Worst Ads Ever! (SkepticOverlord's Ad Hitlist)

What bothers me more than the obnoxious audio some of these ads contain, is the fact that many of them are scripts rather than simple image links. Especially those served from ads.doubleclick...

I used to actually click one or two ads on ATS from time to time, but as soon as I caught some of these third parties writing cookies to my machine, I started blocking all ads on ATS, period, no exceptions. I've taken it upon myself to make ATS an ad-free website, at least for me.

I understand that advertisements are important to ATS, but I think it's gone too far. I've even seen some political ads that were way out of line. The "boycott companies doing business in Iran" ad comes to mind.

On top of the simple annoyance, performance suffers as well. There's nothing I hate more than waiting 2 minutes for a topic to load because ads.doubleclick is not responding... It's obvious that SO and the rest of the ATS staff have gone to great lengths to ensure optimal performance of this site, and it's all for not when the actual content waits for the ads to load.
Without the ads, ATS is blazing fast, so it's obvious what was slowing things down for me, and it wasn't ATS itself.

Edit: spelling

[edit on 4/9/2009 by Unit541]

The green flashing 'You've won something or other!' banner is horrendous.

I'm not sure if something like that can actually give you epilepsy, but it's damn well trying. Most flashing stuff I can happily ignore, but theres something almost painful about this one...

*EDIT* So having posted that, the ad boxes are now just grey blanks. Is this a coincidence, or does posting in this thread cookie you up to stop ads from displaying?...

[edit on 9-4-2009 by Vector J]

The Vimax bigger penis that is on right now is VERY EMBARRASSING.

My son was passing by and looked at what I was doing, saw the add and said WTF?!!

It can be read from a bit of a distance from the comp and really stands out.
I have to say this add bothers me no end.

Just to show the other side.....


I am very proud that ATS has kept the most annoying ad on the internet off of this site.

You know the one.

"Congratulations, you have won a free Apple fill in the blank"

That ad is EVERYWHERE on the internet but I have never seen it on ATS.

Good job.

I don't think I've posted this here so I thought I would share my handiwork. I got so friggin pi**ed off at a specific ad about 3 or 4 months ago that I made I felt it necessary to illustrate my frustration and rage.
Only time I've ever done it..
If you haven't tried it, it is both INVIGORATING and THERAPEUTIC!



Some of the more recent ATS ads just generally make me feel like this little old lady..


-ChriS

Hi all.. please ban this advert make $5000 a month on Google

It is appearing here on ATS and BTS... keeps giving me pop up windows which appear under my main browser window so I don't see them until I close down my main browser or my desktop toolbar appears when i move my mouse over it.

get to the actual bottom of the advert and read the small print you discover that this company has absoultely nothing to do with Google.

** I do not work for Google and Google is in no way associated with this website.

This publication provides the Author's opinions and neither the Publisher nor the author intends to render legal, accounting, financial, business or other professional advice with this publication. With regards to licensing of a business enterprise, any legal accounting or tax matters. Author and publisher is an Affiliate of the company offering the business opportunity and are remunerated by advertiser. Author and publisher strongly suggest that the reader seek the services of appropriate licensed business, financial and or legal professionals before proceeding with any actions and comply with the local, state and federal licensing and guideline requirements which the reader resides or conducts business. The Publisher and Author disclaim any personal liability, loss or risk incurred as a consequence of the use and application of the offer, either directly or indirectly, of any advice, information, or methods presented in this publication. Individual comments are unedited and not the opinion of Author or Publisher and not liable for their comments and opinions. Author or Publisher is not associated with Google Inc. *INCOME CLAIM WARNING: Testimonials do not result typical result. Photographs or images are depiction of individuals and payment methods. These income examples are representative of some of the most successful participants in the program. Some individuals purchasing the program may make little or NO MONEY AT ALL. These claims are not a guarantee of your income, nor are they typical of average participants. Individual results will vary greatly and in accordance to your input, determination, hard work, and ability to follow directions. No person or company can guarantee profits or freedom from loss.

There are a lot of other similarly designed web sites, but with different peoples names all offering the same 'service'.

There are also a large amount of forums informing people what is going on with the actual sheme behind this site..

The absolute worst ad on this site is that ugly ann coulter, Sometimes looking at her book covers or in pictures you almost get the idea she might actually think shes hot... Seriously aside from being completely brain dead shes friggin nasty looking.

Is it just me or has there been a rise in the amount of vigorously flashing banners such as...

You are the 999,999th visitor... and This is not a joke: congratulations...

I don't even think we need a thread to complain about these ads. It goes without saying that if an ad is likely to cause epilepsy, it should not be approved.

