# Locked thread in GQ **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [February 25, 2017, 9:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/locked-thread-in-gq/780723 "2017-02-25T09:40:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2017, 9:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/locked-thread-in-gq/780723/1 "2017-02-25T09:40:35Z")
[This one about brain pills.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=820027) Not questioning the decision to lock it, obviously a good call. I’m just a little concerned about the clickable link in the OP. He said he’d been randomly redirected there, which raises concerns that there could be malware on the site. I haven’t checked it (nor will I) but shouldn’t that link be flagged with a warning just in case or at least made unclickable? ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2017, 10:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/locked-thread-in-gq/780723/2 "2017-02-25T10:08:01Z")
Did you report it? ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2017, 10:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/locked-thread-in-gq/780723/3 "2017-02-25T10:43:59Z")
**Moderating** While the OP may not have intended that post as a spam, the link looks pretty spammy to me. I’ve removed the thread for now. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2017, 11:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/locked-thread-in-gq/780723/4 "2017-02-25T11:03:26Z")
Definitely. The site calls it an “advertorial.” Sounds spammy to me. ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2017, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/locked-thread-in-gq/780723/5 "2017-02-25T12:40:51Z")
Thanks, \*\*engineer\_comp\_geek \*\*. ---
**Author:** ![Crazyhorse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crazyhorse/32/31_2.png) [@Crazyhorse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crazyhorse)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2017, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/locked-thread-in-gq/780723/6 "2017-02-25T16:43:00Z")
When I saw that thread yesterday it seemed to me the OP was complaining that they were redirected to the site they linked to while browsing the SDMB - e.g. bad ads. It probably belonged in one of the existing ATMB threads about ad redirects where we are asked to provide links and screen shots, etc. when redirected to a spammy site. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2017, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/locked-thread-in-gq/780723/7 "2017-02-25T18:00:46Z")
> [@Crazyhorse](#): > > When I saw that thread yesterday it seemed to me the OP was complaining that they were redirected to the site they linked to while browsing the SDMB - e.g. bad ads. It probably belonged in one of the existing ATMB threads about ad redirects where we are asked to provide links and screen shots, etc. when redirected to a spammy site. It didn’t seem like he was complaining to me. It seemed like he was shilling the product (a memory pill), claiming it was endorsed by Stephen Hawking, etc. It seemed like he was taken in by clickbait and wanted to share. ---
**Author:** ![Crazyhorse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crazyhorse/32/31_2.png) [@Crazyhorse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crazyhorse)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2017, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/locked-thread-in-gq/780723/8 "2017-02-25T18:09:54Z")
I guess it’s possible a new strategy for spamming is to post a message claiming you were just redirected to a website and then link to it, but that idea is seriously flawed even to the mind of a spammer. To a new poster “General Questions” might seem like the right place to complain about being redirected to another site. And we are currently having a big problem with people being redirected to other sites. I don’t recall the post I’m thinking of having any mention of Stephen Hawking or otherwise, just a statement that he was redirected to a website and a link to it. Maybe we’re talking about different posts. If you mean the site itself had claims about Hawking and memory pills, etc. that isn’t any indicator the OP intended to make those claims. What is at the other end of any link a poster reports they have been redirected to by an ad here is going to be some spammy site. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2017, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/locked-thread-in-gq/780723/9 "2017-02-25T18:20:43Z")
> [@Crazyhorse](#): > > \*\*I guess it’s possible a new strategy for spamming is to post a message claiming you were just redirected to a website and then link to it, but that idea is seriously flawed even to the mind of a spammer. > \*\* > To a new poster “General Questions” might seem like the right place to complain about being redirected to another site. And we are currently having a big problem with people being redirected to other sites. > > I don’t recall the post I’m thinking of having any mention of Stephen Hawking or otherwise, just a statement that he was redirected to a website and a link to it. Maybe we’re talking about different posts. If you mean the site itself had claims about Hawking and memory pills, etc. that isn’t any indicator the OP intended to make those claims. > > What is at the other end of any link a poster reports they have been redirected to by an ad here is going to be some spammy site. Other than the streaming spammers, I’ve seen plenty of “I just stumbled across this site and thought you guys might be interested.” ---
**Author:** ![Crazyhorse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crazyhorse/32/31_2.png) [@Crazyhorse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crazyhorse)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2017, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/locked-thread-in-gq/780723/10 "2017-02-25T18:30:38Z")
This is kind of abstract now because the thread is invisible and I don’t remember it word for word. But at the time it didn’t seem to be that type of post. I may be wrong. Never a good idea to bet on a new poster putting a link to a spam site being an honest mistake but from what I remember that is how it appeared to me. ---
