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Inappropriate ads appearing on blog

  1. susanthecoach
    Member

    Hi there,
    I went into my blog today on a different computer so I landed at the public page and was sickened and horrified to find that my blog was sporting an advertisment that was using the image of a dead baby to promote a company called groupon.ae
    Firstly I did not give permission foir my site to be used for advertising - does this happen automatically?
    If it does, and I understand that WordPress has to fund itself, what control do I have over what appears? I can't see how an image of a dead baby is ever appropriate for any site but it certainly has no place on a positive thinking coaching site!
    Help!

    The blog I need help with is susanthecoach.wordpress.com.

  2. thesacredpath
    Staff

    If you can, take a screenshot of the ad and then contact staff directly on this. This isn't the first case of inappropriate ads appearing on sites here lately and staff need to get this under control.

    You might be able to see the ads again from your computer by logging out of wordpress, clear your browser cache and cookies, restart your browser and then visit your site without logging in.

    I'll tag this for staff attention and hopefully they will respond here, but if not, contact them via the contact from after they get the contact form back up and running, which should be shortly.

  3. susanthecoach
    Member

    Thanks for that. How do I take a screen shot?

  4. airodyssey
    Member

    http://en.support.wordpress.com/make-a-screenshot/

  5. hewsut
    Staff

    Hi Susan,

    That sounds horrific and we certainly will not put up with something like that.

    As TSP and airodyssey mention, please do screenshot anything like that and send it to us immediately in support.

  6. susanthecoach
    Member

    I haven't managed to get the image to come up again but the when I clicked on it the company that put it up there was groupon.ae

  7. ileighanne
    Member

    I found the same type of thing. A softporn type ad appeared on my professional blog. I did get a screen shot. I'm extremely upset.

  8. timethief
    Member

    @ileighanne
    Please include your screenshots in emails to Staff support@wordpress.com and put "inappropriate ads" in the subject line.

  9. stbride
    Member

    I am suddenly having this issue also. DOes it have anything to do with this announcement:
    Leading digital advertising company Federated Media and WordPress developer Automattic forged a strategic partnership today that allows for greater interaction between advertisers and audiences from over 24 million blogs hosted by WordPress.com.

    The partnership, which was announced during the Web 2.0 Summit event in San Francisco, Calif., gives WordPress.com blog owners the ability to place advertisements on their sites. In turn, advertisers on Federated Media’s network gain the ability to target their ads by matching them with the right audiences from specific WordPress.com blogs.
    http://venturebeat.com/2011/10/19/federated-media-wordpress-partnership/

  10. timethief
    Member

    WordPress.com has been running advertising on our free hosted blogs since 2006. Many bloggers do not know this because despite the fact they ticked the box required to get a free blog, they did not read the ToS. Many also do not read features page, or advertising entry in the support documents after registering their username and blog(s). Also note that as the ads do not display to us when we are logged in, and as many use browsers with ad blockers when logged out, they may not realize they are there at all. The only way to get rid of all advertising on our free hosted WordPress.com blogs is to purchase an annually renewable No-Ads upgrade.

  11. stbride
    Member

    I know about the ToS info about ads. What I don't know is WHY NOW? And why allow some that are offensive? And, for instance there are a Talbot's ad and a Pottery Barn ad that appear several times -- but not accompanying posts about clothes or interior dec, which I do have on the blog?

  12. airodyssey
    Member

    @stbride: From the way they react, I doubt WordPress.com deliberately publishes "offensive ads". As timethief said earlier, if you've any concerns about the ads, send an email along with a screenshot to support@wordpress.com

  13. stbride
    Member

    I don't think they do it deliberately either. And yes, I screenshot the stuff...

  14. timethief
    Member

    @stbride
    Thanks for taking the screenshot and emailing it to Staff.

  15. lollygabber
    Member

    The same thing happened to me. What would sending a screenshot accomplish?

  16. airodyssey
    Member

    @lollygabber: It's staff themselves that have asked for screenshots. Need I say more?

  17. infx
    Member

    These ads are going to drive the users over to another host methinks. WHich is a shame as I'd always reccommended wordpress to others.

  18. auxclass
    Member

    @lollygabber - a screen shot lets the staff know exactly what you are complaining about as well as identify the ad and provider should they decide to suspend or take other action against the ad service.

  19. justjennifer
    Member

    @infx-As already stated elsewhere, ads on user sites have been around since 2006.

    Furthermore, think for a minute how many ads you've seen while logged into WordPress.com. Ads are usually directed at non-logged in users coming in from a search engine and if you have an ad blocker, then nada as well.

    Offensive ads are counterproductive to everyone and as Staff said above,

    That sounds horrific and we certainly will not put up with something like that.

    As TSP and airodyssey mention, please do screenshot anything like that and send it to us immediately in support.

  20. itspaki
    Member

    Hey can you tell me something about this. There is an ad on one of my blog posts without my permission. Is this a normal thing? if not then any help please?
    itspak.wordpress.com

  21. timethief
    Member

    @itspak
    You have posted into two other threads and I replied to you in them. Please read what I posted and stop posting into more threads.
    http://en.forums.wordpress.com/topic/how-to-place-ads?replies=7#post-731788
    http://en.forums.wordpress.com/topic/ads-allowed-on-me?replies=6#post-731790

    The only way to get rid of all advertising on our free hosted WordPress.com blogs is to purchase an annually renewable No-Ads upgrade.

  22. itspaki
    Member

    i've got rid of that ad without purchasing any upgrade. cheers

  23. timethief
    Member

    @itspak
    Hello again,
    How exactly did you do that? Did you contact Staff and did they remove it?

  24. itspaki
    Member

    @timethief
    Exactly.

  25. itspaki
    Member

    Can I remove the comments I've made on these forums?

  26. auxclass
    Member

    @itspak - no - you have taken your place in history - only moderators can remove comments and I have only seen profane language or personal attacks removed.

  27. itspaki
    Member

    @auxclass
    I don't get it. Why can't I remove the comments which are mistakenly or multiply posted. WP should add this feature.

  28. auxclass
    Member

    It is my understanding that the edit Post function was abused in the past.

    Duplicate threads are often removed by moderators or closed with a note that the discussion is being consolidated into one thread.

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