Clickbait advertising on the forum

[JKF]

I’ve just seen another one of the Martin Lewis fraud ones on here. I don’t get how the company that distributes these isn’t held accountable. There are so many outright fraudulent adverts appearing on so-called reputable sites, fake celebrity endorsements, those plug-in heaters than claim to break the law of thermodynamics etc. There should be a duty of care by content providers, with the public able to claim compensation if they lose out due to falling for one. Yet the big tech companies are more or less above the law, and any attempt at regulation causes them to interfere in the democratic process to install politicians that won’t regulate them. Too much power.

I’m even seeing fraudulent ads on the BBC website (I’m in Portugal for Christmas and the BBC carries ads outside of the UK)

 

[jon0844]

Fraudulent ads are only going to get WAY worse now, thanks to generative AI. Look at all the fake videos of elderly craftsmen/women selling their hand-crafted wares before they close down, or the toy cats, dogs (and koalas?) that run on 3 batters but look and act totally real. It's now easier than ever to sell a torch that's able to light up the moon and so on.

The worst thing is, Google doesn't care (YouTube is ridiculous for these dodgy ads). Facebook doesn't care. Other ad carriers don't care. They must know people are going to be scammed, perhaps by £30-40 here, a few grand or their life-savings there, but as long as they get paid..

 

[najaB]

The worst thing is, Google doesn't care (YouTube is ridiculous for these dodgy ads). Facebook doesn't care. Other ad carriers don't care.

When was it any different? Snake oil salesmen used to get their ads in the paper back in the day, and how many kids had spent their pocket money on X-ray glasses and the like?

 

[Halwynd]

When was it any different? Snake oil salesmen used to get their ads in the paper back in the day, and how many kids had spent their pocket money on X-ray glasses and the like?

Walk taller using nature's natural resources. Send £9.99 + P&P to: Box Number 101... receive two blocks of wood with a strap for each foot.

The secret to soft and gentle hands. Send £4.99 + P&P to.... receive a picture postcard of bubbles which states: Make someone else wash up.

A. Daley

 

[jon0844]

When was it any different? Snake oil salesmen used to get their ads in the paper back in the day, and how many kids had spent their pocket money on X-ray glasses and the like?

I think we've massively moved on from selling X-ray specs in the classifieds. Now there are ads that will try and empty your entire bank account through some dodgy investment advice.

Plus, while I think we've all realised those X-ray specs didn't work, AI is getting realistic enough to produce fake content that people clearly ARE falling for (or they wouldn't exist; nobody pays for ads that don't bring in any money).

 

[najaB]

I think we've massively moved on from selling X-ray specs in the classifieds. Now there are ads that will try and empty your entire bank account through some dodgy investment advice.

I remind you that Charles Ponzi of the eponymous scheme was active in the 1920s, and he was far from the first.

Plus, while I think we've all realised those X-ray specs didn't work, AI is getting realistic enough to produce fake content that people clearly ARE falling for (or they wouldn't exist; nobody pays for ads that don't bring in any money).

And, while you'd like to think that nobody would fall for X-ray glasses these days...

 

[jon0844]

I remind you that Charles Ponzi of the eponymous scheme was active in the 1920s, and he was far from the first.

And, while you'd like to think that nobody would fall for X-ray glasses these days...

This. And he also did a video just recently that covered the pets I mentioned (including the koala).

 

[jthjth]

I’ve just seen another one of the Martin Lewis fraud ones on here. I don’t get how the company that distributes these isn’t held accountable. There are so many outright fraudulent adverts appearing on so-called reputable sites, fake celebrity endorsements, those plug-in heaters than claim to break the law of thermodynamics etc. There should be a duty of care by content providers, with the public able to claim compensation if they lose out due to falling for one. Yet the big tech companies are more or less above the law, and any attempt at regulation causes them to interfere in the democratic process to install politicians that won’t regulate them. Too much power.

I’m even seeing fraudulent ads on the BBC website (I’m in Portugal for Christmas and the BBC carries ads outside of the UK)

And yet, some people here still justify this site financing itself from such advert brokers. Alternatives do exist, as I’ve mentioned.

 

[generalnerd]

And yet, some people here still justify this site financing itself from such advert brokers. Alternatives do exist, as I’ve mentioned.

