Ad Issues

[Miho]

This one is a video and it keep scaring the crap out of me. Capture.PNG

[suzycreamcheese1]

that happened to me too but only once and then it was ok...like it fixed itself?

[cindyt]

Haven't seen that one.

[SassyMonkey719]

I have gotten that one twice tonight.... It sucks when you are trying to watch TV on hulu/youtube (as I watch most of my television) and that thing starts talking over the show...

[Noor 7ayaty]

When this "Razr" ad popped up about four log-ins ago, I thought for sure it would stop by now.

Since I removed my speakers, I've been listening with headphones for now. The volume is set at 2, very low. This ad plays at an "11," I swear to God! (How can someone do that, override a user's volume level???)

Anyway, my ears were blasted by this stupid Razr ad five times now. Even though I rip my headphones off ASAP, I still am left with a painful ringing that lasts awhile. Ouch.

This ad appears in the upper right-hand corner, blocking my ability to sign into the board. There is no "x" to cut the ad short; I have to get through the entire 30 seconds to sign in. The ad appears every time I try to sign in now; so far, no other ads appear in that section when the FAD message board loads.

Tonight a houseguest was in my room to borrow a video game; he was in the room when I opened the FAD message board. From literally 14 feet away, he heard the huge noise from my headphones and said, "What the hell is that?"

I don't think it's 'matching ads to my tastes' -- I don't even own a cell phone or whatever the hell a Razr is, nor do I surf for them, and only I use this comp and this broadband connection.

Advice or help would be IMMENSELY appreciated.

Thanks in advance!


((PS-- I bet this is what I get for posting that ads weren't bothering me, just a page or two ago on this very same thread! #@♣&!!! ))

[Nick]

I've eliminated the script entirely, so nothing should run there now. That sounds pretty damn annoying.

[Noor 7ayaty]

I've eliminated the script entirely, so nothing should run there now. That sounds pretty damn annoying.

Oh Nick, THANK YOU and BLESS YOU!!!!!! I love heavy rock but that was just ... omg a cacophany(?) of metal screech!

Oh man, Nick -- Thank You SO MUCH!!!! YOU da MAN!!!!

[Noor 7ayaty]

OoOoOoOoOh! Just signed out, closed the browser, reopened everything and signed back in. It DID work Fabulously! Thanks again, Nick!

[radiojane]

Okay I'm getting an extremely annoying pop up ad for a fake facebook with a blonde bimbo wanting to "be my friend". It's making my antivirus go insane and it's every time I log on. Both on laptop and work computer.

[Nick]

It pops up over the page?

[cindyt]

No blond bimbos, but I've had one of those side pop ups that covered pictures and comments.

[radiojane]

It pops up over the page?

No as a second window when I'm on this site. No other sites do it, so it's not a mozilla issue.

[Nick]

We only serve ads in windows like that to guests. They help pay for the site, but as a courtesy to registered users we do not display them on the forums while you're logged in. Even for guests, the ad is shown only once every twenty-four hours.

I will follow up on the alarm issue, but all ads are screened by the network, so it may be a false positive. I run Norton 360 and my job runs heavy-duty screening programs, and none of the ads have triggered an alarm. They do show to me when I browse as a guest and also when I am reading the articles on the main site.

As we covered elsewhere, this community and the main site are paid for through advertising. I've seen some overly flashy ones the last couple of days, so I will put in a request to the advertisers regarding these campaigns, including the one you mentioned.

[radiojane]

It's not the end of the world by any means, I was just concerned because it set off my antivirus. I'll log on from home later and see if it happens. I'm running Kapersky at work and Avast at home, so we'll see if it still pings the alarms.

[pwem]

I am getting that bloody blonde bimbo as well. GRRRRR!

[radiojane]

So I suppose the reason I get it every time I come on to the site instead of once every 24 hours is because I don't save cookies or any internet history then?

For the record it didn't set off my at home anti virus. I think it might have just been a glitch in this system.

[Nick]

I don't know how the ads knows if you've visited before. I've only gotten Turbo Tax pop-under windows here, and those have only been when I'm not logged in. (Those ads are actually kind of useful, given tax season is here.)

