BillFitzmaurice.info

This is a new "feature" as of today. There are excessive ads appearing on all pages of the mobile version of the forum. I don't mind a banner ad or two, that's not a big deal. I'll sometimes even click through if it's relevant. I am assuming this is a glitch, because the ads are appearing in the middle of the page, and at the end for at least a screen or two. I use Chrome on iOS 11, if that matters.

Anyway... for those of us on metered mobile data (not everyone has unlimited plans) this excessive amount of ad content is all images, and it adds up when it's on EVERY page of the site... and it's a bit annoying on top of that, unlike the very discreet and reasonable banners on the main forum.

I am attaching screenshots of what's showing up for reference (will have to add the last one on a second post. I have NOT set these up for inline view... apologies if they appear that way for anyone.

Last image

I don't know what's on the mobile app because I don't use it. It's nothing like that on my computer. In any event if you don't want to see ads use adblock. I use it just about everywhere, not just to zap ads but because it increases page loading speed too.

It's not an app, it's what shows up in the mobile browser. Adblock isn't available on mobile browsers unless you use their specific browser app (which isn't very good).

Ads themselves don't bother me, but high-bandwidth ads that target mobile users who pay for bandwidth (i.e. not unlimited) is simply bad web design and bad user experience, and is a bug that should be fixed.

Not trying to be a pain, but it was never like this until just recently, so something broke, and needs to be fixed.

Glad you mention this Brent.
In the last couple of days I have noticed ads breaking up pages all over the place here in the forum via web browser on my home PC too.
I understand ads are important in order to keep costs down.
I've closed three ads on this page, and this is post number 4.
That seems a little excessive...

The ads are a necessity to keep the forum running. Why they're the way they are on the mobile app I don't know, I'll bring it to Chris attention. Looking at this page there's one banner at the page top, two in the body, and they're only an inch high.

You can disable the ads on a particular device and browser. Look in the right hand upper corner of any ad, click on it for instructions.

I am glad someone posted about this. Picked up a new phone yesterday and of course I come here to test the browser.

RATS!

I started to think the phone browser was inserting ads into the BFM site. I was getting ready to return the phone until I noticed the ads were not on other sites, so I thought it might be a recent change here.

I don't mind the ads at all, I understand it can be a reasonable form of revenue and if it supports the site I totally understand.

I must have a really Ad Blocker on my PC......I've never seen a single ad on the forum.

Of course, I don't ever get on with my phone.

I noticed some ads when I was on my phone, but I don't use my phone much for browsing. On my laptop, I have FF browser and with using Google as the search engine I get one banner on the bottom of the page. I just recently added Duckduckgo as a plugin which gets rid of ads, but, for Bill's sake I switch to Google when on this site.

The problem with what look like ads but are actually links to our own content and large pictures seems limited to mobile devices. I'm looking into a fix.

Just FYI.. the ads are back with a vengeance. You can no longer disable them in mobile browsers and the content of many the ads (dating and sex hookup sites) is highly inappropriate. No matter how many times you close them and go through the steps to tell Adsense they got it wrong, the inappropriate, nearly full screen ads remain.

I really don’t mind inconspicuous and relevant ads, but this is ridiculous.

AddendUm... half of Them are this....

I know cougars need love too but my wife might take exception... just saying....

The ads are tailored to what you've been browsing for, usually. I'm not saying you've been browsing for cougars. The ads I'm seeing on the bfm mobile site are for cryptocurrency trading, and performance car parts, which are things I'm into. Google knows this because I browse for them in my regular browser. If you don't want google to know what you've been looking at (say if you're searching for a gift for someone, or a cougar :p) use private browsing. Then your ads will be randomly targeted.

commander_dan wrote: ↑Sun Apr 01, 2018 8:24 pm The ads are tailored to what you've been browsing for

+1. Have you been a naughty boy, Brent?
It's called tailored content, only showing ads that your own browsing history says you'd probably be interested in. It's long past 1984, but make no mistake, Big Brother is watching.
I did find the cause for all of the previous links that came back to our own content and disabled it.

Yeah, there’s no reason that should be showing for me, except that I normally disable most of that tracking. Those have only been showing up in the last few days, and it is ONLY here. I get plenty of Adsense ads elsewhere and nothing like that ever shows up.

Here’s the deal... this is a problem. You can wave if off if you want, but I don’t want my kids seeing that crap and my wife certainly wouldn’t appreciate it. I know I am not alone in that feeling. Sometimes technology gets it wrong... the algorithms aren’t perfect. If it were my website, and my businesss, I would be figuring out how to disable anything even potentially offensive, including sex ads, booze ads, political ads (even those from my own party) and so forth.

If ad revenue is necessary to keep things going, maybe sponsorships would be more appropriate, less invasive. and potentially more profitable than Adsense, which takes a cut of all revenue the ads generate. The technology cost of running a website is minimal, just a few hundred dollars a year for a good quality host and server. I know, I run one for my business. If you’re paying a developer or admin, there’s some extra expense there, but surely there’s enough traffic here to justify sponsorship for a few equipment vendors .

I’m not trying to be a pain, and would greatly appreciate if this were taken seriously.