to not want pictures of sex toys popping up on my Mumsnet screen

[INeedNewShoes]

Really Mumsnet?

Do you think this is what Mums (and anyone else on Mumsnet for that matter) want appearing randomly on their screen?

I haven't visited the sex topic in quite some time and certainly haven't posted on it so to what do I owe this particular pleasure?

Stop googling sex toys?

I'm not say that I've never looked at sex toys online but I haven't for over 4 years (no time for anything apart from work and parenting and trying to make my house look like civilised people live here since becoming a parent!).

The adverts are based on your cookies

That's what I thought but I honestly haven't been cookieing that sort of stuff!

In the margin at the moment is an advert for Nicorette gum, also completely irrelevant to me.

If you’re getting adverts for sex toys someone who uses your device has been searching for them online

Hawes & Curtis men's shirts, also not related to my browsing habits...

I love it when people complain about the content of cookie based ads

OP - use the ‘private tab’ function of your browser if you don’t want anything spicy following you round the internet.

That said, maybe it’s actually more embarrassing for me that my ads are apparently for pensioners’ cruises…?

There was a similar thread a couple of weeks ago and the overwhelming response was that very few of us get these (mine are all for Boden and similar- clearly have a less interesting search history OP!). If you clear your cookies you’ll get generic ones…cookies last until you clear them, you’re basically giving the game away posting this!!

My DH always has ads popping up on his phone for things I've searched for online. He's convinced his phone is 'listening'. I'm convinced it's just picking it up through the WiFi.

Anyway, my point is you or someone in your house is looking for sex toys. That's why you're seeing those ads.

@INeedNewShoes

Hawes & Curtis men's shirts, also not related to my browsing habits...

But probably your husbands? Along with sex toys?

There are no men in the house.

Also adverts for a new film in the cinema. I last went to the cinema in 2010.

I'm supposed to be working and now I'm just marvelling at my cookie-based ads (some of which are spot-on like Micro scooters which I did actually look at today).

Yanbu, I get mumsnet dildo ads too - and haven’t been googling them either! I thought the same as you when they started appearing. I hope nobody is looking over my shoulder when they pop up.

If you’re sharing a connection then you’ll get remarketing ads for things searches by others on the same connection. So it begs a question about what your other half and kids have been Googling…

I've never seen one.

all my ads are luxury yarn and Guzzini kitchen ware🤣

Cookies can be interest based, too, they could be targeting you because you’re the right demographic for Hawes shirts & sex toys… although it’s far more common for them to be used to retarget, like the scooters, because it’s much cheaper and more cost effective. So it’s more like that someone on your connection is searching those things, but perfectly possible that you’re being targeted based on a profile that you fit.

Just clear your cookie cache. The way to do this varies by browser, so if you don't know how to do it Google your browser name followed by 'clear cookies'

My MN are all about higher education at the moment but I'm self employed and did my degree yonks ago so haven't been searching for anything education related at all. I guess I must be searching something that has caused it but can't think what, it's really weird! Nobody else has access to my devices either. Hmm.

Always things like this for me at the moment!

Im always the first one to say 'it's your search history' but MN are working with Ann Summers!

Has no-one noticed?

Ah, it was an Ann Summers ad!

Not all ads are cookie based, some will be based on the website demographic profiles.

But equally, it's hardly offensive to advertise the odd butt plug and lube offer...

Use an ad blocker on your browser - I have one and don't get any ads on MN at all :)