Skimlinks on Talk

[AmyGMumsnet]

Hi folks,

Some of you might have spotted a few more links in discussions across the site - this is because we're testing out a programme called Skimlinks, which auto-converts some of your brand mentions into links.

This makes it easier for you to have a look at products that other MNers happen to mention on the boards, and, if you decide to make a purchase from one of these links, Mumsnet benefits from a small commission.

Thanks all - let us know if you experience any issues that you think might be related.

MNHQ

If tech has issues with a simple colour change, maybe they are not a very good tech.

Ha, ha, ha, HQ.

A post by bluejelly @ Thu 16-Feb-17 14:16:26, quoting my name.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/2855976-To-think-this-divorce-will-financially-ruin-me-and-my-children?watched=1&msgid=67000554#67000554

I am now a direct link to a company making sheds ...

Sometimes I feel for the MN developers.

I'm assuming it's not a developer saying it's going to take a day to implement a change of hex code, it's probably someone saying "no I don't want to make it red/green/obvious" or "can we make it look a bit different but not too different".
The decisions take all day, implementation can be minutes

Just testing...

Waltons

So bolding it doesn't work.

Is that link red because it's bold, or because it's been followed, or have they just changed the colour?

It actually seems to take several seconds for it to decide it's a link.

They've changed the colour...

I feel they changed the colour to black and removed the underscore, all would be good...

Maybe I should ask Waltons (the shed company) for a cut?

(No sign of a skimlink in Preview ... )

It posted in black first and then changed to pink.

You're right RustyBear - you won't know until you've actually posted that you have inadvertently posted a link.

Great. Not.

Yes, there's a noticeable delay in the link changing colour.

How are people going to make the difference between those links and those that people are putting on purpose?
I think it also devalues the links posters are putting on TBH.

And yes it does out me off clicking on anything at all too.

I'm going to be popping this disclaimer at the bottom of all my posts:

(Any links appearing in this post other than those marked as my own have been inserted automatically by advertising software and may link to companies or products I would neither support nor recommend.)

I'll also be putting "(my link)" after any links I've put in posts myself.

Turning brand/company/product names into links automatically is annoying and a bit intrusive but I really dislike the changing of seemingly random words into links as it's impossible to avoid doing it.

That's a good idea Homunculus

• Any links appearing in this post other than those marked as my own have been inserted automatically by advertising software and may link to companies or products I would neither support nor recommend.

I could just stick a disclaimer in all my posts telling people how to block to bloody script. Do you reckon MNHQ would mind?

Though this is going to start looking like netmums with the signatures

I'm not sure that would work on mobile devices older ?

• ^Any links in this post are random advertising shit, not me, so ignore them.

HERE is my advertising link Adblock plus is working perfectly for me on my iPad and iPhone. It's free and gets rid of all advertising.

I don't think I'm depriving MN of any revenue as I wouldn't ever purposely click on a skimlink. 😇

Hang on, Skimlinks are on mobile now too? They weren't the other day 😡

My phone is on a really old iOS so I can get Adblock but I'm planning on getting a new phone within a month so then I'll completely block ads and MN won't even get my accidental clicks

(old phone don't want to try latest as it's already crapping out)

Oops, no I worded that all wrong. I just meant that asblock plus works in my iPhone too.

I promise I'm not usually this incoherent 😬

iPad and iPhone have links in your latest posts WhyPost

(Though in standard MN blue not red!!! 😠)

Grrr, I'm contributing to the problem.

There are not highlighted in my posts either on my iPad or my iPhone thanks to adblock plus.

Adblock plus, you say...?

(Now that's a skimlink I would click on )

Hahahahahaha
They're gone!!!

Skimlinks are not useful to anyone! We all know how to access eBay or where to buy a mobile phone.

It gets in the way of our conversation and not just annoying but sinisterly so.

Also - how do you know you won't be targeted by bots whose whole purpose of being here is to deliberately drop the skimlinks mentions into conversation?

It's bad enough with journos starting threads, this is another level!

Please don't do this to us, it's insulting to put adverts into our actual conversations.

Please, please stop this, MNHQ.

It is BLOODY AWFUL.

I do not want naff links in my posts, if I want to link to the posters I am communicating with, I will put in a link of my choice, which is actually accurate and relevant. I can't be bothered to click ANY links now because I don't want to think I am partaking in the post but am actually being used as ad-fodder.

And stop it with the 'it makes things easier for us'. Patronising and disingenuous. Tell us how much brings you in increased earnings!

I really, really hate this.