If you're getting an offensive ad, please post a screen shot here (with the URL showing - i.e., take a screen shot of the entire ad window) and I can take further action on it. Not every ad is going to be pretty, informative, or entertaining (almost none will be), but none should be generally offensive.

[pwem]

What really startled me when I saw that pop up is that it says this site is not safe.

They might be right. Not safe for people with no sense of humour, no brains, no personality

[Ted Challinor]

I hate it all too - cheap and nasty adverts, but making me tune into other forums until it is gone...when will it go Steve?

[radiojane]

Keep in mind that the ad revenue supports the site, which is expensive and time consuming.

[duchessmary]

Who is this Amy wench that keeps popping up wanting to chat on live cam??? Grrr.

[pwem]

I can understand needing advertising to support the site. More power to them. That doesn't bother me.

What bothers me is when one of their advertisers alleges that the very site they are advertising on is unsafe.

So far no pop-up bazooms today. Ahhhh.

[cindyt]

I can understand needing advertising to support the site. More power to them. That doesn't bother me.

What bothers me is when one of their advertisers alleges that the very site they are advertising on is unsafe.

So far no pop-up bazooms today. Ahhhh.

Was it an anti virus software ad?

[pwem]

Hi cindy. I think I figured it out. When I got the pop-up my anti-virus was saying that IT was unsafe not FAD. Because it was in the pop-up it looked like part of it.

You'll have to forgive me because I don't come across many of these unsafe sites or have many pop-ups.

Thanks for your concern. You guys are really on the ball

[cindyt]

I am just now getting two popups asking me if I want to chat with Ana, and I have the screen print to prove it. Haha.

FAD Banner popup.jpg

[Nick]

Those are really cheesy, but they aren't pop-ups. There are always ads in the last post on a page and underneath the first post being viewed. A pop-up opens in an entirely new window. No one who is logged in should see any pop-ups generated from the forums.

[cindyt]

Those are really cheesy, but they aren't pop-ups. There are always ads in the last post on a page and underneath the first post being viewed. A pop-up opens in an entirely new window. No one who is logged in should see any pop-ups generated from the forums.

Okay. Duh. I know what a popup is.

[Miho]

Hey Nick just a heads up. I have had my anti virus block two threats today while I was on FAD. It has never happened to me before and this was the only page that I had open.

[Tony Trout]

Like the subject says, I've noticed a TON of advertisements (some sexually explicit) on some of the threads when posting replies and I'm wondering if anything can be done to solve this or totally eradicate the problem?? Also, what happened to the "Go Advanced" clickable tab in the posts/threads??

[cindyt]

Tony, the ads have been here for a good while. I have seen some bimbo ads but nothing sexually explicit--of course one person's idea of sexually explicit is another person's cheesy come on.

[Nick]

"Go Advanced" is below the quick reply box, on the right side of the screen. I'm looking at it now. I made it red in the attached screen shot to help you locate it.



We've already covered why ads are there. It's nothing esoteric: this is a very busy site and advertising helps pay for it. If you view an ad here, you are helping support the forums and the main page.

If there is an offensive ad, please report it here or in a PM to me, including a screen shot and as much specific information as you can reasonably give (e.g. - what was the product being advertised?) so I can track it down.

[radiojane]

There is a flashing banner that follows you down the thread and jumps around now every time I log in on the iPad. It makes reading impossible. I can't do a screenshot but it says "the iPad three is yours".

[mooches]

I'm getting that one too. The X to close it out is so small that it takes you to where you buy the app. Very annoying.

[RiaBrown]

I don't know if this falls under the banner complaint thread, but I do have a concern. I understand that there has to be ads on the site so that Scott can keep the site online. My concern is this. Does Scott have any say-so in the CONTENT of the ads that are at the bottom of the threads? I was in one of the Life Goes On threads and at the bottom of the thread there was an ad that was obviously porn, because it was a sexy girl in her underwear asking if you wanted to video chat with her.

Also, when I'm on mobile, the ads are even more pornographic. It'll be a banner and say, "23/F Wants to chat" and have a provocative picture. This is the ONLY site that I get those popup banner ads on mobile. It doesn't happen on any other forum, or on Facebook. Just on FAD. Now once again I completely understand the need for ads, but is there a way we can keep them clean? Sometimes my nine-year-old is looking over my shoulder as she's waiting for me to finish up.

