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Original poster

Site format

15 replies

mumnot7 · 10/09/2016 13:34

Have just come back after a few weeks.
The site design, when reading forums, seems a bit "busy".
Lots of ads, mostly moving ones at side of threads.

I am finding the moving ads distracting from the job of reading.
Is this just me?
I am sure Netflix movies are great, but not when I am reading.
Can I switch them off automatically, and not have t do this for each thread I click on?

OP posts:
BIWI · 10/09/2016 13:36

You need to install Ad Blocker (sorry MNHQ)

MNHQ
RebeccaMumsnet · 10/09/2016 15:00

Hi mumnot7,

How are you viewing the site? Desktop or mobile?

Mumsnet is a free to use site but we are also a business and whilst we do draw the line at certain ads (autoplaying audio, Nestle etc) we do need to fund the running of the business by having ads on site.

There isn't an option to turn them off sadly.

We hope this helps to clarify things.

Original poster
mumnot7 · 10/09/2016 15:42

via laptop.
I appreciate its a business. And am not averse to ads.

But, if you are reading text, its a distraction, as the eyes are naturally drawn to the movement in your peripheral vision.

OP posts:
BIWI · 11/09/2016 09:25

That's exactly why I installed Ad Block. The amount of advertising reached a level that it was not just irritating but intrusive - especially the side panels that move when you scroll up/down.

Totally get that you need advertising to fund the site/community, but when it starts to spoil the user experience - no thank you.

treaclesoda · 11/09/2016 15:43

Mumsnet is a free to use site but we are also a business and whilst we do draw the line at certain ads (autoplaying audio, Nestle etc) we do need to fund the running of the business by having ads on site.

I have recently had lots of noisy autoplaying ads come up when I'm on the desktop site, I thought that you had actively gone in this direction. They are in the background, it is like the entire site is smaller and there is a full page ad in the background. It starts playing, noisily, and you can't get rid of it.

treaclesoda · 11/09/2016 15:43

when I say you can't get rid of it, you can pause it and stop the noise, but you don't actually seem to be able to get rid of it.

tribpot · 11/09/2016 15:47

Yep, the scrolling ads are a step too far for me. I don't mind having ads visible on the site but the ones on the sides that scroll down as you scroll down are distracting, make my eyes hurt and of course detract from the thing MN makes it money from - the content.

I had a car one yesterday that opened up in full screen and I spent ages looking for the close button, only to decide there wasn't one and I needed to click on the main site to get the bloody thing to go away.

Much more of that shite and I will install an ad blocker - MN may be free to use but we're also free not to use it. There does need to be a balance.

cexuwaleozbu · 11/09/2016 15:50

lots of noisy autoplaying ads come up when I'm on the desktop site ... They are in the background, it is like the entire site is smaller and there is a full page ad in the background. It starts playing, noisily, and you can't get rid of it.

This is probably an error - mnhq usually apologise for that kind of thing when it is reported - take some screenshots, make a note of which link triggers them, stopping invasive ads like this is part of the ad-team's job.

AnneEyhtMeyer · 11/09/2016 15:50

Ad blocker and font changer is the only way I can use this site.

Reasonable, unobtrusive ads I would accept, but it is ridiculous now.

treaclesoda · 11/09/2016 15:53

cex I didn't realise that, i thought they were there because mumsnet wanted them there!

treaclesoda · 12/09/2016 09:12

This is an example of the sort of ad I keep getting. It comes up behind mumsnet and autoplays, then when you try to click on the thread to read it, suddenly it opens in a whole new screen. Very annoying.

Site format
Site format
treaclesoda · 12/09/2016 09:13

ah, that doesn't really show it properly. Anyway, it is a Mitsubishi ad and it is very intrusive

MNHQ
AngieMumsnet · 12/09/2016 13:34

Hi
I am looking into this now, we do block autoplay ads but they slip through if they have not been categorised correctly.

Thanks

BIWI · 12/09/2016 20:44

On my other laptop, where I've just had a new hard disk installed, so don't have adblock. Today/this evening you have a prime example of the incredibly intrusive ads - for Very - right across the top of the screen and the left and righthand-side, moving up and down as you scroll up and down.

It's incredibly intrusive.

So I've now installed Adblock on this machine. Sorry MNHQ but it's really spoiling the feel of the site.

tribpot · 13/09/2016 20:36

The Mitsubishi one was the one I saw. Took over the whole of the middle of the screen, was utterly shit.

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