Rogue adverts
 

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[Closed] Rogue adverts

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Okay..... so what was that redirect all about?


 
Posted : 19/03/2017 11:10 pm
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It's nature's way of telling you to get a P sub.

Or more rogue adverts.


 
Posted : 19/03/2017 11:12 pm
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But redirecting to a porn site (which I have never been on (notes for later) whilst browsing next to my wife is bang out of order.


 
Posted : 19/03/2017 11:15 pm
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bangoholic out of order.

But shoot an email to tech@singletrackworld.com or scream into a jar.

Both will probably have the same results.


 
Posted : 19/03/2017 11:22 pm
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What he said. Screen shots helpful. I've reported it.


 
Posted : 19/03/2017 11:27 pm
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Will do that if it happens again :-/


 
Posted : 20/03/2017 7:06 am
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redirecting to a porn site

Screen shots helpful.

I'm sure you can manage to find your own


 
Posted : 20/03/2017 7:12 am
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There's porn on the internet now? Why wasn't i informed!?


 
Posted : 20/03/2017 7:23 am
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Can we post screenshots of full-frontal fellatio? Animated with a gif.

Because that's what it is.


 
Posted : 20/03/2017 7:28 am
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Bit early for that.

Maybe a banana....


 
Posted : 20/03/2017 7:31 am
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johndoh - Member
But redirecting to a porn site (which I have never been on (notes for later) whilst browsing next to my wife is bang out of order.

I'm sure she'd forgive you eventually. Might even kindle a little spark.....;)

However, it would be significantly worse on a work computer in an open office. Bordering on an unforgivable error from a site that's moderated as a "family friendly" one.


 
Posted : 20/03/2017 7:38 am
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Don't the adverts appear based on your internet usage?


 
Posted : 20/03/2017 7:48 am
 mt
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Somewhere someone is complaining to a typically disinterested moderator they just had a redirect to a mountain biking website. It could even be a moderator from this site multitasking.


 
Posted : 20/03/2017 7:53 am
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Don't the adverts appear based on your internet usage?

It wasn't an advert, it was a redirect - that's a very different (and quite concerning) thing.

Here's a screenshot of my history when the event occurred.

[img] [/img]


 
Posted : 20/03/2017 9:34 am
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I've been getting strange redirects too

On both android and Windows 10

No porn though


 
Posted : 20/03/2017 9:42 am
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tomhoward - Member

Don't the adverts appear based on your internet usage?

I never got this one, so, no.


 
Posted : 20/03/2017 11:18 am
 DrP
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You guys are always going on about how buying a cheapo car and running it into the ground is 'the way forward' and more cost effective... Just buy a new car and be done with it.

Now you're setting up a webpage about your addiction to the bangernomics process, it seems.

I'm out

DrP 😉


 
Posted : 20/03/2017 11:25 am
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Hey guys. Tom here from the tech team. Just wondering if I could get some more information on the issue such as where and when it happens plus a screenshot if possible.

Email tech@singletrackworld.com or me personally at tom.alker@singletrackworld.com.
Thanks.


 
Posted : 20/03/2017 12:19 pm
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Will do next time it comes up.


 
Posted : 20/03/2017 1:00 pm
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I will certainly screenshot it if it happens again - does my above posted history help?


 
Posted : 20/03/2017 1:05 pm
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That and the sodding redirect to "BT customer survey"


 
Posted : 20/03/2017 1:09 pm
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And while we're on it, does anyone else think the camelback advert is a bit shapely too?


 
Posted : 20/03/2017 1:10 pm
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tommathy - Key Master

Vinz?

Vinz Clortho?

Is that you? 😉


 
Posted : 20/03/2017 1:13 pm
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I've had a few redirects recently, will screenshot and post when it happens again.


 
Posted : 20/03/2017 1:17 pm
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lol @ irony of this post having an advertising banner for russian brides on it too..


 
Posted : 20/03/2017 1:48 pm
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Just emailed. Had a dodgy link appear again whilst clicking on the main "bike forum" tab. Would post screenshot if not for fear of ban-hammer.


 
Posted : 20/03/2017 3:43 pm
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post a link to a screenshot with a warning? "clicker beware".. surely thats legal? 🙂


 
Posted : 20/03/2017 4:21 pm
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[i] Would post screenshot if not for fear of ban-hammer.[/i]

that's a bit like FB reporting BBC to police for sending them links they were displaying to users, no?


