know.

They are likely images used either by some app or by some ad service. If you keep using the app or visiting the website that they're associated with, the folder will likely continue to be re-created.

 

[UJ95x]

Did it start happening after any updates to apps you had or maybe new ones you installed around that time?

 

[manhattan123]

Unfortunately I don't recall when they exactly appeared, it was a few weeks ago now, and I'm sure I had updated some apps around then (damn Twitter seems to get an update every 3 days!) but can't really say, tbh. I didn't really think anything of them and just deleted them, but as I said, they just keep coming back now. I Googled "campaignlcons" (the name the album they are in gave itself) to see if it was a company name, or if anyone else was experiencing the same issue, but no luck.

Did it start happening after any updates to apps you had or maybe new ones you installed around that time?

 

[B. Diddy]

We can see the icons. I get something similar with a folder called "postitial," showing some media buttons (like play, FFW, pause, volume). Postitial is apparently some kind of mobile ad service (although it doesn't seem like adware, since I never get any annoying popups or notifications). Unfortunately, I can't find anything on Google specifically about "campaignicons."

 

[manhattan123]

Oh ok, good, I wasn't sure if they were visible. I'm on my computer so I cant even see them too clearly on my screen here, but on the phone they are as big as a regular picture. Yeah, I'm not sure what they are advertising, if they are adware, I never get any popups either...well except for the mysteriously appearing album!

We can see the icons. I get something similar with a folder called "postitial," showing some media buttons (like play, FFW, pause, volume). Postitial is apparently some kind of mobile ad service (although it doesn't seem like adware, since I never get any annoying popups or notifications). Unfortunately, I can't find anything on Google specifically about "campaignicons."

 

[jephanie]

I've had the same thing popping onto my phone as well. It's a pretty recent thing and Airpush Detector can't find the source. I'm pretty careful with my apps and don't exactly have a ton of them installed anyway. I'd love to discover the source, too, but so far nothing is out there that helps. I've seen this issue on other forums here on AC, other Android sites, and the Moto X forum on Moto's page.

I'm guessing it is from a fairly mainstream app, though, considering the number of posts asking about it. Either something like Weatherbug or Words with Friends or something. I have not idea of the source but would be happy to get rid of the issue just because.

 

[manhattan123]

Hmm, I have Weatherbug but no Words with Friends, or any games installed, for that matter. It's probably not too mainstream like Facebook or I would imagine millions of people would be getting them, but yes, would love to know the source so I can get rid of it.

I've had the same thing popping onto my phone as well. It's a pretty recent thing and Airpush Detector can't find the source. I'm pretty careful with my apps and don't exactly have a ton of them installed anyway. I'd love to discover the source, too, but so far nothing is out there that helps. I've seen this issue on other forums here on AC, other Android sites, and the Moto X forum on Moto's page.

I'm guessing it is from a fairly mainstream app, though, considering the number of posts asking about it. Either something like Weatherbug or Words with Friends or something. I have not idea of the source but would be happy to get rid of the issue just because.

 

[SGess5]

Hmm, I have Weatherbug but no Words with Friends, or any games installed, for that matter. It's probably not too mainstream like Facebook or I would imagine millions of people would be getting them, but yes, would love to know the source so I can get rid of it.

It's weatherbug. I deleted the directory, started wb and then went to a weather location that had a lightening alert (red or yellow lightening bolt over the bug icon). Campaignicons was then recreated.

 

[manhattan123]

Holy crap, really? Well thanks for the heads-up. They seem like a pretty reputable organization, why is their app doing this? I guess at least it's not a virus, but it's annoying to have these albums and images keep appearing on my phone. I like the app but I guess it might be time to switch to Weather Channel or Yahoo Weather or something else.

It's weatherbug. I deleted the directory, started wb and then went to a weather location that had a lightening alert (red or yellow lightening bolt over the bug icon). Campaignicons was then recreated.

 

[jephanie]

It's weatherbug. I deleted the directory, started wb and then went to a weather location that had a lightening alert (red or yellow lightening bolt over the bug icon). Campaignicons was then recreated.

I've tried to replicate this to no avail so far. Sadly, if it is from their app, I will uninstall it. It's my favorite weather app, but I don't need their icons showing up in my photo folders.

 

[GRBTA]

I have the same icons in my gallery on my S5. I searched Weatherbug and they have nothing about it - at least that I could find. This has been happening for about 2-3 weeks. Does that coincide with an update from Weatherbug? THis makes me just nervous enough that I will delete the app - too bad I like it but....

 

[Pollster]

I don't think it's weatherbug. I think it's Photos in 4.4.4
I've gotten an image in a folder called EvolveSMS both times they updated their app this week.

 

[natehoy]

I don't think it's weatherbug. I think it's Photos in 4.4.4
I've gotten an image in a folder called EvolveSMS both times they updated their app this week.

Well, it's sort of both.

What Android is doing is finding images in non-standard folders, and therefore is finding image files that the apps have stored in their own application folders for future use.

So the app is not doing anything wrong, per se, it is storing images in the appropriate spot - creating a folder for itself and using that folder as a data cache, which includes images. This is perfectly acceptable app behavior.

Android, or more specifically the newest version of G+ (not Android 4.4.4, it happens to me on 4.4.2 as well) is being overly helpful in detecting images and making sure that ALL images it finds are backed up. I believe you can change this by going to G+, menu, settings, auto-backup, and un-selecting "Back up local folders", but I seem to recall there was a notification prompt at some point asking if I wanted to back up a specific folder and search for all folders with images from that point forward.

 

[C0deM0nkey]

You can of course locate the folder and create a file named ".nomedia" which will hide the images within the folder (and any sub folders) from your gallery.

 

[Pollster]

You can of course locate the folder and create a file named ".nomedia" which will hide the images within the folder (and any sub folders) from your gallery.

Except that there's already a .nomedia in that folder...

 

[C0deM0nkey]

Except that there's already a .nomedia in that folder...

Sorry didn't see any mention of a .nomedia file anywhere in the thread. It's an approach that has always worked for me in this scenario.
Maybe delete it and recreate it.