If you guys are so hard up for cash that you have to resort to those kind of poor quality adverts, then rather do what wikipedia did and ask for donations.

Originally posted by Vector J
The green flashing 'You've won something or other!' banner is horrendous.

I'm not sure if something like that can actually give you epilepsy, but it's damn well trying. Most flashing stuff I can happily ignore, but theres something almost painful about this one...

*EDIT* So having posted that, the ad boxes are now just grey blanks. Is this a coincidence, or does posting in this thread cookie you up to stop ads from displaying?...

[edit on 9-4-2009 by Vector J]

I have to say I entirely agree. I've just been hit with that one for the umpteenth time this week when I clicked the new "news-hose" button to see what it is. I still don't know what it is because I can't keep a page open with that ad on it.

I'm a migraine sufferer and that ad, and some recent variants, immediately makes me queazy.

Please ATS stop those ads. I know in recent weeks you've been trying to clean the place up and keep things real around here but that's the kind of ad that I'd only expect to see popping up on some cheapo site offering game cheats or program cracks.

Can I add my voice to complain about horrible (especially green) flashing ads. They make me feel so ill, I've no idea what they're advertising so they don't exactly work.

Plus, how many times could I be the 99,999th (whatever) person to respond to an ad? I don't believe them so I don't respond to them - and they flash too.

I was hugely embarrassed recently because I hadn't seen the ATS poll ad and had to have it pointed out to me. Besides my blind spot, why didn't I see it?

Because ever since that awful ad with the woman putting her fist in her mouth, or whatever she was doing, I just don't look anywhere near the top right hand side of the page.

Will someone point out to these advertisers that they are just scoring own goals with these awful advertisements? I don't need one of those ad-censor thingies on my computer, I'm doing a pretty good job of filtering them out by myself. Although the flashing horrors take a bit more effort to ignore.

Originally posted by Supercertari

Originally posted by Vector J
The green flashing 'You've won something or other!' banner is horrendous.

I'm not sure if something like that can actually give you epilepsy, but it's damn well trying. Most flashing stuff I can happily ignore, but theres something almost painful about this one...

*EDIT* So having posted that, the ad boxes are now just grey blanks. Is this a coincidence, or does posting in this thread cookie you up to stop ads from displaying?...

[edit on 9-4-2009 by Vector J]

I have to say I entirely agree. I've just been hit with that one for the umpteenth time this week when I clicked the new "news-hose" button to see what it is. I still don't know what it is because I can't keep a page open with that ad on it.

I'm a migraine sufferer and that ad, and some recent variants, immediately makes me queazy.

Please ATS stop those ads. I know in recent weeks you've been trying to clean the place up and keep things real around here but that's the kind of ad that I'd only expect to see popping up on some cheapo site offering game cheats or program cracks.

I wasn't aware that this thread existed, but thanks to Gemwolf for pointing it out after I started a new thread with the following, which appears to concur with this post:

I know you have to make money somehow and having ads is one of the ways of doing that but there is a particularly annoying flashing ad that i keep getting at the top of my screen when I come to ATS.

I have no idea what it trying to sell me but basically its a large box which flashes green and white very rapidly. The reason it is so annoying is that i suffer from photosensitivty and the flash rate of this ad makes me feel sick. It's possible it could trigger an epileptic fit.

I was wondering if the admins who allow this ad realise the effect it has on some visitors to the board. Could the flash rate be adjusted down please.

I haven't really had a problem with any of the ads until today. That annoying "Punch a celebrity" ad keeps popping up. The celebrity is Christian Bale and there is a "Hit" button. He and some character representing yourself are in a ring with boxing gloves on. Continually every 4 seconds I hear "Doosh" so annoying. I have had to refresh the page continually just to get rid of it.

same as above punching celebrity is puerile, juvenile and down right insulting to any one above the age of conception.

Ads like this make this site look cheesy and stupid.

wZn

Originally posted by bigyin
I know you have to make money somehow and having ads is one of the ways of doing that but there is a particularly annoying flashing ad that i keep getting at the top of my screen when I come to ATS.

I have no idea what it trying to sell me but basically its a large box which flashes green and white very rapidly. The reason it is so annoying is that i suffer from photosensitivty and the flash rate of this ad makes me feel sick. It's possible it could trigger an epileptic fit.

I was wondering if the admins who allow this ad realise the effect it has on some visitors to the board. Could the flash rate be adjusted down please.

The ownership is aware of these issues, which are prevalent throughout the Internet and in no way only present at ATS.

You should consult a physician and/or discontinue exposure to such media if there's any risk to your health or well-being.