 
Posted : 20/03/2017 4:22 pm
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Too many oldies on here with high enough blood pressure as it is without knowing what "Jen, 29" would like to do to me tonight. Wife looked over at just the wrong moment, had a lot of explaining to do. Glad this thread exists!


 
Posted : 20/03/2017 4:41 pm
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Wife looked over at just the wrong moment, had a lot of explaining to do. Glad this thread exists!

Exactly - not an ideal experience.


 
Posted : 20/03/2017 4:43 pm
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Email sent to tech@, browser cleared, brow mopped


 
Posted : 20/03/2017 4:58 pm
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Email sent to tech@, browser cleared, brow mopped

Brow, eh? 😳


 
Posted : 20/03/2017 5:33 pm
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LOLs


 
Posted : 20/03/2017 5:40 pm
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I've had a few odd redirects on my phone (android). One of those "warning, virus detected" style scam things with a popup and vibration on the phone.

[img] [/img]


 
Posted : 20/03/2017 6:55 pm
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...NOT SAFE FOR WORK/KIDS...

Do admin not care? I've just picked up my phone to find the thread that was loading took me to an adult site.

This is what your users are putting up with...I've deliberately posted a small screenshot to avoid excessive detail, the image visible is rather tame compared to the rest of page which is showing hardcore porn.

If this is the sort of uncontrolled/malicious advertising on the site and admin are struggling to identify the problem...surely there is no debate...the third party advertising should simply be switched off until the issue is resolved?

I know this is against the rules, but STW, you're not exactly treating this as a priority it seems...

[IMG] [/IMG]


 
Posted : 20/03/2017 9:33 pm
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[quote=spooky_b329 ]the third party advertising should simply be switched off until the issue is resolved?Gotta agree with that. Advertising feeds have been switched off previously while Mark has investigated them.

(Notices there's only 2m30s left to register though.....)


 
Posted : 20/03/2017 9:35 pm
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surely there is no debate...the third party advertising should simply be switched off until the issue is resolved?

As previously mentioned, that link/image could cause someone issues at work. If this is, as the moderation policy would have us believe, a family friendly site, then yes, shut down all adverts until resolved.


 
Posted : 20/03/2017 9:39 pm
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I've just had a similar redirect when loading the Amazon *@#* thread.

Didn't take screenshots but my history had that cloudatt.com redirect that the previous screenshots show.


 
Posted : 20/03/2017 9:39 pm
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1. in the ass

can you scroll?


 
Posted : 20/03/2017 9:40 pm
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Who knew there were so many horny milfs in my area right now just waiting to be fornicated.


 
Posted : 20/03/2017 9:43 pm
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DR, you of all people should have identified that option earlier. 😉


 
Posted : 20/03/2017 9:43 pm
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[quote=verses ]I've just had a similar redirect when loading the Amazon *@#* thread.
Didn't take screenshots but my history had that cloudatt.com redirect that the previous screenshots show.

Interesting. I assumed it was only non-Ps that were affected. If it's P users too then that should make narrowing down the culprit much more likely.

(I assume you have ads disabled?)


 
Posted : 20/03/2017 9:45 pm
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DR, you of all people should have identified that option earlier.

applauds 🙂


 
Posted : 20/03/2017 9:48 pm
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Onesexclub

Well in the picture she was alone and having sex so.

Pretty ****ing shocking that this should.happen.


 
Posted : 20/03/2017 9:50 pm
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So no swearing on the forum but OK that it redirects to a woman stuffing four fingers up herself.


 
Posted : 20/03/2017 9:52 pm
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I keep getting the "you have a virus" android warning pop up thing, no porn though still have to find that myself.


 
Posted : 20/03/2017 9:54 pm
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Phah.

Chuffing hilarious.

P or no P, totally irrelevant in the world of no swearing and yet porn redirects.

Should be ashamed.

I've reported it to the Mods, whilst I don't/haven't been infected or redirected I think it's too serious an issue to be ignored.

Tech might be at home watching C5 crap or in the Pub, but issues like this should be easy to sort out if you use the vast IT resource I mentioned in "that other thread"

How many more threads are needed before you either accept the sites being targeted and you put some resources behind it or just accept that users will be pissed off ?