[Nick]

I'll check into it and see what needs to be done. I am not at home now, so please allow some time.

The ads you describe are only pornographic in the broader sense - the same sense that would probably find much of the content of the site, from the front page articles to individual forum posts as pornographic. They are not "pornography" as the term is generally understood. But I will go in and see what can be cleaned up. I don't promise to get rid of ads of the type "This shallow (fictional) girl wants to chat with YOU!" but I can certainly do something about the content.

Keep in mind that if this site were a movie, it would probably be a PG-13 or higher (some spots are definitely a hard R). We do not attempt to make it palatable or "safe" for those under 13. Since we don't yet have ad-free options that also support the site, I will make some adjustments, but this will never be a kid-friendly site and it will always be targeted at those who tend to have a more roguish disposition. Caveat parens.

[RiaBrown]

Oh I know that and I don't let her read over my shoulder to see what I'm typing, or what others are saying. I find that rude. But sometimes a picture ad will catch her eye.

[beep]

Holy crap I'm getting really loud Dishwasher Detergent videos in every single thread. I hope you're making good coin off them because it's the most annoying forum advert I've ever seen.

[Finnegan]

Holy crap I'm getting really loud Dishwasher Detergent videos in every single thread. I hope you're making good coin off them because it's the most annoying forum advert I've ever seen.

same.
maybe it's a special ad for the canadian contingent.

[Finnegan]

okay, for serious now.
is there something that can be done about the "talkies"?!
because they are loud and annoying and one doesn't even have a mute button and I have to leave the page.

Nick? please?

[Nick]

Where on the page are they? In that 300x250 box on the right side?

[Finnegan]

Where on the page are they? In that 300x250 box on the right side?

a couple of them are.
and one is in a thin box between posts.

I really appreciate you looking into it.

[slw]

Please can the banner on the bottom of the screen about winning an iPad 2 get turned off? I click on the x but the minute I scroll my own iPad up it's back and flashing in my eyeline. I hate it so much that I don't want to come to this site anymore!! :-(

[Arramattic]

i love this site, but find those intrusive advertising banners that constantly pop up at he bottom of the page too much to bear
you click on them on the X, but they come back

its purgatory on an iPad

such a shame on a great site

[cindyt]

Don't click X. Ignore if you don't want more info about the ad. The ads help keep this site online. I'm not particularly fond of them myself but they don't distract me too much. Mobiles web use is a pain in the ass anyway you do it. As far as I'm concerned this site is more than work a bit of inconvenience.

[radiojane]

I haven't had any ad issues in weeks on the ipad. I turned on private browsing though.... maybe try that?

[atomicbettie]

Are the ads with sound new? I have never had a problem with the ads until today, twice when I have been on the last page of a thread I have audio ads and they have scared the crap out of me. Turned off the speakers so I won't be startled, but I am just wondering if this is something new or have I just been lucky before today?

[cindyt]

Are the ads with sound new? I have never had a problem with the ads until today, twice when I have been on the last page of a thread I have audio ads and they have scared the crap out of me. Turned off the speakers so I won't be startled, but I am just wondering if this is something new or have I just been lucky before today?

It's your lucky day! HA!

[aabry]

Can you PLEASE get rid of the pop-up ads?? Every time I click on someones name or anywhere in the window...BOOM. I will not be a member for long if this site turns into a pop-up show. This site is super awesome, very interesting and I LOVE it...but damn...pop-ups...really??

[Bbeelzebub]

Can you PLEASE get rid of the pop-up ads?? Every time I click on someones name or anywhere in the window...BOOM. I will not be a member for long if this site turns into a pop-up show. This site is super awesome, very interesting and I LOVE it...but damn...pop-ups...really??

Have you tried running an adware program on your computer and see if you have some malware? I just turned off my browser's (IE10) built in pop up blocker and clicked all around on this site and didn't get any pop ups at all. It may be on your end. Here is a link to Spybot, it's free and also happens to be the best. You might give it a try. Also, depending on what browser you are using, make sure the pop up blocker in enabled (Although, like I said, I don't get any here.)http://download.cnet.com/Spybot-Sear...-10122137.html

[cindyt]

I got one popup Tuesday, I think it was.