Hey All,
Is it just me, or do the flavor of the ads go against the “Fighting Ignorance” mission of the forums?
I mean, one trick to pay off a mortgage early… refiniancing? 
Where is the trick in that?
I know many don’t even see the ads, so obviously no need to comment.
I know the site needs to make money, and the ads help with that goal
I think ads for schools or Straight Dope books are more in line with the sites stated mission.
Just saying.
-me
Unfortunately, we basically have no control over what ads appear (aside from a certain low level of no-porn, etc.)
It’s been discussed. It was never definitively addressed, other than conceding that some of the ads seem inappropriate in light of “fighting ignorance”, but there’s nothing that can be done because ad content is out of SDMB’s hands.
We can refuse obscenity, although that’s most famously wildly subjective, but we can’t distinguish among marketing, foo, or fraud, apparently.
I guess it’s a matter of “community standards”, where “community” equals “leadership of The Reader”.
ETA: Obviously not speaking as anything other than a free-riding strap-hanging guest. Don’t take my authoritative voice, strong jaw, or manly figure as any indication that I have any power or influence here. But I pay attention, and these have been my observations.
Sure, but it’s that way because of a business decision - there are ad networks that do let the site owner exercise very precise control over the ads that appear - but the SDMB has chosen different networks.
I can’t really find it in me to criticise that choice either - because the crappier ads tend to be the higher-paying ones, so the networks that let you shut them out deliver smaller revenue; the choices are thus:
[ol]
[li]SDMB supported by crappy ads[/li][li]SDMB exercises discernment over ads and goes out of business[/li][li]Some other funding model[/li][/ol]
Think of it as stocking the pond, or those hunting clubs that release the game for you. Releasing those ads gives us more ignorance to fight.
Yeah, I was thinking the deal was something like that.
Thanks for the response.
Bravo, Sir.