Why am I getting ads in my posts???

[jack58]

OK, I see nothing is being done about those ads being in my first thread of all posts I make. I really don't like this and if it continues in the next couple weeks, I will ask to be removed from this forum. Too bad as I've been here over six years, but this really bugs me... for crying out loud, you can place ads on the top/bottom/sides but NOT in my posts!!!

 

[Unforgiven]

OK, I see nothing is being done about those ads being in my first thread of all posts I make. I really don't like this and if it continues in the next couple weeks, I will ask to be removed from this forum. Too bad as I've been here over six years, but this really bugs me... for crying out loud, you can place ads on the top/bottom/sides but NOT in my posts!!!

As @Phases said early on in the thread, give it some time and let them figure out the balance between ad placement and member happiness. I haven't seen anything from @Rob or @Phases saying anything is final.

 

[jack58]

I forgot about that pop up ad that takes over the whole page when I first come onto the forum. I don't like that either.

Ads on the top, sides & bottoms are OK, but If I keep seeing ads in my first post and pop ups that take over the page when I log on... I guarantee I won't be coming in here as much, only when I have to.

Are you sure paying ads is worth losing some long time member?
I've been here since 2011, six years.

As @Phases said eraly on in the thread, give it some time and let them figure out the balance between ad placement and member happiness. I haven't seen anything from @Rob or @Phases saying anything is final.

Ok, I'll give it a couple weeks. I don't really want to leave, but those ads in my first threads I start is really annoying. I'll remove the post I made in the delete my post section...

 

[jack58]

@ Unforgiven

BTW, I'm a Seahawk fan, but that was the most amazing Super Bowl I ever saw and I've seen all 51 of them. Brady rules!!! He beat up on the former Seahawk Defensive Coordinator team.

 

[Phases]

Jack, I'm sorry to hear you are willing to leave over this. You've been here over six years you say? How much until now have we charged you?

If only you knew what it cost to run this free resource, every, single, month.

Nonetheless, yes, we have listened and we are going to remove that ad - regardless of the fact that it is one of the most valuable slots we have. Should be gone in a few days, but an ad above or below the post will be coming in place. Thanks,

 

[jack58]

Jack, I'm sorry to hear you are willing to leave over this. You've been here over six years you say? How much until now have we charged you?

If only you knew what it cost to run this free resource, every, single, month.

Nonetheless, yes, we have listened and we are going to remove that ad - regardless of the fact that it is one of the most valuable slots we have. Should be gone in a few days, but an ad above or below the post will be coming in place. Thanks,

Thank you very much. I do like this forum. I ran a Corvette forum for over 12 years and know all about ads. and costs to maintain the forums. The ads made me some very good money. Way over the cost of running the forum. But, there has to be a compromise or else you alienate the members and members are who make the forum, not the ads. I know, I was also experimenting and caught flak for the way I did some ads back then. I ended up selling the forum to a long time member who had lots of money and so ads were a non issue. I'm still a moderator on there.

BTW I found that good moderators are extremely important. You do have good ones here.

 

[bcrichster]

OK, I see nothing is being done about those ads being in my first thread of all posts I make. I really don't like this and if it continues in the next couple weeks, I will ask to be removed from this forum. Too bad as I've been here over six years, but this really bugs me... for crying out loud, you can place ads on the top/bottom/sides but NOT in my posts!!!

I for one, agree. I did NOT give permission to flood my posts or OP's with ads, that's just bad taste and form. Hope it gets worked out for the benefit of everyone. [emoji41]

 

[Phases]

It will get worked out, we're taking them out for members. Guests will still see them. It's always been this way, or at least nearly always..

Permission, though... that's going a little far. Have you read the Terms of Service in the footer? See section six:

"If you post content or submit material on the Website, and unless we indicate otherwise, you grant Us a nonexclusive, royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable, and fully sublicensable right to use, reproduce, modify, adapt, publish, translate, create derivative works from, distribute, and display such content throughout the world in any media."

That said... I hear ya. ..and again, yes, we are going to remove them from members view.

 

[psionandy]

It will get worked out, we're taking them out for members. Guests will still see them. It's always been this way, or at least nearly always..

Permission, though... that's going a little far. Have you read the Terms of Service in the footer? See section six:

"If you post content or submit material on the Website, and unless we indicate otherwise, you grant Us a nonexclusive, royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable, and fully sublicensable right to use, reproduce, modify, adapt, publish, translate, create derivative works from, distribute, and display such content throughout the world in any media."

That said... I hear ya. ..and again, yes, we are going to remove them from members view.

While your comments are duly noted, and its been clear that you have been running this particular set of adverts on a 'trial basis' while you are 'trying a lot of things out', do you have a timescale in mind where in post adverts are going to be removed?

(again I'd like to stress, I don't have a problem with the principle of you selling advertising space around, before or after my posts....its just that selling them within them that is major problem and a potential show stopper for me!)


After all, although I have granted you a license to reproduce, modify, adapt, publish, translate, create derivative works from, distribute, and display my existing material, I am not under an obligation to produce any future such content for you

 

[Phases]

Indeed you are not, hate to see you choose not to post anymore but like you said, that's your call!

Honestly I have very little say in it. Others will tell you, I have fought the ad battle for years. I fought and fought to have as little as possible but, I've also come to realize just how important they really are.

