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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:
ParadiseMoresThePity · 03/10/2012 22:42

Oh, thats really weird. I posted and it wasn't a link then I came back to the page after going to another and suddenly it was a link!

RandallPinkFloyd · 03/10/2012 22:40

Can someone tell me if this works please?

Tesco

ParadiseMoresThePity · 03/10/2012 22:39

Didn't work anyway!

ParadiseMoresThePity · 03/10/2012 22:38

This is a bit weird, I've never known a site do this, but then this is the only forum I use.

Just to see what happens:
Debenhams

NeDeLaMer · 03/10/2012 22:37

Isn't it obvious on threads whether it's an auto link or a user link from the content?

Surely if I say - I went to B&Q this afternoon and B&Q becomes a link then it's automatic, but if I say I bought this today it's a link I've created - people don't really do a link without it being obvious do they? ie 'Do you like these shoes or these?' rather than 'I bought some shoes at John Lewis' and JL being a link.

Sorry - struggling to see the problem really - other than it would have been good to have been told before it was done so it didn't look like malware.

AGoldenOrange · 03/10/2012 22:33

I'm not seeing any links smug

perfectstorm · 03/10/2012 22:31

I'd appreciate a different colour, tbh.

I don't mind paid-for ads if they are signposted as such. We don't pay to be here, after all. What I do mind is not knowing if a poster is trying to help with a link, or being hijacked. It blurs the editorial/paid for line too much IMO. Different colours would resolve that and we'd all know where we stand.

I mentioned Premier Inn in a positive context today, and with the link auto-infilled it read like an advertorial. Kind of embarrassing. One of the great things about MN is people tend to be sharp about fake puffery for goods/services. This feels like a stealth intrusion on that, so different colours, flagging up that it's not the poster's own link, would help demarcate.

MyDogEatsPoop · 03/10/2012 22:30

Yep - you're placing advertisements directly into our posts, making it look like it was done by us. It's all very Big Brother.

lockitt · 03/10/2012 22:30

i hate tesco
dorothy perkins

lockitt · 03/10/2012 22:29

oooh selective

lockitt · 03/10/2012 22:29

dorothy perkins

mango

H&M

Iheardthatpardon · 03/10/2012 22:25

I think it implies that the poster is endorsing the link too and that is wrong and intrusive. It also looks terrible and I think twice before revisiting a site where this is done.

It may generate some income but I think a lot of posters will vote with their feet if this is permanent.

Also what if someone has had a bad experience or talking about a sensitive issue? Bad taste and wrong imho.

Nagoo · 03/10/2012 22:19

please can we have two different colours.

I don't want to miss out on someone's hilair per una link because I mistook it for a bog standard M&S one.

MyDogEatsPoop · 03/10/2012 22:18

Worst
Idea
Ever

cerealqueen · 03/10/2012 22:16

I don't like it. How will it work in the Style and Beauty threads where people mentions shops all the time and do real links, just to confusing.

I don't want to be a conduit for Advertisers. Those companies get enough chuffng money.

JollyToddler · 03/10/2012 22:15

Daily Mail

The Sun

Daily Record

Scotsman

Herald

Daily Star

Guardian

The Independent

The Metro

JollyToddler · 03/10/2012 22:09

But it changes. sometimes Sains burys is a link, sometimes it's not.

tribpot · 03/10/2012 22:09

Do the MNs have the ability to prevent their own posts creating clickable links? (I think they should have, btw).

MarysBeard · 03/10/2012 22:09

Barclays

Lloyds TSB

HSBC

Royal Bank of Scotland

NatWest

MarysBeard · 03/10/2012 22:08

Debenhams

Co-op

Sainsbury's

Tesco

Asda

Waitrose

Marks and Spencer

Iceland

(Just seeing who they are supporting and who they aren't)

CouthyMowWearingOrange · 03/10/2012 22:07

And I won't even KNOW I'm making these links. Because I post from my iPhone.

People might think I'm ok with it, when I'm not, and I've just typed in a hurry, and won't even see it to be able to apologise for it!

JollyToddler · 03/10/2012 22:07

Nestle
Aptamil
SMA
Cow and Gate
Nescafe
Body Shop
Facebook
Twitter
Fruitshoot
Annabel Karmel

MaryZed · 03/10/2012 22:07

Are you trying to break mumnset Mary? At least the bits that aren't already broken.

MarysBeard · 03/10/2012 22:07

Edinburgh Woollen Mill

M&Co

Greggs

MarysBeard · 03/10/2012 22:06

Poundstretcher

Cash Converters

99p Stores

Primark

Peacocks

Lidl

Aldi