Comments on: Badvertising

By: Robert Carnegie

Robert Carnegie — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 16:36:00 +0000

Well now. Could a visitor to this site be lured in by one of the less obvious and more deceptive woo adverts? I think they could. Just as certain cults offer to do you a service, and before you know you’ve given them your debit card and had your ears pierced.

I’m curious about the system. Does it work selectively from both sides? Would you promote your site through AdSense? If you’re pro-choice then can you avoid being paired with pro-life? If you’re for adult readers (I don’t mean dirty) then can you avoid that being mistaken?

When the tsunami hit across Asia, some lesser news web sites (computer sites that I read) initially got reports of the crisis adorned with Google ads for surfing equipment. I wrote in and somebody stopped it.

By: Hugo

Hugo — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 01:41:45 +0000

I complained to GoogleAds about a laser pointer ad (not your humdrum, university lecturer variety – the kind they point at the cockpits of passenger aircraft: http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,24063937-5006301,00.html) that appeared on your site.

No response, no action taken. I still see the ad now and then .

By: Aaron Luchko

Aaron Luchko — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 22:11:53 +0000

I actually don’t mind the crazy ads, I find it kinda funny that they’re subsidizing reality.

As for AdBlock I don’t use it, I can see why people do but I’m of the mindset that this content wouldn’t exist without advertising so I try to avoid blocking it.

By: MarkW

MarkW — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 19:19:25 +0000

Yet another ABP user here…

By: Matt Tarditti

Matt Tarditti — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 15:06:36 +0000

I would like to point out that AdBlock should be paying the Hive Overmind for the above comment thread: talk about advertising!

By: Lars

Lars — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 14:56:02 +0000

My personal opinion is that ads are sensory pollution, because they have minimal value to the observer, while they distract him/her from other sensory input that does have value.

Yes, I’m one of those who mute the TV during the commercials. I also have opted out from receiving spam in my snailmail, I throw away all other hardware spam before reading, and I use AdBlock. But it still irritates me sometimes.

By: Ismael

Ismael — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 13:47:34 +0000

Never look at advertisements, completely block them out of your life. They don’t exist.