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Changes to Advertising on the site

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    #362
    Jeff2
    Registered Users Posts: 7,064 ✭✭✭Jeff2


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120601645#Comment_120601645

    What, it's a bit crazy IMO. Adds coming up for are very not relevant to me so It defies the purpose of advertising bar the fact that it is hard to use the site with out clicking an add. So may look like the site has good traffic for adds.

    IMG_20230516_001103.jpg




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    #363
    gipi
    Registered Users Posts: 2,951 ✭✭✭gipi


    The new ads on mobile (Chrome) that pop up from the bottom of the screen appear even if cookies aren't enabled.

    Last straw for me, I've changed browser so all ads and pop ups are gone.



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    #364
    ohnonotgmail
    Registered Users Posts: 40,411 ✭✭✭✭ohnonotgmail


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120601977#Comment_120601977

    I've just installed Brave browser and boards is now usable again on mobile.



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    #365
    Arghus
    Registered Users Posts: 14,471 ✭✭✭✭Arghus


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120602239#Comment_120602239

    I've just done the same and you can actually use the site again.

    I understand that a free site relies on advertising, but these ads are beyond intrusive to the point where it's a turn off to use the site. That can't be a good idea. This will kill off a lot of the userbase.

    I have no idea what's going on behind the scenes, but this feels like real circling the drain stuff. Huge, ugly, spammy ads filling up pages and forums getting clearly quieter and quieter.

    Feels like were in the endgame for the site.



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    #366
    gipi
    Registered Users Posts: 2,951 ✭✭✭gipi


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120602239#Comment_120602239

    I installed duckduckgo, which removes all the clutter



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    #367
    Boards.ie: Mike
    Boards.ie Employee Posts: 1,036 ✭✭✭✭✭Boards.ie: Mike


    Hi all,

    Apologies that some of you have felt like you have been left in the dark over the weekend. All of the issues with this current ad program seem to be on the mobile version of the site, also mostly android.

    I have been in contact with Snigel this morning and also Tech to see what can be done about this issue. Thank you to all that have provided screenshots showing the ads and how intrusive some of them are. That is very helpful. It is not our intention to make the site unusable. That isn't in anyone's interest.

    I will be making all updates here. Thanks guys.



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    #368
    Seve OB
    Registered Users Posts: 15,944 ✭✭✭✭Seve OB


    no @Boards.ie: Mike Apple iPhone user here and the problems are very prominent on this platform also



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    #369
    Boards.ie: Mike
    Boards.ie Employee Posts: 1,036 ✭✭✭✭✭Boards.ie: Mike


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120603223#Comment_120603223

    Thanks for letting me know Seve OB. I have been in touch with them today and the Bottom adhesive ad will be made much smaller. I am waiting on confirmation on what is happening with the interstitial ad that is taking up the mid section of the page. Again, I'll put updates here.

    Thanks all.



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    #370
    Unearthly
    Registered Users Posts: 8,032 ✭✭✭Unearthly


    Looks fixed for me. Chrome on iPhone



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    #371
    JDxtra
    Registered Users Posts: 5,891 ✭✭✭JDxtra


    Safari user here on iPhone. Getting ads for Currys and JD Sports that take up around 40% of the screen. Also still seeing those UNICEF Ukraine ads (mid thread).

    Long term user also (almost 22 years). Missing the simple m.boards.ie version. ☹️


    IMG_3712.jpeg




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    #372
    sioda
    Registered Users Posts: 4,490 ✭✭✭sioda


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120604840#Comment_120604840

    Ah m.boards the dream



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    #373
    Wildly Boaring
    Registered Users Posts: 3,645 ✭✭✭Wildly Boaring


    I see others have been on already.

    Irs a bit of a mess last couple days.

    Never bothered with ad blocker before but this is getting impossible

    Screenshot_20230516_225618_Chrome.jpg


    Screenshot_20230516_225530_Chrome.jpg




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    #374
    Packrat
    Registered Users Posts: 1,214 ✭✭✭Packrat


    I'm on android phone. How do I download an adblocker as this latest sh1t is making it unusable?

    Explain like I'm 5 please.

    It was bad enough these last few weeks with the pop ups when you changed page, but this is the absolute last straw.

    Long term user and very close to not using the site anymore over this.

    “The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command”



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    #375
    mk7r
    Registered Users Posts: 744 ✭✭✭mk7r


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120603699#Comment_120603699

    The bottom ad has to go, it's not workable in any size it's just too intrusive



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    #376
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 17,378 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120606188#Comment_120606188

    Download the APK from blokada.org and install it. Or use Brave Browser based on what others here have said. Or use Firefox and install the uBlock Origin extension.



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    #377
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 17,378 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120602645#Comment_120602645

    I think the fundamental problem with using companies like Snigel is that they're catered towards garbage sites that rank in Google and only expect visitors to be there the once, and so exploit those hits as much as they can. These ad tactics are not meant for sites with long term daily users where those users are critical for the site's survival.

    The site is using the tactics of a scammy seller at a tourist site who knows the tourist will only be there once. No one with a brain buys a stall in their town's local market with the genius idea that it they simply scam all the customers, they'll make twice the money.

    You can't have it both ways.



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    #378
    ohnonotgmail
    Registered Users Posts: 40,411 ✭✭✭✭ohnonotgmail


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120602645#Comment_120602645

    Can I ask something? Is the placement of ads something you agreed with Snigel or have Snigel done their own thing and ignored what you agreed with them?