 
Posted : 20/03/2017 9:55 pm
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😆 Seems nobody writes shite for windows any more.

And not wanting to cast aspertions or anything but as long as there are cougars, there is porn.


 
Posted : 20/03/2017 9:55 pm
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Interesting. I assumed it was only non-Ps that were affected. If it's P users too then that should make narrowing down the culprit much more likely.
(I assume you have ads disabled?)

It was before I logged back in


 
Posted : 20/03/2017 9:56 pm
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not quite as good as monster facials or whatever, but when I open the "£%$"£$ Amazon thread I get ads for Amazon, nice one


 
Posted : 20/03/2017 10:03 pm
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Had that survey on Saturday...

I've said it before on the website update thread, but I'm pretty sure we are just numbers to get adverts served to raise more money for the site. The traffic to this is so great that ad serving is likely to be making a reasonable amount of money (for ad serving)...given the nature of these redirects and the lack of speed to rectify them, it suggests that there isn't really a desire to fix them and that the impact to the users isn't really that much of an issue.

Which is a shame as it does, once again, remind the community of users on here that this is just a business for them in charge (which kind of defeats the intention of it when it first started - yes, bills need paid as do wages, but selling out to cover those isn't great).


 
Posted : 20/03/2017 10:05 pm
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Dick - I believe from previous discussions about this you are right - the ads on the forum are the only part of singletrack that makes any money so we have to remember this - we provide the content for the ad based revenue that supports the whole operation. The magazine does not make enough to fund the people writing it

this is why we get so many ads in comparison to other forums - this one has to make money


 
Posted : 20/03/2017 10:09 pm
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From grit.cx


On ST there has been a 15% increase in traffic month on month since we activated the mobile theme with pretty much all of that coming from mobile users.

How much of that would be folk having to click on multiple links to get to the last post in a thread I wonder?


 
Posted : 20/03/2017 10:09 pm
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Change of strategy at STW Towers needed I think.

Can't think of any other 'big name' sites that suffer from this, it's normally low rent, click bait, ad revenue generating sites.

Perhaps put the reputation of the site, users, and the concerns of legitimate cycling advertisers above maximising ad revenue, and use a more reputable provider that vets the ads that are served.


 
Posted : 20/03/2017 10:10 pm
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FWIW, I have no problem with adverts. I do, however, have a problem with massively intrusive/page takeover adverts, with massive data drain adverts, with autoplay sound/video adverts and most of all, with wholly inappropriate/offensive adverts. If I can't say **** (assume that f e c k has been edited), how the **** are porn adverts allowed?

Cyclingnews, Bikerumor and others, lots of content, lots of adverts, never any of these problems.

How much of that would be folk having to click on multiple links to get to the last post in a thread I wonder?

I posed the same question a while ago. Very clever. Using the site on a mobile requires many, many clicks to get to something you [i]might [/i]want to read. Clever.


 
Posted : 20/03/2017 10:10 pm
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literally just had an ad for plusnet user something or other pop up on this very thread, what a load of balls


 
Posted : 20/03/2017 10:12 pm
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CFH - are those sites just covering costs tho or supporting a wider staff that run the magazine?

I think thats the issue here needing to maximise the advertising income


 
Posted : 20/03/2017 10:20 pm
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There is something that must not be named you can do to stop ads ( IIRC the ban on saying this was eased - I hope so)


 
Posted : 20/03/2017 10:22 pm
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Cyclingnews have a pretty big staff covering events globally, including live text coverage for example. Can't be cheap to run.


 
Posted : 20/03/2017 10:22 pm
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But this isn't ads, it's redirects - automatically taking the user from www.singletrack to www.pornsite

I am not against porn but I really don't expect to come to this site and have it take me somewhere else without my permission.


 
Posted : 20/03/2017 10:25 pm
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maximise the advertising income

That's just fine, but....

Can't think of any other 'big name' sites that suffer from this, it's normally low rent, click bait, ad revenue generating sites.

And...

I really don't expect to come to this site and have it take me somewhere else without my permission.

Spend some time on Pinkbike, NSMB, VitalMTB, Factory Jackson or others. Lots of content, none of the problem adverts.

By all means maximise advertising revenue, but just not with utter, utter shit in the way of advertising.


 
Posted : 20/03/2017 10:25 pm
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awww, man - was that survey [b]not[/b] someone's kid doing a uni project ?

