Mumsnet Talk

I just wrote something about tyres here and it turned my word 'e b a y' into a LINK!?!

WTF? I didn't do that! Is this going to turn into one of those forums where every other word is a link to some shite you never wanted to advertise look at in the first place?

What is going on???????

it's some spyware you've downloaded... go into add/remove programs and get rid of whatever it is

Thanks Lubey - but it's not. I've just clocked another thread in Site stuff about automatic links and apprently it's a deliberate revenue thing from MNHQ



How crap is that

I'll add my voice to that. I rarely disagree with what you do MNHQ but I really don't like that at all. If I want to promote a brand (and I think Internet promotion works in some part by the number of links created?) then I'll do it off my own back, not by having it done for me. Will it also work if large numbers of MNers are complaining about a company? Surely then the company will get a google boost when they don't deserve one?

In my instance it was 'John Lewis' that turned into a link when I didn't want it too. Can also be confusing for people reading the posts as links usually lead somewhere the poster wants the reader to go.

Right I'm going to try

eBay

How's that?

*too = to

eBay

Still nothing?

Aha

There is a tick box 'convert links automatically'

Untick it, problem solved

Oh no that's not the answer

Thats so shit

Testing:

Amazon eBay greggs tesco boden

Aaaaaargh link to boden too!!!!!!!!!

Thank goodness i've seen this thread. I mentioned B oden in a thread and it became a link! I was driving myself crazy trying to work out when I'd done that. I will untick!

Im appalled if this really is something MN think is an okay thing to do.

My turn to have a go.

eBay
Amazon

eBay
Amazon
Boden

I don't think so, fromheretoeternity. The tick box is just a labour-saving device for links you want to create. Unchecking it doesn't prevent MNHQ from generating the links that they want to create for revenue purposes.

I saw that on another thread with the word wonga

I haven't spotted any of these. And I can't click on Boden in the fromheretomaternity 21:12 posts. Can you guys? Maybe it's your Internet software?

oooh look it's done it to me now!

ohh, the wonga one has happened!

Mad mad mad

Hang on though - I don't have it ticked

Boden

They're coming and going for me

and no link

Boden

wonga

Boden

seems a bit random doesn't it.

I don't have anything checked - I've been here nearly 6 years and can do links myself quite quickly if I want to.

It's when I don't want to that it bothers me.

This is shite, sorry MNHQ but it really is. please at least can we have an opt out?

Weirdly, every time I refresh this page the links in other people's posts come and go.

Me too Pru

Is this what's been slowing down the entire site for several nights now?

The links appear on my laptop but not my desktop

Very annoying and quite cheeky , MNHQ should have an opt out.

I agree - please don't make this mandatory.

It's crap

Wonga one has appeared on my desktop now but not the others.

Annoying.

eBay Boden M&S?

I think I am link free...

Amazon John Lewis

No, eBay is linking. MNHQ can you explain please?

and the LAST thing I want to do is advertise sodding eb ay. I might mention it reluctantly from time to time, even suggest it, but there's no way I want to promote it.

That's not the same at all.

Hmmm can't see any links on any posts at all here.

MN is slow loading ssl.gstatic.com whatever that is, can't be an ad as I have them blocked

I read the other thread and Justine has calmly said it's a revenue generating thing.

I want to scream

Coming and going for me too.
And mn keeps crashing so several of my attempts to post on this thread havent appeared at all.

MN has been really slow for me too in the last week.
So slow this evening in fact that Im going somewhere else.

MN honestly I know I sound like a boring old maid when I say this but truly MN was better before you insisted on continually tinkering with it.
I dont want my posts/ops liked on facebook. I dont want a mumnset academy, I dont want to be quoted in the daily papers and neither do I want to have my words turned into advertisements.

There are other forums y'know where such things dont happen and not for the first time Im considering switching allegiance!

cross posts due to slow loading

Thanks Olivia

Bumsex Advisory Service

Pombears

Pom Bears

Naice Ham

McDonalds

Can I try Boden - now what?

Ah ha! So they do have SOME discretion?

Greggs

Some of them ^ up there are showing as links and some aren't. But the first time I read this thread none of them did/

Very strange.

Mostly eBay and Boden ones < checking to see if mine are.

I don't like it at all.

Agree that it's wrong for a company to get a link if it's not deserved - ie if the OP was complaining.

And something like W onga which is a word some people actually use? Very wrong to turn our conversations into an advertising op.

Asda

John Lewis - does it only become a link when you've hit the return key and are powerless to preent it...... Testing, testing ...

Sainsburys

Ocado

Amazon

Ooh - bit cheeky I think. Needs to be flagged in advance I think.

Ooooh! Well then...if we don't like it we can just say code words for companies we don't wish to promote.

i vote that we call Asda "Ahsdah" and "Tesco" can be....what?

Or look! If you do " " then it doesn't work! "Tesco" "Asda" Tesco Asda

"ebay"

"John Lewis" or John Lewis - hmmm

Wonga
eBay
Boden

Yes!

It's Ebay Helpyourself

dragonbutter

I've never searched this, I'm too scared but I wonder if it'll link.

dragonbutter

I've never searched this, I'm too scared but I wonder if it'll link.

My iphone autocorrects ebay to eBay.

I wondered what was going on. I saw some links that I wouldn't have expected earlier and was quite frankly aghast at the posters who'd seen fit to link to ebay etc in case we hadn't previously known where to find them. Um. Not really good, Mumsnet Towers. It's like those awful sites you find when you are googling that send you off to a page of non-existent links where you can buy toddler teething problems or whatever.

