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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:
frankie4 · 03/10/2012 16:40

I think 2 colours would be fine.

tribpot · 03/10/2012 16:36

Naoko - I hope MN will include your malware comment in their feedback to the supplier. Presumably other customers have raised the concern as well?

Tee2072 · 03/10/2012 16:13

It would look like Malware, if I could see it I would assume I had a virus on my computer.

Hence the different colour for it.

ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 03/10/2012 16:01

You or an

ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 03/10/2012 16:01

Also, if you don't make the mn auto links different how are you going to tell if it's you are an enterprising mner who is also making money from a similar scheme?

YY to looking like malware.

Empusa · 03/10/2012 15:59

"Am I the only person who cares about the 'it looks like malware' issue? "

No, I was convinced it was malware when I first heard about it.

LemarchandsBox · 03/10/2012 15:55

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 03/10/2012 15:52

As I said I think it is very important to differentiate between user links, and the auto links. So two colours would be great.

but of course we won't get two colours because then no one would click on the affiliate links and mn wouldn't make money from it

Naoko · 03/10/2012 15:52

Am I the only person who cares about the 'it looks like malware' issue? :( That really is bad online form, you know. If nothing else, you're teaching people that website automatically inserting links in your posts to things you didn't mean to link to is ok. And it isn't, because in many cases it means their computer is infected.

aufaniae · 03/10/2012 15:46

I don't think two colours would be a bit much, as it's giving useful information.

When they're indistinguishable, it devalues our own links IMO e.g. people may assume they're ad links and not click on them.

I think having a different colour is more honest.

Using the same colour is a bit sneaky, as if you're trying to pass the links of as being intended by the poster - it feels kind like you're putting words in our mouths IYSWIM.

LemarchandsBox · 03/10/2012 15:44

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

tribpot · 03/10/2012 15:43

Two colours would be greatly preferable, if the links must remain at all.

Tee2072 · 03/10/2012 15:43

No. Two colours wouldn't be a bit much.

::gavel::

::flees::

MNHQ
HelenMumsnet · 03/10/2012 15:27

Afternoon. Thanks for all your comments on this (rofl at brassieres).

Just to add to Justine's post last night, we're aware that the linking is a bit random. Am not quite sure of the algorithm/mechanics but I know we were keen for there not to be any 'inappropriate' links. We'll keep an eye and see if we can adjust anything.

It's a good point many of you make about the automatic links being the same colour as links you actually make on purpose. We can have a think about that but, at the moment, we're tending to think it's much less obtrusive having them the same colour. Wouldn't two colours (potentially) within a post be a bit much?

As ever, we're grateful for all your posts. We'll keep reviewing how this is going.

LemarchandsBox · 03/10/2012 13:51

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

LemarchandsBox · 03/10/2012 13:46

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

LemarchandsBox · 03/10/2012 13:45

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Sparklingbrook · 03/10/2012 13:36

The first time I saw it I clicked on it thinking it would be a funny picture to do with the thread. The thread was about toilets and John Lewis came up in conversation. Completely baffled me.

InvisibleHotPinkWeasel · 03/10/2012 13:33

I'm nor coal. I'm fucking diamond, me.

frankie4 · 03/10/2012 13:31

It will change the way we use mn. Because when I used to look at s and b threads, whenever there was a link to a shop website in a post, it was always to flag up a particular item of clothing which was either really nice or really awful depending on the post.

Now all the posts are full of links that are just to a shop's homepage, and have no relevance to the point the post is trying to make.

ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 03/10/2012 13:21

Just seeing what happened if keyword contained within MN link.

ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 03/10/2012 13:20

MN you really really need to make the auto affiliate links a different colour, or you are going to end up with MNers reporting each other for spamming

Test
Marks and Spencer

ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 03/10/2012 13:18

No, doesn't show up in preview.

ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 03/10/2012 13:18

Marks and Spencer

Sparklingbrook · 03/10/2012 13:16

Can you tell on 'Preview Message' whether it's going to do it or not?