Facebook, Twitter, Google, Aol Join New Alliance To Fight 'bad Ads'

#1 PCWorld

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Posted 13 June 2012 - 10:20 PM

Post your comments for Facebook, Twitter, Google, AOL Join New Alliance to Fight 'bad Ads' here

#2 Boletusedulis

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Posted 13 June 2012 - 11:02 PM

This is the dirty little secret of the web, and deserves a lot more attention than it gets. Since so much content (particularly ads) is delivered from offsite sources, it is very easy for an otherwise respectable site to unknowingly host malware. It is certainly enough of an issue that best practices dictate using an adblocker on any but the most trusted sites, which is not good for the web as a whole.

#3 washdcblazin

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Posted 14 June 2012 - 03:23 PM

Boletusedulis, on 13 June 2012 - 11:02 PM, said:

+1

I can't even count the number of times my anti-virus (Avira) has blocked a rogue redirect from an ad on a site which is otherwise completely trustworthy and receives massive amounts of traffic. The problem has been exacerbated by advertisers allowing interactive content such as Flash or embedded documents (iframes) versus simple banner and text ads. On the other hand, this content is (supposedly) more effective.

This post has been edited by washdcblazin: 14 June 2012 - 03:23 PM

#4 skovner

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Posted 14 June 2012 - 04:33 PM

I've even emailed the webmaster of a major site explaining that there was a fake antivirus ad on their site, and the response was that it wasn't their ad. That was a while ago; maybe they've learned.

And then there are the ads for ridiculously cheap car insurance, contests that I've supposedly won, and other bogus ads. When I see those, I decide NEVER to trust an ad from the same source. Even if the ad is from a company I know, I won't trust that it is really from that company. So it would pay the advertisement networks to keep their ads legit.

#5 skovner

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Posted 14 June 2012 - 04:35 PM

I wasn't clear - the webmaster said the antivirus message was from my AV, not from their ad. Even though such malware was well known.

skovner, on 14 June 2012 - 04:33 PM, said:

#6 JimH443

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Posted 14 June 2012 - 09:34 PM

As I see it, the real problem is the sale of banner space. All too often, once this "real estate rental agreement" is made there's little control over what appears in this space. The integrity of the ads is in the hands of the entity that are paying for the space.

#7 TheOldTopkick

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Posted 15 June 2012 - 06:47 AM

This comes underthe headingof what I call eye wash. It looks good but I wonder if there is any content. Those who are "taken" by the unscrupouls are those who are looking for the best possible deal withoug regard to any hidden costs. The people who write advertising copy are not those who engineered the product or service. Each of those who have endorsed program have very recently had to admit theywere not quite as private as they might be. This Eyewash will not wash away past misdeeds. Always, Always, Always et the buyer beware. If it looks to good to be true...