Wish I'd not done it now, or given my email in case they wanted further critique of their grammar


 
Posted : 20/03/2017 10:38 pm
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Legitimate ads are OK. I've even clicked on and bought from them but I don't need them rimmed down throat. Unlike the young lady in the latest redirect, she apparently loves getting things rimmed down her throat.


 
Posted : 20/03/2017 10:50 pm
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Just had more porno redirects. Guys, please try and get it sorted, this just isn't on.


 
Posted : 20/03/2017 11:27 pm
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I'm beginning to feel a little left out here as I have had none of these things 🙁


 
Posted : 20/03/2017 11:29 pm
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We've reported it. The people who can fix it are probably in bed.

There seems to be some sentiment here that it's intentional. I can assure you it's not. AIUI ads get delivered via third party advertising networks, they're supposed to deliver ads according to criteria STW has agreed to but it'd seem that occasionally rogue ones break through. I don't know quite how this works, but there is no way that browser redirects, porn pop-ups and malware would be sanctioned; something has gone very wrong somewhere. (If I were a betting man I'd hazard that they're all from the same source.)


 
Posted : 20/03/2017 11:30 pm
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There seems to be some sentiment here that it's intentional

Might not be intentional, but the fact this has been known for a day and is still happening is pretty crap really.

I've got my adblocker on to stop them.


 
Posted : 20/03/2017 11:39 pm
 Mark
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I'm not in bed. I've been working on it for the last few hours. Tom, was looking at it today. I've been on holiday until this evening. Let's see what happens for the next hour.


 
Posted : 20/03/2017 11:44 pm
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Can't sleep.

First thread:

[IMG] [/IMG]

Mind boggles.

I reported first rogue ad last Sunday, and the first redirect on Monday. A week later, it's still going on.


 
Posted : 21/03/2017 4:26 am
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Forum index this time, didn't even get to click a thread.

[IMG] [/IMG]


 
Posted : 21/03/2017 5:01 am
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tommathy - Key Master
… if I could get some more information on the issue such as where and when it happens plus a screenshot if possible.

Screenshots emailed to tech@


 
Posted : 21/03/2017 5:01 am
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I have been getting this for over a week now. Will grab some screen shots next time.


 
Posted : 21/03/2017 6:07 am
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The last one I got all but took over the phone, multiple popups and redirects, and the phone vibrating away like mad, turned into a race as I couldn't back out of the popups fast enough to be able to close the browser tab. 18 popups showing in the history.

[img] [/img]

[img] [/img]


 
Posted : 21/03/2017 6:31 am
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Got another just now...went to cloudatt, then redirected to goboobs then redirected to instapic with an offer to see naked pics.

No screengrabs I'm afraid...unlike real sex, this happened too quickly.


 
Posted : 21/03/2017 6:55 am
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I normally stay out of these threads but there's some worrying stuff happening.

I think Mark etc should maybe try and explain why

a) they think it's happening - surely the co's they use to deliver ads shoudl filter this stuff out?

b) why stw seems to prone to it -no other sites I go on seem to have reports as regularly as this and they're equally as busy).

c) what they're doing to mitigate - dropping some ad servers until they can trust them etc?

The answer to this problem is not '£1.50 and it goes away' - the issue is as much one of stw being a trusted brand this type of thing is damaging to stw as a brand, regardless of who's affected.


 
Posted : 21/03/2017 7:55 am
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Maybe STW doesn't care about forum members as they're a bunch of whiney bawbags?


 
Posted : 21/03/2017 8:03 am
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I think you're wrong on the former Jamie and the latter is a sweeping generalisation 🙂

My guess is they don't think they can identify who is serving the problem ads and they can't afford to switch off all ads and then selective re-enable them to find out who it is.


 
Posted : 21/03/2017 8:15 am
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Has anyone thought about Tweeting some of this stuff? I thought that was the generally accepted way to get attention with CS issues these days.


 
Posted : 21/03/2017 8:29 am
 Mark
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Well you could if you like but I was up until 1 last night and Tom was working on it most of yesterday so it's not going to get more attention here. Right now I'm just pulling up at work. I have a theory as why it's happening and I'll fill you in shortly on what we've been doing and are about to do.


 
Posted : 21/03/2017 8:47 am
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