resolved Ads that pretend to be a window, the 'x' does not close it

[Aggro101]

Personally I have no problem with paid advertising on a website. Without revenue, wonderful sites like these would eventually close. However, deceptive ads that are clearly designed to trick a user into going to a website they did not want to, is mearly going to drive the users away, especially new users/visitors. I refer to the pop up ad that has appeared recently after logging on to this site. It is an obvious attempt to replicate a window with the well known 'x' at the top where you would normally close the window. I am sure most people have clicked it, not seeing the small and somewhat hidden x above it and been directed to another website they did not knowingly choose to open.

This is spam wrapped in trickery, plain and simple. I urge the owner/s of this site to enforce advertising rules preventing this type of deceptive advertising that open new pages under false pretence.

If I did not already know and trust this website and this ad appeared when I came here for the first time, I would have closed the website on which the ad appeared and never gone back.

[Bagless]

Couldn't agree more. I've already brought this up in the site suggestions section.

In case others haven't already seen it, this is the kind of cr%p that's popping up.

[jeff f]

yeah i got it this arvo too. i dont think it is something afo would allow and shouldn't be here

[Angus]

I have seen this add as well.

The black "x" does close the window as I have done it several times. I agree the red "x" immitating a close window option is mis leading.

Ill have a chat to webby about this but google adds are fickle things. without them we do not exist. But being the size site we are we have in no way any leverage to write "Dear Mr Google, these are the only adds we want...".

In short... Do these adds ruin your day that much?

Angus

[Aggro101]

I have seen this add as well.

The black "x" does close the window as I have done it several times. I agree the red "x" immitating a close window option is mis leading.

Ill have a chat to webby about this but google adds are fickle things. without them we do not exist. But being the size site we are we have in no way any leverage to write "Dear Mr Google, these are the only adds we want...".

In short... Do these adds ruin your day that much?

Angus

Thanks for the response Angus. I agree that advertising revenue is very important to a site like this. You might however be surprised how much leverage you have over Google in this regard. Check advertising regulations with the Australian Advertising Regulator http://www.adstandards.com.au in respect to intentionally misleading sdvertisments which can also be classified as spam.

With respect to advertising complaints, the Advertising Standards Board must consider whether advertisements:

are truthful and honest,

are or are designed to be misleading or deceptive, and

mislead or deceive children

Does it ruin my day? Not really, but as I said, if I didn't already trust this site, I would have closed it and not come back as soon as that ad appeared. I don't generally trust sites with that type of ad as you never know what is going to end up on your PC (cookies, trackers, trojans etc).

Obviously it is up to you guys what if anything you do about it, but personally, I think it does not help the site and has the potential to cause the loss of new members.

[tomca]

I use adblock and don't get those bits of wicked, wicked trickery

[johnus]

if you're on firefox or chrome, install adblock plus and your problem will go away

[Surfingant]

Yep I'm ad free on Chrome with a blocker :cheer: :cheer: :cheer: did it straight after that ad appeared, I generally don't have a problem with the ads on the site but as soon as that one came up and the red x didn't close it I decided they all had to go.

[powerfish]

Agreed, very off putting. There is also one that looks like a friend request but when you click ignore it still takes you to another site. As stated above, it would make me suspicious if I was a first time user of the site and would lilely not return.

[Bommie]

need to tighten up your pc. and browser, easily fixed