YOUR USE OF THE SERVICES IS AT YOUR SOLE RISK.
...
A SMALL NUMBER OF USERS MAY EXPERIENCE EPILEPTIC SEIZURES WHEN EXPOSED TO CERTAIN LIGHT PATTERNS OR BACKGROUNDS ON A COMPUTER SCREEN OR WHILE USING THE SERVICES. CERTAIN CONDITIONS MAY INDUCE PREVIOUSLY UNDETECTED EPILEPTIC SYMPTOMS EVEN IN USERS WITH NO HISTORY OF SUCH SYMPTOMS. CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN PRIOR TO USE OF THE SERVICES IF YOU HAVE HAD ANY OF THESE SYMPTOMS AND DISCONTINUE USE OF THE SERVICES IMMEDIATELY IF YOU EXPERIENCE DIZZINESS, ALTERED VISION, EYE OR MUSCLE TWITCHES, LOSS OF AWARENESS, DISORIENTATION OR INVOLUNTARY MOVEMENTS OR CONVULSIONS.

Source: www.abovetopsecret.com...

Please can that strobing green 'you have won...blah blah..' ad be removed? Its sort of a very, very bad idea for those of us who are photo sensitive in some way to be subjected to it. Pretty please with sugar on top?


Wayne...

Can someone please get rid of the ad with the sickly animals on it? They make me sad

(I'm in an emotional mood, as I just read a poem from my childhood and it made water come from my eyes, no idea what that was all about, I'm sure!!)

The phony free wallpaper pop-under that opens every time I come here is getting annoying. It is a well known Malware site I believe.

Often I get two popunders when I come here. The wallpaper one appears to happen everytime though.

[edit on 02/10/08 by karl 12]

Originally posted by Ian McLean

Originally posted by bigyin
I know you have to make money somehow and having ads is one of the ways of doing that but there is a particularly annoying flashing ad that i keep getting at the top of my screen when I come to ATS.

I have no idea what it trying to sell me but basically its a large box which flashes green and white very rapidly. The reason it is so annoying is that i suffer from photosensitivty and the flash rate of this ad makes me feel sick. It's possible it could trigger an epileptic fit.

I was wondering if the admins who allow this ad realise the effect it has on some visitors to the board. Could the flash rate be adjusted down please.

The ownership is aware of these issues, which are prevalent throughout the Internet and in no way only present at ATS.

You should consult a physician and/or discontinue exposure to such media if there's any risk to your health or well-being.

YOUR USE OF THE SERVICES IS AT YOUR SOLE RISK.
...
A SMALL NUMBER OF USERS MAY EXPERIENCE EPILEPTIC SEIZURES WHEN EXPOSED TO CERTAIN LIGHT PATTERNS OR BACKGROUNDS ON A COMPUTER SCREEN OR WHILE USING THE SERVICES. CERTAIN CONDITIONS MAY INDUCE PREVIOUSLY UNDETECTED EPILEPTIC SYMPTOMS EVEN IN USERS WITH NO HISTORY OF SUCH SYMPTOMS. CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN PRIOR TO USE OF THE SERVICES IF YOU HAVE HAD ANY OF THESE SYMPTOMS AND DISCONTINUE USE OF THE SERVICES IMMEDIATELY IF YOU EXPERIENCE DIZZINESS, ALTERED VISION, EYE OR MUSCLE TWITCHES, LOSS OF AWARENESS, DISORIENTATION OR INVOLUNTARY MOVEMENTS OR CONVULSIONS.

Source: www.abovetopsecret.com...

I must say, I'm not photo-sensitive, but anyone who would knowingly subject an epileptic to having a seizure just to make a lousy few cents is not cool in my book. It's unthoughtful to tell epileptics they can't enjoy the internet like the rest of us. "Yes, we know it makes you sick, but it makes us money, so you can just stay away if it makes you sick," is a lousy attitude to take. I'm sure there are epileptics who take their chances with their health because they love using the internet. If a seizure is preventable, then you can chalk this bizarre kind of rationality up to the love of money. If, on the other hand, there's no way to eliminate these kind of ads for technical reasons or prior legal agreements, then I guess there's no point in this whole thread. Just my two cents.

reply to post by theyreadmymind


I totally agree, but as I mentioned the problem is in no way "ATS only", so it's a little unreasonable to expect them to spearhead a solution. And the dangerous elements are in ad code that delivered by providers external to ATS, which they don't have (much) a priori control over.

Here's the standard advice for disabling animated elements on web pages, for photosensitive and epileptic-prone people:
blogoscoped.com...

It disables GIF and Flash animation on the Firefox browser.