# What happened to my link, it was changed **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [February 8, 2016, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-my-link-it-was-changed/745554 "2016-02-08T20:21:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2016, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-my-link-it-was-changed/745554/1 "2016-02-08T20:21:16Z")
In the thread [Home network (possibly fiber) - Factual Questions - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=783519), I posted a link to a example of a solution that the OP was asking for, the link I had was: > **[Amazon.com: TP-Link AV600 Powerline Ethernet Adapter - Plug&Play, Power...](https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-AV600-Powerline-Ethernet-Adapter/dp/B00AWRUICG)** > > Amazon.com: TP-Link AV600 Powerline Ethernet Adapter - Plug&Play, Power Saving, Nano Powerline Adapter, Expand Home Network with Stable Connections (TL-PA4010 KIT) : Electronics Also this should be the same: > [@](#): > > [http://www.amazon.com/TP-LINK-TL-PA4010KIT-Powerline-Adapter-Starter/dp/B00AWRUICG/ref=sr\_1\_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1454962352&sr=8-1&keywords=network+over+power](http://www.amazon.com/TP-LINK-TL-PA4010KIT-Powerline-Adapter-Starter/dp/B00AWRUICG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1454962352&sr=8-1&keywords=network+over+power) It was transformed to: > **[TP LINK AV500 Nano Powerline Adapter Starter Kit TL PA4010KIT - Office Depot](https://www.officedepot.com/a/products/538202/TP-LINK-AV500-Nano-Powerline-Adapter/?cm_mmc=affiliates-_-Networking_and_Cables-_-538202-%7Bcopy:IQ_PE%7D)** > > Turn any room in your home or business into part of your wired network. What happened, how/why did this change? It even came up initially correctly then seemed to change on a revisit several minutes later. ---
**Author:** ![Turek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/turek/32/18782_2.png) [@Turek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turek)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2016, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-my-link-it-was-changed/745554/2 "2016-02-08T20:26:18Z")
Several recent threads: > **[Changing links?](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=773078)** > > In this thread I put a link to a product on Amazon. This morning I noticed that I had not followed the link, which I knew I had because I checked it on preview. So I clicked on it today, and it’s a link to the same product on Wal-Mart’s website. I... > **[Is something changing links to products on the board?](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=783039)** > > In this thread: Asking about converting a cable box output to RF, Doug K linked to a modulator in post 2, then I copied his link in post 16. Both those links pointed to the RF modulator on amazon.com. Then when psychobunny posted the link of... > **[Amazon Links Morphing to wall mart.](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=780397)** > > When I try to post a link to Amazon, it morphs to a Wal-Mart link. Is this being done by the SDMB? Or is it something else? ---
**Author:** ![half-elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ac91a4/32.png) [@half-elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/half-elf)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2016, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-my-link-it-was-changed/745554/3 "2016-02-08T20:29:46Z")
Just to say that when I went to the thread you posted in, it seems you have posted a link to a place called macmall dot com, neither Amazon nor Office Depot. > **[TigerDirect.com](https://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/campaigns/deals.asp?campaignid=3983)** > > TigerDirect.com ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2016, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-my-link-it-was-changed/745554/4 "2016-02-08T20:35:58Z")
OK thanks, that was the answer ☹ ---
**Author:** ![half-elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ac91a4/32.png) [@half-elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/half-elf)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2016, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-my-link-it-was-changed/745554/5 "2016-02-08T20:37:51Z")
You mean you posted the wrong link in the first place? Then where did the Office Depot link come from? ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2016, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-my-link-it-was-changed/745554/6 "2016-02-08T20:40:19Z")
> [@half-elf](#): > > Just to say that when I went to the thread you posted in, it seems you have posted a link to a place called macmall dot com, neither Amazon nor Office Depot. > > [TigerDirect Sunset](http://www.macmall.com/p/8081783?dpno=9465161&source=zwb12166) It’s the same product each time, it appears from my quick browsing the above links that the message board somehow uses this viglink ‘service’ which appears to change links to other sellers, using the link below to opt out appeared to correct it and restore the original link [http://www.viglink.com/opt-out/](http://www.viglink.com/opt-out/) Interesting that you had a mac link, do you use a apple computer? ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2016, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-my-link-it-was-changed/745554/7 "2016-02-08T20:42:13Z")
> [@half-elf](#): > > You mean you posted the wrong link in the first place? > > Then where did the Office Depot link come from? I posted the link I wanted to, the Amazon one (correctly), then on a revisit I saw the office depot one, had no idea how that got there until I read the links above posted by Turek. ---
**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 8, 2016, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-my-link-it-was-changed/745554/8 "2016-02-08T20:42:47Z")
I went to the thread, allowed viglink(I use Noscript) and watched the link change to Office Depot. ---
**Author:** ![half-elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ac91a4/32.png) [@half-elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/half-elf)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2016, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-my-link-it-was-changed/745554/9 "2016-02-08T20:46:26Z")
I resent the insinuation that I am a Mac user! 😃 Anyway, I had a Vigilink problem a couple of years ago, which mainly manifested as making random words (but quite often iphone or Mac related ones) into links. It possibly changed my home page and I don’ recall what else. I had a hard time removing it (following instructions on various tech help forums). I even started a thread about it here. ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2016, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-my-link-it-was-changed/745554/10 "2016-02-08T23:37:44Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > I went to the thread, allowed viglink(I use Noscript) and watched the link change to Office Depot. That is freaky, and just plain wrong. I use uBlock, which blocks viglink as well; when I disabled it (allowing viglink’s javascript to run) and refreshed, I too watched the links on the page magically change. IfI quoted the OP’s post, it showed the original Amazon URL, but when the post was rendered on the page, the hyperlink was changed. That’s just all kinds of messed up. On a site where editing another poster’s words in a quote is expressly forbidden, we have an ad provider making wholesale replacement of user content as the page is being rendered. Not cool.