Kind of a mixed message here, folks.
Monday, July 08, 2013
Uncommon Advertising?
I yanked this screenshot off of Uncommon Descent, the ID blog that is run by Barry Arrington and to which Denys O'Leary, Cornelius Hunter and William Dembski post occasionally. The blog is, ostensibly Christian in outlook and presentation. This is why I don't run advertising on my blog.
Kind of a mixed message here, folks.
Kind of a mixed message here, folks.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
LOL.
ReplyDeleteI usually don't see those.
I started a private browsing window (so the site would not see the cookies that indicate I am logged in), and I told "noscript" to allow scripts everywhere. And then I got a bunch of interesting ads.
The folk who manage UD probably don't see the ads because they are logged in.
Here is the embarrassing thing, Jim. Many sites (and maybe UD) use a generic advertising platform, like Google ads. These ads often use data specific to the viewer, as mined from cookies and your past tracking history. So this could indicate the ad server thought this type of ad would appeal to you, based on your previous internet history. I am not sure that is the case here, but in your zeal you may want to rule that out first, or risk of humiliating yourself.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately I just checked the UD ad service, and I was right. The page you saw was using Google AdSense. Read about how it serves ads here: https://support.google.com/adsense/troubleshooter/1631343?url=http://www.uncommondescent.com/. You've just outed yourself as an uncommon pervert. Or maybe a common one, as a lot of non Christians view porn.
ReplyDeleteYes but I think it is a gaming ad. I never game and I don't view porn. It certainly isn't anything I normally see on my computer. When I reloaded the page, it flashed up another (harmless) ad that was also out of my interest area. I have interacted with other google ads in the past but nothing like that. Some of my kids game so it may be targeting that. I will clear out my cookies and see what happens, though.
ReplyDeleteI just surfed the net for the last fifteen minutes at sites that I normally go to. No racy ads in any of them. It is difficult for me to believe that none of those sites use Google AdSense. I visit Instapundit at least five times a day. Currently running, TurboTax (which I never use), Frank and Oak Modern Swag, Builders Direct and Bausch and Lomb. Strange.
ReplyDeleteI'll take your word for it that it wasn't you looking at questionable content, and that your kids' gaming habits are what triggered it. Still, it was silly for you to complain (publicly) about ads that are based on what's in *your* own browser history. I publicly apologize for my assumption concerning your browsing, so hopefully you can also be a big enough person to apologize to UD for your misguided attempt to shame them.
ReplyDeleteYou are correct. I should have looked at how the ads are placed before I jumped to that conclusion.
ReplyDeleteP.S. On the UC site right now on the right is an ad for "patient coordinator" under "Jobs recommended for you." I have no idea who Google thinks I am but it for sure ain't that.
ReplyDeleteAddendum: I just saw this comment on Instapundit: "BUGS IN THE MACHINE: Reader Gerald Hanner emails: “I’m looking at a Citi Bank ad on your site. It’s in Russian. Those purveyors of systems that claim to know who we are, what we are, and what we like are not as good as they like to make us believe that they are.” Heh."
ReplyDeleteAll this explains why the last time I looked at UD there was an ad for one of my favorite musicians (David Wilcox.) I thought that maybe at least the UD folks had better taste in music than their competence in biology, but I guess not. :)
ReplyDelete