You’d really want one of the big broadcast companies to do your advertising (Sky, buaer, global), but they generally only do tv and radio. Maybe we need to start a radio station to provide the income for the site…

 

[najaB]

And yet, some people here still justify this site financing itself from such advert brokers. Alternatives do exist, as I’ve mentioned.

The vast majority of adverts on the site are both appropriate and legitimate.

 

[jon0844]

I would be happy to pay an annual fee for a totally ad-free experience. I have no idea how hard it might be to set something like this up.

 

[contrex]

Walk taller using nature's natural resources. Send £9.99 + P&P to: Box Number 101... receive two blocks of wood with a strap for each foot.

The secret to soft and gentle hands. Send £4.99 + P&P to.... receive a picture postcard of bubbles which states: Make someone else wash up.

A. Daley

From the 1890s, I believe 'Send sixpence in stamps for a genuine metal clothes hanger and a cigarette lighter guaranteed to light first time' and receive a match and a nail.

 

[Ashley Hill]

Can I just quickly check in and make sure nothing else inappropriate has resurfaced since?

This appeared this morning.it shows a blonde teenage girl lyiing suggestively on a brown leather sofa. The title reads Easy Girls for Screwing. And says search now.

 

[gazthomas]

This appeared this morning.
View attachment 197691

I've had this one show up too yesterday

 

[nw1]

I have to admit I just keep the ad blocker turned on for all sites.

I do tend to get a bit paranoid about security and just prefer to completely block on all sites - ever since I got some really quite alarming popups on a similar legitimate forum some 10 years or so.

I do get the need for ads, and I'd be more than happy to see harmless ads (e.g from TOCs) but it seems you can't trust Big Tech companies to serve up ethically-sound ads. The above example illustrates perfectly what I mean.

 

[AlterEgo]

I've had this one show up too yesterday

Harmless DIY ad

 

[gazthomas]

Harmless DIY ad

I just wish they were a bit more local to me

 

[Railwaycat]

The only ads (small, top or bottom) I get on this site are for commerce sites I've visited recently, LCE (London Camera Exchange) and a car dealer - Perrys.

 

[DelW]

Not clickbait, but it amused me that while I was reading a thread about delays and cancellations on the West Anglia line, this advert popped up:

(screenshot of a forum page with an advert for "Private Jet Hire")

Clearly someone has an optimistic view of forum members' finances! Private jet from London City to Stansted anyone?

 

[Ashley Hill]

This is currently appearing as an advert. It shows a large breasted oriental lady smiling suggestively into camera. It is advertising a dating site.

 

[najaB]

I don't know if that counts as clickbait - seems like a legitimate meeting/dating site.

 

[stadler]

This is currently appearing as an advert.
View attachment 202984

I have just seen two of those advertisements on the forum this evening.





These foreign advertisements seem very random on a British forum. I can not imagine that many people on a British forum would be interested in a South Korean dating site. I doubt this forum has many (or even any) South Korean based members. Surely such adverts would be better targeted towards South Korean forums. These advertisements must just all be generated by bots these days.

 

[najaB]

I can not imagine that many people on a British forum would be interested in a South Korean dating site.

You'd be surprised. Reviews of the site indicate that it's quite popular with people who intend to visit Korea and want to make friends (or 'friends') beforehand.

 

[styles]

I doubt this forum has many (or even any) South Korean based members.

Korean people can date British people.

In fact I expect there is a large, ahem, 'market', for the matter.

 

[D365]

Are we really trusting the veracity of the above advert(s)?

 

[najaB]

Are we really trusting the veracity of the above advert(s)?

I don't see a claim to evaluate.

 

[Ediswan]

Currently seeing an ad for "Altnabreac travel guide".

 

[najaB]

Currently seeing an ad for "Altnabreac travel guide".

Does it recommend a visit to the train station cottage?

 

[styles]

Currently seeing an ad for "Altnabreac travel guide".

For the benefit of us all, can you click the link and tell us what it says?!

 

[Kite159]

Not a TV advert, but an advert which pops up on this forum from what appears to be a clothing retailer with rear end views of ladies with the item of clothing barely covering their rear ends.

There was me thinking porn sites needed age verification