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AIBU?

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Original poster

Very inappropriate Amazon sponsored link on search for children's books

115 replies

MiddleEngWoman · 21/06/2017 09:45

AIBU? typed in 'books for 13 year old boys' as I am searching for a birthday present for my soon to be teenage nephew. On the first 2 pages of the resulting search were 2 sponsored links to crotchless knickers!!!! How on earth does Amazon justify the appropriateness of such items in the midst of a list of children's books. I had always assumed that there were checks and controls in the coding of these sites which would mean that such a search would not link across to such items. Clearly I am very naive. I have clicked on the 'report inappropriate advert button' but are unsure of what exactly happens next and if Amazon actually have the time or inclination to actively follow up all such reports, given they have no means of contacting you back with their conclusion.

OP posts:
ThanksMsMay · 21/06/2017 11:58

Do you really not know why they're for? Confused

ThanksMsMay · 21/06/2017 11:58

That's hilarious Rosie!

LagunaBubbles · 21/06/2017 12:00

I can feel the OP's burning face from here

Presumably the other end is nice and cool though

Haha Grin

Mercime · 21/06/2017 12:02

I just opened an incognito tab, went to amazon and typed in books for 13 year old boy - also got crotchless panties!

HerOtherHalf · 21/06/2017 12:03

Do you really not know why they're for?

I can imagine but I still don't get why anyone would ever buy them. If it's because the woman's partner likes to see her fanjo presented like the arse end of an oven-ready turkey He should be told to sod off. If it's because it somehow makes sex quicker the I wonder who these people are that struggle so much with removing pants. I just don't find them remotely sexy. I think they're ridiculous and wonder why any woman would buy them or accept them as a gift.

HerOtherHalf · 21/06/2017 12:04

Off to google crotchless boxer shorts to see if their is an equally ridiculous male equivalent.

HerOtherHalf · 21/06/2017 12:06

Oh god, there is. My eyes are burning.

Original poster
MiddleEngWoman · 21/06/2017 12:08

Thank you to Mumsnet and the others who have realised this is not as a result of search history. I think if some of those who responded so hilariously to my OP realise that such a sponsored link would appear if their 13 year old boy was searching on Amazon in this way, I don't think they would be laughing. If MNHQ also got the same result in a search... However, these contributors have probably just had their laugh and won't bother to read through to here. I was trying to raise a serious point which will now be lost. I was confident about my search history and spent the time away from the post confirming this. As i said originally, I dont post here often, was trying to raise a serious point... and am now discouraged by the reaction

OP posts:
GinIsIn · 21/06/2017 12:11

To be fair, if you wanted to raise a serious point, the way to do that would be by reporting it to Amazon, rather than Mumsnet....

Mercime · 21/06/2017 12:13

There's no need to be snippy to the OP just because posters presumed she was being idiotic but they were wrong.

TryHarderWillis · 21/06/2017 12:13

Oh chill OP it was pretty amusing

It is usually based on cookies

Mercime · 21/06/2017 12:14

probably not that amusing if everyone was taking the piss out of your ability to use the internet correctly

It's a bit crap of amazon but not the end of the world

HerOtherHalf · 21/06/2017 12:15

I think you'll find that your 13yo boy finding crotchless knickers on Amazon is the least of your worries OP. If that's the limit of his exposure to corruptible material when the internet is awash with hardcore porn I'd be bloody proud of him.

VerityHabitat · 21/06/2017 12:15

Oh come on. The point isn't lost and the internet is absolutely full of horrific things that are quite sadly easy to come across. This type of search crap comes up elsewhere and is often flagged up, rectified, and then comes up elsewhere or in another form. It's like lambing whack a mole.

That's not to justify it but it isn't that surprising that this particular error has happened.

TryHarderWillis · 21/06/2017 12:15

I do get crotchless knickers too .... haha

Original poster
MiddleEngWoman · 21/06/2017 12:15

I have reported to Amazon, my OP wondered whether they act on such things, as feedback doesn't require you to give contact details so they have no recourse back to you to do anything about it. It would be nice to here if anyone else have seen action after reporting inappropriate content to Amazon

OP posts:
TryHarderWillis · 21/06/2017 12:16

Everyone taking the piss? A few users on MN? Do we have that much power.

Well it is hot outside

RahRahSkirt · 21/06/2017 12:20

I did the search and got crotchless knickers too!! Grin

ThanksMsMay · 21/06/2017 12:22

I can imagine but I still don't get why anyone would ever buy them. If it's because the woman's partner likes to see her fanjo presented like the arse end of an oven-ready turkey He should be told to sod off. If it's because it somehow makes sex quicker the I wonder who these people are that struggle so much with removing pants. I just don't find them remotely sexy. I think they're ridiculous and wonder why any woman would buy them or accept them as a gift.

My point was that we all know what they're there for. Your wide eyed 'whatever are they there for' is just an excuse for us to know what an elightened male you are for not liking them. As for why a women would buy them herself, it's really up to her isn't it? Maybe she doesn't care about a random male on the internet's opinion on the sexiness of her pants is.

And no, I'm not a wearer of crotchless knickers. My pants practically cover 80% of my body.

ThanksMsMay · 21/06/2017 12:23

Has anyone searching for crotchless pants to see if they get the complete series of Horrible Histories come up?

VanessaBet · 21/06/2017 12:23

I wonder if it might have been added to an algorithm by someone on their last day - sounds like the kind of thing that happens in officers by disgruntled or relieved leavers!

I used to work somewhere that had a vast database of every song title ever written and registered. It was quite easy to add your own fictional title to the database - e.g.. 'Steve in HR is a arse' or whatever.

VanessaBet · 21/06/2017 12:24

offices not officers!

Original poster
MiddleEngWoman · 21/06/2017 12:26

Horrible Histories - now that is definitely in my search history.... Could the two items be inadvertently linked by Amazon for some bizarre reason...

OP posts:
ClashCityRocker · 21/06/2017 12:44

Will it not come up on Amazon as it cunningly detects we have been reading a thread about crotchless knickers?

It is a bloody odd thing to come up... Quite niche. I could understand normal knickers and lingerie but crotchless?

insancerre · 21/06/2017 12:56

Blimey