Intrusive advertising

[Smellthevalve]

It seems there is advertising appearing from the top or bottom of the screen (I am using safari browser in portrait mode) it creeps out from the edge of the screen and i have to press an arrow tab to get rid of it.
This has started in the last 2 weeks; my question - Is this something I will have to put up with from now on or something i have allowed accidentally?
I would like to get rid of it as there is already advertising embedded in the webpage, I don’t want another layer sliding itself over the top - it makes things especially annoying on a smartphone!

[zenguitar]

There was a brief experiment that ended up generating pop-up adds that was commented on here. Paul Gilby quickly pulled the plug on that as it was too intrusive.

I've not noticed what you describe using Safari on my iMac or MacBook, but I don't view the site on my iPad or iPhone which, from your description of viewing in portrait mode, I suspect is what you're describing.

It might be worth logging out of your SOS account, switching your device off for a minute, and then signing in again once you restart. That should refresh your cache and ensure everything is up to date.

Andy

[Hugh Robjohns]

I know Paul Gilby is investigating and experimenting with options for targeted advertising when the website and/or forum are viewed on mobile platforms.

Obviously, although the forum is provided free of charge, it is an expensive facility to provide and maintain, and web advertising is an important factor in its ongoing viability. So while no one would want web ads to intrude or distract, they are essential and some compromise is necessary.

That said, I'm sure Paul would be interested in your views and feedback, and I'll make sure he's aware of your posting here.

[Logarhythm]

It seems there is advertising appearing from the top or bottom of the screen (I am using safari browser in portrait mode) it creeps out from the edge of the screen and i have to press an arrow tab to get rid of it.
This has started in the last 2 weeks

It's the same on Android. I have the SoS site whitelisted so I expect to see adverts, but fwiw the ones that come up from the bottom of the screen are a bit annoying - it's really easy to accidentally click them when trying to scroll down the forum using my thumb.
I did wonder about the targeted element too, as I've had at least two adds written in what I think was Arabic script, which I cannot read

[Arpangel]

It seems there is advertising appearing from the top or bottom of the screen (I am using safari browser in portrait mode) it creeps out from the edge of the screen and i have to press an arrow tab to get rid of it.
This has started in the last 2 weeks

It's the same on Android. I have the SOS site whitelisted so I expect to see adverts, but fwiw the ones that come up from the bottom of the screen are a bit annoying - it's really easy to accidentally click them when trying to scroll down the forum using my thumb.
I did wonder about the targeted element too, as I've had at least two adds written in what I think was Arabic script, which I cannot read

This is a an unwelcome trend, I’m having to put up with increasing advertising on YouTube, it gets worse as time goes on, I’d hate to see SOS go this way, with such intrusive advertising, I fully appreciate that this forum costs money to run, of course, just like Youtube and you have to have a certain amount of advertising, but it seems to be getting really bad, exponentially, which is puzzling.

[Chevytraveller]

Personally, as a long time subscriber, I would welcome an "Ad-free subscribe option" and would be willing to pay more for this..

[Arpangel]

Personally, as a long time subscriber, I would welcome an "Ad-free subscribe option" and would be willing to pay more for this..

But how on earth would you survive without knowing about plug-in's you’re not interested in or the latest OLED TV?

[Chevytraveller]

Personally, as a long time subscriber, I would welcome an "Ad-free subscribe option" and would be willing to pay more for this..

But how on earth would you survive without knowing about plug-in's you’re not interested in or the latest OLED TV?

Quite happily I imagine... i haven't had a TV for 10 years!

[Paul Gilby]

The second of my advertising experiments is now complete. The anchor advert has been switched off but it may take up to 24 hours to disappear.

[ConcertinaChap]

Personally, as a long time subscriber, I would welcome an "Ad-free subscribe option" and would be willing to pay more for this..

+1

Hence:

[adrian_k]

Ok I have now re-whitelisted SOS

[Arpangel]

This whole advertising thing, not just SOS, is really a free for all now, and an excuse for people to charge you for something that was once free, like sites with minimal advertising.
YouTube is getting intolerable, you have no option now, on some channels, to skip to video, that seems to have disappeared, so in a fifteen minute video yesterday I got 4 ad breaks, taking the piss just doesn’t come into it.

[ben howes]

Re YouTube, clearly they want your money for the premium service. They have their claws in you, now the service has been free for so long. Then it becomes so unusable in free mode that you cave in and subscribe.
That's capitalism I suppose.

[Arpangel]

Re YouTube, clearly they want your money for the premium service. They have their claws in you, now the service has been free for so long. Then it becomes so unusable in free mode that you cave in and subscribe.
That's capitalism I suppose.

And, the economic climate right now has made the whole situation even more ruthless.
People trying to claw back money left right and centre.

[Wonks]

Get the right ad blocker and you can use YouTube as before, with no ads at all.

[Arpangel]

Get the right ad blocker and you can use YouTube as before, with no ads at all.

I watch mostly on our TV, so can’t install an ad blocker.

[Kwackman]

Get the right ad blocker and you can use YouTube as before, with no ads at all.

I watch mostly on our TV, so can’t install an ad blocker.

Watching YouTube on TV, watching any commercial TV broadcaster, you get ads on both? What’s the difference?

[Wonks]

Don’t watch on the TV app then, just use it as a monitor for your computer if it’s got an HDMI output.

I have to use the TV app sometimes for jamming along to backing tracks, so have to suffer the ads then, but if I was using it a lot then I’d get a laptop or similar to feed through it.

[Arpangel]

Don’t watch on the TV app then, just use it as a monitor for your computer if it’s got an HDMI output.

I have to use the TV app sometimes for jamming along to backing tracks, so have to suffer the ads then, but if I was using it a lot then I’d get a laptop or similar to feed through it.

I’ve tried screen mirroring on my i Pad, but my great, but frustrating Sony TV isn’t very accommodating, it came out just before all this stuff was the norm.
We don’t have any computers in the TV room.

[Hugh Robjohns]

I'm amazed GOOGLE have been able to provide their services for free for so long. This stuff isn't created free. It's hugely expensive to provide. Okay, so they can recoup some of that by data mining the users... but at the end of the day it's a commercial operation providing a service you want. So you need to pay for it one way or another!

[Drew Stephenson]

But I demand my right to free, instant access entertainment, communication, webhosting, real-time streaming and worldwide distribution!
I pay* my taxes.
Or something.

* Unlike Google - ironically.

[The Elf]

Get the right ad blocker and you can use YouTube as before, with no ads at all.

I never, ever see YouTube ads. I must have the right blocker(s), but it was just luck, if so!

[shufflebeat]

Get the right ad blocker and you can use YouTube as before, with no ads at all.

I never, ever see YouTube ads. I must have the right blocker(s), but it was just luck, if so!

[Red flashing light appears on the user-base console at Google Tower]

Op1 - "Sir, we have one. Somewhere in the UK, homing in now"

Dr Evel B'stard - "One more for the pot, Send him Mark Knopfler to start with, hold off on the Nigella til he's in the middle of his Christmas shopping!"

Mwa-ha-ha!

[wireman]

I'm amazed GOOGLE have been able to provide their services for free for so long. This stuff isn't created free. It's hugely expensive to provide. Okay, so they can recoup some of that by data mining the users...!

That't right. If the site is free then most likely you are the product.