Do you need the revenue that badly? It makes you look a bit shoddy, IMO, and also looks a bit spywareish.

What about Next?

That's a word people just use.

Next week I will be throwing a naked pombear themed party.

Really uncomfortable about this.

I don't know, I get that they need to make money and all but to just add this with no warning? seems sneaky somehow. Not sure I trust them with my email address now

It just little things keep getting added in. And always around a time when it's slow around here. And then we get told it's the servers. And then 'but these revenue things help us pay for the servers' which seems to imply they are making these changes so that we can have it running smoothly again.

<paranoid much>

As I pointed out on the other thread, there is huge potential for rogue links unless they are made to look different. So you could click on ebay and find you were actually googling Dragon butter...

Hahaha!

I bought some food from Marks and Spencers recently but DS didn't like it. He will only drink Tropicana too.

I read the other thread.

Somehow the fact that MNHQ aren't exactly sure on the process/choice of shops doesn't really make me feel better tbh

hm

Marks and spencers. next, boden ebay

jolly

<rubs hands at possibilities>

Next
Boots
Wonga
Orange
Apple
Lush

Words used in normal posts that could be turned into adverts. It just doesn't seem right. Not like they deserve me promoting them due to good service.

Coca Cola

Coke

Coke

Ann Summers

Anne Summers

Oh thank goodness, I was worried I'd got malware!

Agent Provocateur

The Spa
CoOp
Poundland



Let's see if the lower end shops get a link

No!

Heinz

Kellogs

Aptamil

Nestle

Sparkling Strawberries I KNEW IT.

Ann Summers should complain

Porn

Tis a business, we are punters.

Are we? Or are the companies who pay to advertise here?

Don't like.

Surprised that you thought people wouldn't mind it, HQ.

No, we are the punters. We think we get it for free but pay by buying stuff advertised here or on sites linked to.

Sounds a bit George Orwell. "We are the dead."

Maybe I'll just add the disclaimer

ANY LINKS IN THIS POST ARE ACCIDENTAL, PLEASE DO NOT CLICK ON THEM.

To the end of every post I type.

HQ are all very nice I'm sure, I've never had any dealings, but someone has to pay their mortgages. They don't do it because we're all BFFs or something.

By the way Kellogg's has two gs and an apos

If you don't want your shop or brand mentions to convert to links just add a space somewhere - like bode n.

WHAT is the problem?

You lot do realise that MN get revenue from every single amazon link on here, and likely plenty of other companies.

It's horrible

Looks tacky, cheap and virus-ridden

In particular, I dislike the implied endorsement. And the fact that it makes your posts appear as though you either want to promote a retailer or brand, or think that other people are too stupid to google for themselves.

It isn't useful as we can all link to things we want to draw attention to and it just means that people will spend longer composing posts that circumnavigate these auto-links. Finding new ways to write Purr Oona Speziale, for example.

HQ there must be less vulgar ways to generate revenue surely? I've always though a MN branded Gin would do very well especially in 'Wate Rose'

Because automatic linking to a site or brand looks like you as an individual is endorsing that brand. WHAT is the problem in understanding that? Would have thought it would be perfectly obvious .

Boden

eBay

Amazon

Weird, all links off. Though my phone wants to write Biden - guess it supports Obama.

But... surely when there are links on here (to amazon, for example) MNHQ get a kickback? I know I did when I had amazon links on my site?

I must have posted a thousand links to amazon over the years... must have generated oooh... £6?

and feck orf with yer Mintyy.

coke

Personally I must generate lots of income when on my phone.

I'm constantly scrolling to the bottom of the thread and hitting the adverts on there!

I just hate how it's using us chatting to generate income for companies we may not want to promote ourselves

Ha! God, I'm always linking shite on 'ere. Must have made millions for MN - my invoice is in the post

This is nasty. If you insist on doing it, mnhq, I think you owe it to us to make it clear exactly what will link and what will not. A list like the list of acronyms, so those who do not want their words turned into product endorsements can avoid it.

In the meantime I will just mistype everything. I'm guessing twatrose won't convert, but you all know where I mean (which is actually quite unhelpful to that brand, as I actually support them and get all my groceries there but you have forced me to refer to them in disparaging terms to avoid your new form of shite).

Likewise I never use the c word on here or irl, but I will say cuntingsainsburys on here just to avoid you linking from my posts.

HTH

I've just spent ages checking for malware. This is beyond shit mnhq

Not sure this is working as intended for MNHQ - has anyone hovered over bigfat's coke hyperlink? Alas, it is not to the drinks company

Have just done the hover over the coke thing

HQ this is crap - not even linking to 'official' sites - just random, inappropriate shite - you can't really endorse this????

Snot - I think that one was a joke

Sorry Fire I knew someone would fall for that.

<gets off high horse>

Guillible Babylon signing up for duty......

Ho yess

Justine, that is SO good to hear. Thankyou.

Phew!

That's great Justine.

I admire your wish to make money out of the site (and letting us use it for free) and I know it probably seems to you that we whinge at every little change, but this obviously was a bigger matter than you first recognised, so I for one really appreciate the fact that you are looking at it.

Cheers Justine! You DA BOM!

::really can't pull off things like that and should stick to English::

Thanks

Great news, just hope the re-think is permanent!

Thank you.

Really though what were you thinking

Thanks.

I appreciate the need to generate income. Keep the links but make them a different colour to those that posters add on purpose.

Everyone's a winner!