Inappropriate Advertisement

[JaySherman]

Recently I started getting those ads that briefly take over the page when I visit this site

The ad is inappropriate and baiting asking if illegals should get stimulus checks. It smacks a bit of racism.

If ad revenue is needed for this site, please select another advertiser.

[Moore ideas]

I'm not sure that SOC has the ability to select which ads are shown on the site, JaySherman. We're hosted by vBulletin, so I'm guessing that the ads come through them. Not sure, though, because this isn't my area of expertise!!


I'll see if I can find out, though.

[Moore ideas]

JaySherman , I wanted to let you know that I checked on that ad for you (which I'm seeing too), and unfortunately it isn't something that has an easy fix right now. Sometimes, these ads are based on a person's internet histories, but it isn't clear whether or not this is one of those. In any case, it turns out to be a far more complex "fix" than is feasible (causes a whole big domino effect with other stuff it's too risky to mess with), so my best suggestion is to ignore the thing, click on the X, and move quickly over the posting!

I'm sorry there wasn't a better solution for this issue, but I did want to get back to you again, as promised.

[tiff5555]

It could be a virus and scam too...don’t click!

[TunerEyes]

Kind of a different topic but ad related so piggy backing on this thread.

I view the boards on my phone and seems like very recently the ads are huge, many of them on a page as you scroll down and very frustrating to see them appear in people’s posts after their user name and before the body of their post. Can’t express how annoying this is because the user name is separated from their post and sometime even requires you to scroll up a full screen on the phone to see who wrote the post.

I’m afraid these advertisers will go a step further and start putting their annoying ads within the body of the text next. The ad size and placement drastically interfering with the enjoyment reading people’s posts on here. As it is, the upper most drop down ad continually drops down after you click to collapse it and by doing so reduces phone screen viewing space when not collapsed. I’ve held my thoughts on this for a while but it’s gotten pretty bad with the number of ads I’m seeing.

I have resisted using an ad blocker as I know it generates revenue for the site despite my never ever clicking on any of these. But is this what people have to do now?

[TunerEyes]

BTW when I say large I mean large. I’m on a iPhone XS max (so already a large screen phone) and the large ads are a bit under 1/2 of my available screen view. With the top ad dropped down, they occupy 1/2 of my available screen. This really is an unacceptable user experience.

[kristendny]

Use Ad Block. I see nothing.

[TunerEyes]

Great now seeing ads, not one but two big ads, separating people’s posts. Actually seeing part of their post text physically separated by ads and then their post text continuing below.

This is so disrespectful to members here and quite honestly many people aren’t comfortable adding third party software just to read something. While free boards may need to raise money through ads how can it be okay to let advertisers do this to members. These aren’t even small ads on the page but like 1/3 of my screen size, with these double ads call it 2/3 blocked. Telling people to use ad blockers takes away money from the board so how is that really helpful?

[kristendny]

Ad Blocker only blocks spammy ads that don't meet their safety guidelines, like the ones that track you across websites, ones that reduce your bandwidth, etc. It protects you from malware and fake "clickbait" news. I find it upsetting and disrespectful that so many advertisers don't meet the guidelines because they don't care about protecting you from all that. If I'm seeing no ads at all on a site, it means none of the ads being shown comply with the guidelines. That's unfortunate, but I have to protect my computer. I use it for work as well.

[want2stayGHfan]

I completely agree about just blocking the ads.

I've used the FIrefox browser with free ad blocker since I first signed up on this site and have never seen an ad.

[Clementine15]

Same here!

[JaySherman]

The most recent ads appearing on the website are pushing for me to learn how to get rid of earwax. I'll sometimes see more than one ad on the same page while a popup at the bottom tries to sell me the same thing. The pictures in the ads are gross and as another poster stated, ad block won't get rid of them.

I understand the need for a free site to bring in some source of revenue but the ads for me have been very questionable. And I know I haven't done any searches on the topic so I am unclear why the advertiser thinks I'm interested.

[Moore ideas]

I have no idea either, JaySherman. As far as I know, SOC doesn't have any control over what advertisements are being shown. We're hosted by vBulleltin, so I imagine this is all filtered through them.

[want2stayGHfan]

The most recent ads appearing on the website are pushing for me to learn how to get rid of earwax. I'll sometimes see more than one ad on the same page while a popup at the bottom tries to sell me the same thing. The pictures in the ads are gross and as another poster stated, ad block won't get rid of them.

I've had Firefox browser with free ad blocker since before I joined this site and I've never seen an ad of any type; my ad block definitely gets rid of all of them!

[tosh]

Ads help pay the bills, if it's ads toward something i like of course i will take a look

[Moore ideas]

Exactly! I've also found out that different browsers and/or devices can make a difference in how intrusive they are. Some are worse than others!

[joncharmed93]

Ads are really obnoxious in Chrome. It's getting to the point where I cannot read posts much because ads are so invasive. Like they will put themselves between each paragraph a person posts if it's a long post. It's the site nearly unusable.

[Rubythroat1]

I put AdBlocker on the main P.C. which works, but it will not accept on my "android". Much of the time when I try to log in to the forum, there is a big old Ad which sometimes I
cannot X out due to clever manipulations of the Ad sponsor. Also, some ads are wide and the X out has to be found by moving the Ad side to side. When you touch the screen in any
way, it comes back sometimes three times on the forum screen! A real annoyance. It takes up 2/3 of my screen.

[Penelope P]

When I had Adblocker, I couldn't log out of FB (which is all about ads), so I cancelled it.

[kristendny]

Really? I have had ad blocker for years, never had a problem. What browser do you use?

[Penelope P]

I have Chrome and adblocker was all over me like white on rice. I couldn't close FB so finally I cancelled it. My computer is an older model so maybe I'll gift myself with an more up to date one.

[kristendny]

I have Chrome, too. Wow, sorry to hear that.