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Original poster

Hello MNHQ - a question about automatic links please?

288 replies

rhondajean · 02/10/2012 22:52

Seems that quite a few of us are now having names of online shops come up as automatic links.

Eg(and fingers crossed these work!

Argos
Next
Marks and spencers
Wilkes
Toys r us

Can you confirm if this is a new addition to MN or are we all infected with something nasty?

Thankoo! Grin

OP posts:
Tee2072 · 03/10/2012 07:35

AdBlock means I don't see the links, but I don't think they are a well thought out idea, since there was recently some sort of virus or trojan that was doing the same thing. You can find threads about it in Site Stuff, I'm sure.

I don't agree that it implies endorsement, though.

Also, how bad are things that Justine is up at midnight!!! Grin

InvisibleHotPinkWeasel · 03/10/2012 07:29

Clearly yes to pervy stuff
No to sausage rolls
Grin

InvisibleHotPinkWeasel · 03/10/2012 07:28

Sainsbos it is from now on then Grin

LoveHoney

Greggs

GetOrfAKAMrsUsainBolt · 03/10/2012 07:10

Can you imagine the inappropriateness of this on the old Cunting Sainsburys thread Grin

I don't mind it, being an income generator and all, plus I can't see it on the mobile version, and that's where I do most my mnetting.

MortaIWombat · 03/10/2012 06:25

Apparently not. Not so clever, then.... Wink

MortaIWombat · 03/10/2012 06:25

Does it prevent itself from linking if you're being libellous, like saying that Argos is a smelly shop full of cheap tat for the hard of thinking?

SmokyClav · 03/10/2012 00:37

Who is jim laurence??

I didn't think malware because I'm on linux!

Justine, I agree with others that this appears to imply endorsement of certain brands. Whether that's good or bad is up to other users.

Asmywhimsytakesme · 03/10/2012 00:36

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

aufaniae · 03/10/2012 00:35

Oh, I thought it might be the full stop!

Looks like it's the multiples then.

How annoying, Chaos!!

aufaniae · 03/10/2012 00:34

Argos.

aufaniae · 03/10/2012 00:33

Argos
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Argos.
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HolyAutumnGoldBatman · 03/10/2012 00:28

Grin nice try Chaos

ChaosTrulyReigns · 03/10/2012 00:25

Took ages 'swell.

ChaosTrulyReigns · 03/10/2012 00:24

Well, that freckling worked.

[sigh]

ChaosTrulyReigns · 03/10/2012 00:23

I'm just wondering if the income generated is from clicking the links or just from having them appear?

Because the revenue would be very easy to manipulate that way wouldn't it? If someone has the inclination.

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MNHQ
JustineMumsnet · 03/10/2012 00:21

@tribpot

I agree, Naoko. And I also don't like the implied endorsement (one of the major concerns expressed on the Fool). Nor the fact it has been introduced without warning.

Given the performance of MN's servers, I'm not convinced it is generating a decent amount - although the implication is the performance would be even worse without the revenue it brings in.

Really, you think it implies endorsement because it turns it into a link? That's interesting, never would have thought of that but certainly will mull it over.

And whilst I don't have the actual numbers to hand our performance in terms of site speed ranks quite favourably with google averages (though clearly our servers do get a bit creaky now and then - usually to do with a bug tbh).

tribpot · 03/10/2012 00:11

I agree, Naoko. And I also don't like the implied endorsement (one of the major concerns expressed on the Fool). Nor the fact it has been introduced without warning.

Given the performance of MN's servers, I'm not convinced it is generating a decent amount - although the implication is the performance would be even worse without the revenue it brings in.

Naoko · 02/10/2012 23:54

I can't see this courtesy of my adblocker, but if I did, I would absolutely 100% assume this to be malware if I did, because there are numerous malwares that behave like that. Any advertising that looks sufficiently like malware to be mistaken for it is poor advertising, and I think badly of any website that uses it.

Just my feedback, in case anyone cares.

Original poster
rhondajean · 02/10/2012 23:48

Phew thanks justine! I was slightly worried - someone elsewhere said it was malware on people's machines and I thought I had done something horrible to my iPad.

I don't mind it at all as long as I know it's meant to be there.

OP posts:
MNHQ
JustineMumsnet · 02/10/2012 23:46

Never!

ChaosTrulyReigns · 02/10/2012 23:45

MNHQ never sleeps, eh?

Smile
MNHQ
JustineMumsnet · 02/10/2012 23:40

Yes these links are meant and it is a revenue thing. We've had skimlinks on the site for a bit in the form of an auto affiliate thing when people type in links. We make a decent amount of revenue from it - not loads but enough to pay for one of our servers and it seems reasonably unobtrusive. They've recently suggested we try linking to shop mentions too. I'm not quite sure how they choose them - think it's just who they have in their client list.

We hope it's not too intrusive - and that it might actually be mildly useful. We would certainly never do those pop up auto message links attached to keywords that you see on some sites and have turned those down a few times.

In any case do not be alarmed, your device hasn't gone doolally. And it won't be skimlinks making the site run slow - more likely server capacity. Will try to get to the bottom of it tomorrow.

ChaosTrulyReigns · 02/10/2012 23:40

I can do that^.

[understatement]

Asmywhimsytakesme · 02/10/2012 23:36

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ChaosTrulyReigns · 02/10/2012 23:35

I don't like it.

That should put an end to it.

[inflated]