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    #379
    Boards.ie: Mike
    Boards.ie Employee Posts: 1,036 ✭✭✭✭✭Boards.ie: Mike


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120606307#Comment_120606307

    As I said we are working with Snigel on solutions for these issues. Currently the ad revenue is critical to the running of the site. Which is why we are dedicated to making it a more user friendly experience. We would of course hope that the site is usable for everyone. Users like yourself have been around here for many years at this point and we would like to think that can continue. We don't plan on going anywhere any time soon!

    So we thank you for your support and patience while we try and make these changes.



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    #380
    Boards.ie: Mike
    Boards.ie Employee Posts: 1,036 ✭✭✭✭✭Boards.ie: Mike


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120606618#Comment_120606618

    We are very much involved with the ad campaign being run by Snigel. We have not handed over space to a rogue operator. Snigel are a company at the fore of what they do. They are super responsive and engaging. They have a very dedicated team who at the drop of a had come and try to resolve any issues we have. Creating an ad package for a site like this is not easy. It can be a bit of trial and error sometimes with a site that is so heavily customised. I understand that these ads feel a bit intrusive at the moment but know that we are working on fixes for that. We are not just standing idly by, watching everyone's frustration.



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    #381
    Dial Hard
    Registered Users Posts: 13,649 ✭✭✭✭Dial Hard


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120606651#Comment_120606651

    If they're that responsive can you ask them why they're showing us ads for US motorbike insurance and fundraisers for a mosque in Texas???



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    #382
    HeidiHeidi
    Registered Users Posts: 29,188 ✭✭✭✭HeidiHeidi


    Or ads in German for men's workwear to a female user on an Irish website.

    Which is what I was getting a lot of before resorting to an ad blocker.

    I'm really sorry, but there just seems to be a large element of sticking fingers in ears and singing "lalalalalala" about this.

    How has it been going on for so long? How come I have literally never seen the level of inappropriate, intrusive advertising on any other website I've ever used?

    For every one poster who bothers to come in to threads like these and report stuff, I would really love to know how many others out there just say "feck that" and just leave.

    But mostly I wonder how it can possibly take so long to fix.



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    #383
    ohnonotgmail
    Registered Users Posts: 40,411 ✭✭✭✭ohnonotgmail


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120606651#Comment_120606651

    so you agreed with them to place an ad on mobile that covers up the bottom half of the screeen? this is in addition to the other ads that appear on mobile? that was a deliberate action by boards.ie? @Boards.ie: Odhran Are you deliberately trying to annoy your user base?



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    #384
    Boards.ie: Mike
    Boards.ie Employee Posts: 1,036 ✭✭✭✭✭Boards.ie: Mike


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120606995#Comment_120606995

    As I said these ads are being reviewed and fixed as quickly as possible. It was not our intention to create a negative experience or deliberately sabotage the screen area. We are not trying to "annoy" our user base.



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    #385
    ohnonotgmail
    Registered Users Posts: 40,411 ✭✭✭✭ohnonotgmail


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120607114#Comment_120607114

    Did you agree to create an ad that covered the bottom half of the screen on mobile?



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    #386
    Boards.ie: Mike
    Boards.ie Employee Posts: 1,036 ✭✭✭✭✭Boards.ie: Mike


    Certainly not. What benefit would that be to anyone?

    The content is created for desktop and is then adapted to fit in the mobile platform. These are all custom tasks.



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    #387
    Seve OB
    Registered Users Posts: 15,944 ✭✭✭✭Seve OB


    @Boards.ie: Mike those pop ups from the bottom (on my iPhone anyway) are now coming up over the comment box as I type…… remember we had this issue before.



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    #388
    Boards.ie: Mike
    Boards.ie Employee Posts: 1,036 ✭✭✭✭✭Boards.ie: Mike


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120606794#Comment_120606794

    The biggest reason users are seeing ads like this is all the matter of accepting the vendors via the CMP pop up on the site. That is the "we care about privacy" pop up notice where a user agrees or customises the settings that states what the data may be used for by the "Vendors". By accepting these settings, a user sees mostly personalised ads. Customising choices or rejecting all results in non personalised ads being displayed.

    It is possible to edit your preferences at anytime on the site Policy Page. Here: https://www.boards.ie/content/cookie#:~:text=Contact%20Us-,Consent,-Copyright%20%C2%A9%202000%2D%202023



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    #389
    JayRoc
    Registered Users Posts: 1,605 ✭✭✭JayRoc


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120607168#Comment_120607168

    As a matter of interest, what percentage of people look at this site on desktop as opposed to mobile?

    I would have thought they would be in the minority, but maybe I'm wrong?



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    #390
    Seve OB
    Registered Users Posts: 15,944 ✭✭✭✭Seve OB


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120607410#Comment_120607410

    I clicked that link

    its just a policy

    no place to change any user preferences



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    #391
    Boards.ie: Mike
    Boards.ie Employee Posts: 1,036 ✭✭✭✭✭Boards.ie: Mike


    Apologies, perhaps there was something wrong with the link I made. In any case if you click the "Consent" at the bottom of any page on desktop or click the menu tab on the top left of the mobile screen, scroll down and select "Consent" this will show the pop up



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