**Author:** ![Crazyhorse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crazyhorse/32/31_2.png) [@Crazyhorse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crazyhorse)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2017, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/locked-thread-in-gq/780723/11 "2017-02-25T18:44:13Z")
Missed edit, but it would be easy for the mods to determine if this were the case. If the link to the spam site included the advertising ID the SDMB has with its ad providers it would be pretty clear they meant to report a redirect that happened to them here. ---
**Author:** ![watchwolf49](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9c0ed/32.png) [@watchwolf49](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/watchwolf49)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2017, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/locked-thread-in-gq/780723/12 "2017-02-25T18:50:29Z")
Why does SDMB think I might be interesting in a web site that will tell me if I have schizophrenia or not? \*My time coming, anyday, don’t worry about me, no Been so long I felt this way, I’m in no hurry, no Rainbows and down that highway where ocean breezes blow My time coming, voices saying they tell me where to go. \* ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2017, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/locked-thread-in-gq/780723/13 "2017-02-25T19:20:41Z")
> [@watchwolf49](#): > > Why does SDMB think I might be interesting … Perhaps because you’ve made some interesting posts. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2017, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/locked-thread-in-gq/780723/14 "2017-02-25T19:26:26Z")
Here’s the exact quote as archived, minus the link, which I won’t repost: [QUOTE=Stubycluby] I have recently randomly been redirected to this link \ This link will bring you to a page that talks about how famous athletes have recently been talking this brain pill just read it. [/QUOTE] It’s correct that he didn’t mention Hawking. My mistake. But he does talk about how famous athletes are taking it and says “just read it” at the end. He doesn’t say he was redirected to it from the Straight Dope, and “just read it” sounds as if he’s trying to attract views to it. He says he’s new to internet forums, but if I were complaining about a link, I’d break it to make it non-clickable. (I can link to the archived view of the thread on request, but I won’t link to it here because it still has the spam link in it.) ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2017, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/locked-thread-in-gq/780723/15 "2017-02-25T19:37:15Z")
> [@watchwolf49](#): > > Why does SDMB think I might be interesting in a web site that will tell me if I have schizophrenia or not? Excessive ellipses is one of the 10 warning signs of schizophrenia…😉 ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2017, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/locked-thread-in-gq/780723/16 "2017-02-25T20:23:55Z")
Yeah, that’s all fine and dandy, but does the pill work? I want to be as smart as a professional athlete. Bring back that thread! ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2017, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/locked-thread-in-gq/780723/17 "2017-02-25T21:51:44Z")
I’m already so smart that my brain hurts. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2017, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/locked-thread-in-gq/780723/18 "2017-02-25T23:57:56Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > Yeah, that’s all fine and dandy, but does the pill work? I want to be as smart as a professional athlete. Bring back that thread! Would you like to be as smart as Kyrie Irving and his belief in a flat Earth? You may not need a pill for that. ---
**Author:** ![Crazyhorse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crazyhorse/32/31_2.png) [@Crazyhorse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crazyhorse)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2017, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/locked-thread-in-gq/780723/19 "2017-02-26T22:14:17Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > Here’s the exact quote as archived, minus the link, which I won’t repost: > > It’s correct that he didn’t mention Hawking. My mistake. But he does talk about how famous athletes are taking it and says “just read it” at the end. He doesn’t say he was redirected to it from the Straight Dope, and “just read it” sounds as if he’s trying to attract views to it. > > He says he’s new to internet forums, but if I were complaining about a link, I’d break it to make it non-clickable. > > (I can link to the archived view of the thread on request, but I won’t link to it here because it still has the spam link in it.) OK the “just read it” part is indeed incriminating. When I first saw the thread I moused over the link without clicking it and it looked like a link one might be redirected to by an ad here. No need to post the link but as I said if the “site ID” or “affiliate ID” or somesuch I remember from the link is the SDMB’s it was probably not spam. If it isn’t, it probably was. ---
**Author:** ![Crazyhorse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crazyhorse/32/31_2.png) [@Crazyhorse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crazyhorse)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2017, 9:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/locked-thread-in-gq/780723/20 "2017-03-11T09:16:14Z")
I noticed this[GQ thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=20053618#post20053618) about a popup ad encountered here and remembered the reference to Hawking, um, hawking smart pills. I’m more confident the subject of this thread was an attempt to reference an ad here after all. > [@Stephen Hawking pop-up ad](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stephen-hawking-pop-up-ad/781769/1): > > While visiting the SDMB today I was presented with an excessively obnoxious pop-up ad. I’ll have to describe it as I don’t know to link to such a thing: > > It’s a photograph of Hawking and made to look like official news story with Anderson Cooper reporting. “Stephen Hawking Says Michigan Smart Pill Is Proven To Double Question,” it reads. > > Assuming neither of the two would actually associate with such an obvious scam I wonder how a business gets away with this? Can they somehow legally use those images as long as the subjects are paid? Are they just trying to get away with something until they receive a cease and desist letter? Can they be punished?