Ann Summers adverts

[RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie]

Do we really want a site for parents to be littered with adverts for tacky see through lingerie and sex toys? Really?

That's not true. I keep getting advertisements for balaclavas and camouflage which I have never searched for and will never buy.

In fairness, I’m more pissed off at the ads on MN that a) refuse to use female-centric language for female products and/or b) use sexist and misogynistic imagery eg/a bunch of women hanging out in their underwear together to sell products not related to underwear.

I don’t think a lot of thought goes into what ads they allow other than whether it might bring clicks ie/revenue..

MN just provide the space for the advert generally, advertising companies fill it with content based on the site and other things they know about you or other people using your computer (they store cookies and your IP address). Clearing cookies might help

I believe (but may be wrong) that it's not just based on products you look at online to buy but everything you read.
So if you (or someone in your home) read some articles about the army or similar that's why adverts for balaclavas are coming up.

Nope @Needmorelego nobody else uses my phone

@JaneJeffer well no idea then 🤷

Actually yes I'm getting Disney Florida ads now and not a chance I'd go there .

Must be a mix op. So, stuff we Google and things other users search. We all must be Ann summer wearing, airfryer fans with the odd balaclava thrown in.

There are third party cookies and ads too, so it isn't always based on something you've read or done directly. Ads or algorithms are also based on related and partnered content from your direct browsing.

So if say you visited a clothing shop online and they're somehow partnered with ski equipments for their ad content or marketing, then you'll also likely get ski equipment ads even if you've never looked at them directly. Or if you're reading an article on another site or forum and a page you're on has an ad for Victoria Secret, you'll probably get an ad for Ann summers or something just by being on that page with a 'related' ad.

They're all connected especially if you don't reject every single cookie from a website and clear your data footprint each time you're done (Most people don't).

You can opt out of 3rd party cookies/ads from your browser privacy settings to reduce or eliminate the indirect algorithm issue.

Do you share a router with anyone else in your home? It also shows you ads based on their browsing history.

Anne Summers could come up because you’ve been looking at lingerie online, not necessarily kinky lingerie. It could be Rigby & Peller.

'I don't know, bit silly, isn't it? I bet she's freezing!'

No need to pearl clutch.

Keystrokes too - what you write can also suggest an ad even if the context is different. Eg you've typed 'Ann summers', 'lingerie' or knickers, trousers, granny pants, etc, you could also get ads for similar things.

I've been seeing them too, I certainly haven't been looking at undies online, I am not in the UK at the moment.

(And the ads haven't bothered me, there are a lot of ads on MN that I am not interested in and are very very unrelated to what I look at online)

It's perfectly acceptable to admit you've been browsing lingerie and sex toys OP, no need to be embarrassed, it's 2025.

I get adverts for safely boots and blood pressure monitors, very very boring but unsurprising given that I've searched for those items previously.

I’m getting ads for train booking websites. I’m very dull

Yes.

Mumsnet is a site for adults though, maybe you should be more careful about what you're letting your kids look at rather than moaning that there's adult Ads on an adult site

Ahh now that's completely down to parental responsibility, just as if you were scrolling anything on the internet.

If you don't want your kids seeing lingerie adverts, make sure they can't see your phone.

I keep getting ads for Bentleys. Anne Summers sounds more fun!

On a serious note though, I really don't understand why the OP has a problem with it (other than her own lack of responsibility in ensuring her kids don't see her screen).

Mumsnet has millions of users and the absolute vast majority are female, so it's a perfect audience for those who want to buy.

And as always those who don't want to buy, can carry on scrolling.

This cracked me up.

@ginasevern I'm kind of tempted by this one

Oh I thought photos were supposed to be working but they're not. Boo!

Oh now it's appeared. Confused dot com.