I think people would be shocked to hear any of the specifics but, I'm not going into that. Just trust me when I say no one here wants to piss anyone off. No one here is making bank, at least not that I know of, but running this site, and phandroid and others, cost a daggum fortune. Believe it or not.

Anyway, I give input, I pass membership comments up, point out good posts/points people make, and make suggestions but, in the end I don't have any control over it. And really, most ads are pretty attractive these days, so I hate them less so complain (up) less. The popup overlays, auto play, and the dating ones I dislike, though. I do make my case about those.

 

[psionandy]

Again, thank you for the reply, I appreciate you're being as honest and open as your position allows you... I really don't mean to send you the flak, as you say, its not your decision, and the bills do need to be paid... (And I really do believe that a site like this really doesn't come cheap.)

So... er.. um.... is there a timescale? Days/Weeks/Months/Quarter?

 

[Phases]

Soon. We need to get a couple things out of the way first but I'd say in the next week or two.

 

[Unforgiven]

(again I'd like to stress, I don't have a problem with the principle of you selling advertising space around, before or after my posts....its just that selling them within them that is major problem and a potential show stopper for me!)

I've been pretty silent on this issue. I don't like ads, but I get why they exist. The ads in the OP of each thread are annoying, but I've never confused them with being part of the OP. It says right in the top left corner "Advertisement." That is below your own content, so it seems to me that anyone reading the post will know that you aren't endorsing "Caterpillar Enhanced Ground Pine Needle Patties that will Extend Your Life for 5,000 years."

If it tried to make it look like "you" posted it, I'd be upset too. But it seems pretty clear to me that the ads aren't posted by the OP.

PS: If I'm wrong, then let me know where I can buy ground pine needle patties that let me live and xtra 5000 years.

 

[psionandy]

It says right in the top left corner "Advertisement." That is below your own content, so it seems to me that anyone reading the post will know that you aren't endorsing

Except it doesn't..... there is no top left corner text saying advertisement

And its within the boundaries of something I posted... If it wasn't in that white space, and was after my posting box was completed I wouldn't have a problem with it.

With the best will in the world, it does look like its part of my post (if I'm the first person on that page) and it isn't shown on any other posts, so it DOES look like something i've done. At the very least its darn close to "misrepresentation" or "passing off".

Soon. We need to get a couple things out of the way first but I'd say in the next week or two.

Thank's its appreciated.... you've got so much good will stored up during my 7 years here that I'm not going to fret over a week or two...

 

[jack58]

Except it doesn't..... there is no top left corner text saying advertisement

And its within the boundaries of something I posted... If it wasn't in that white space, and was after my posting box was completed I wouldn't have a problem with it.

With the best will in the world, it does look like its part of my post (if I'm the first person on that page) and it isn't shown on any other posts, so it DOES look like something i've done. At the very least its darn close to "misrepresentation" or "passing off".



Thank's its appreciated.... you've got so much good will stored up during my 7 years here that I'm not going to fret over a week or two...

Yep that's right... here is a screen shot of mine... no mention of "advertisement" looks like I put it there.

 

[Unforgiven]

Yep that's right... here is a screen shot of mine... no mention of "advertisement" looks like I put it there.
View attachment 117926

That looks different than that last time I viewed without an ad blocker. I stand corrected.

 

[mikedt]

For information this is what I see when ads are placed in posts.
At top right on every one there's "广告" which means "Advert", and If I hover over it, it states "GOOGLE". Google maybe blocked in China, but their ads are not.

I'm already an ExpressVPN customer anyway.

 

[jack58]

For information this is what I see when ads are placed in posts.
At top right on every one there's "广告" which means "Advert", and If I hover over it, it states "GOOGLE". Google maybe blocked in China, but their ads are not.

View attachment 117929

I'm already an ExpressVPN customer anyway.

Maybe that symbol means advertisement to you in China, but here in the states, it should say, (like most websites do) ADVERTISEMENT at the top.

 

[Unforgiven]

Maybe that symbol means advertisement to you in China, but here in the states, it should say, (like most websites do) ADVERTISEMENT at the top.

That's what I remember it saying when this thread first started. I don't know when it changed.

 

[Deleted User]

That's what I remember it saying when this thread first started. I don't know when it changed.

Yup, it definitely was there, but not now.

 

[SolApathy]

Guess I've been lucky, I have not see any ads... I don't mind a few static ads on the sides, it's when you start getting in-post ads & the animated ads then I turn on ad-block (which I don;t like using because it takes away from site revenue).

 

[Thom]

Guess I've been lucky, I have not see any ads

It is the nature of VIP ... no ads.

What I suggest/recommend is that the people making the decisions about the ads ... turn them on in their own connection to Android Forums for three days and see if they are still as unsure about the negative impact the ads are having.

(Yes I dislike them so much I pay to not have them plastered on every Android Forums page I read.)

... Thom

 

[mikedt]

What about if ads were to appear separate from member posts but still in-line in the threads? So they don't look like a part of something that I posted. Might look superficially like a member post, but it clearly states "ADVERTISEMENT".

Maybe that symbol means advertisement to you in China, but here in the states, it should say, (like most websites do) ADVERTISEMENT at the top.

Agree, that's what should happen, and it was happening. Not sure how the law stands there, but I'm sure in many jurisdictions, an ad must have a notice telling everyone it's an ad, and so it's clear it's not part of the content.

 

[mikedt]

BTW how much does Android Forums make if I were to buy one of those jackets?

 

[Thom]

Nothing. It looks to me like you are selling those jackets.

... Thom