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What's this doing on MN?

24 replies

TheBroonOneAndTheWhiteOne · 28/01/2026 23:46

This ad appeared while I was on a thread in the Relationships Board.

It did disappear quite quickly but how did it get on to MN in the first place?

What's this doing on MN?
OP posts:
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YouWillNeverGuessMyUsername · 28/01/2026 23:48

It's based on your cookies.... Anyone else using the device/ synced account?

TheBroonOneAndTheWhiteOne · 29/01/2026 00:03

YouWillNeverGuessMyUsername · 28/01/2026 23:48

It's based on your cookies.... Anyone else using the device/ synced account?

Really?

OP posts:
WinterBlues26 · 29/01/2026 00:50

No it's not. Some of them are but not all. No one in my family has looked at or searched those Chinese tat sites or anything with half naked women and yet they still show up when I'm on here.

There's a reason MN ask you to get the url so they can block it, it's them allowing the companies (or advertising company) in the first place.

BreakingBroken · 29/01/2026 02:26

its really individual.
i get loads of vehicle and banking ads.

YouWillNeverGuessMyUsername · 29/01/2026 08:28

WinterBlues26 · 29/01/2026 00:50

No it's not. Some of them are but not all. No one in my family has looked at or searched those Chinese tat sites or anything with half naked women and yet they still show up when I'm on here.

There's a reason MN ask you to get the url so they can block it, it's them allowing the companies (or advertising company) in the first place.

It's not just about the actual sites you visit, it's the type and your profile.

If you do Amazon shopping and Etsy...you'll get temu ads etc even if you've never visited.

This site will only be blocked by MN because it perhaps doesn't meet their address settings, but it will have only appeared for OP because the profile fits.... Probably thinks she's a single man or something die to browsing.

WinterBlues26 · 29/01/2026 08:34

If you do Amazon shopping and Etsy...you'll get temu ads etc even if you've never visited.
I don't as I prefer physical shops. I also don't have a profile as I delete cookies every time I close my browser, nor do I curate my adverts through Google, Gmail, FB or anything else as I like to see different things. Nothing has my sex or age or anything more than UK for location.

BeckyAMumsnet · 29/01/2026 10:09

Hello @TheBroonOneAndTheWhiteOne thanks for the screen shot. This one got through the filters. We're tracking it down now and will block ASAP.

Watercoloursky · 29/01/2026 12:21

Hi @BeckyAMumsnet I don't know if it's related, but I'm getting ads for 'Korea Dates' too - will try to attach a screenshot.

What's this doing on MN?
beAsensible1 · 29/01/2026 12:25

It’s not based on cookies as I get Zava ads and Lidl/aldi and I’ve never been on any of those sites in my life.

ForPearlViper · 29/01/2026 12:49

I understand about some ads being tailored to your browsing profile but there are certainly ads that I only ever get Mumsnet, eg, the crotchless pants.

ConstitutionHill · 29/01/2026 15:33

I really don't think it's based on cookies. I was getting a load of hunting rifle adverts recently.

Neatly laid out in a table with illustrations of the kind of prey you could kill with each type.

I have never expressed the slightest interest in blood sports.

It's some AI powered affiliate marketing that will make a LOT of ££ for Mumsnet, but the content it pushes will be wide of the mark fairly often.

TheBroonOneAndTheWhiteOne · 08/03/2026 22:32

They've started up again.
Hmm

What's this doing on MN?
OP posts:
TheBroonOneAndTheWhiteOne · 08/03/2026 22:33

@BeckyAMumsnet
I'm sick of seeing Korean Dates ads!

All evening!

OP posts:
HebeMumsnet · 09/03/2026 10:15

Thanks for letting us know @TheBroonOneAndTheWhiteOne . We'll track this down as soon as we can.

TheBroonOneAndTheWhiteOne · 09/03/2026 19:17

Thank you @HebeMumsnet

OP posts:
Thanksforyourlackofthought · 09/03/2026 20:16

Seriously? And no it’s not due to cookies.

What's this doing on MN?
User567573 · 09/03/2026 20:31

It's definitely due to IP address. Any person who uses the same wifi network and IP address may have targeted ads appearing on other devices. A really obvious reason would be the husband searching up something dodgy on his phone, or simply interacting with websites that suggest he might be interested in that sort of stuff. Dating ad gets show to all desktop devices logged into the same WIFI. The advertiser is hoping it's the same person using his work laptop or ipad. I would also be willing to guess that those sort of dating websites are shown to any man who accessed porn websites without using a VPN or incognito mode (which they may well forget if using their phone since it's not a shared device).

NoMumLeftBehindLiz · 09/04/2026 02:54

Similar vein but I’m seeing what are likely adverts for racist YouTube channels on Mumsnet today.
I clicked on a scam link on my phone by accident today and so cleared all my browser history, cookies and cache as a result (this is generally advised to prevent malware I believe) before anyone tells me that I must be into anti-Qatari conspiracy theories and my browser history caused this! Also live alone so no DH with dodgy browsing either.

What's this doing on MN?
JoMumsnet · 09/04/2026 14:26

Hi @NoMumLeftBehindLiz thanks for flagging that ad. Have you seen it again since clearing your cache etc? If so, please let us know that thread it's appearing on so we can block it.

NoMumLeftBehindLiz · 09/04/2026 15:23

Thanks @JoMumsnetI saw it on lots of threads but the only one I remember was a thread in AIBU called “AIBU to ask for advice about what to do about a lady in our community”. I only saw it AFTER I cleared my cache, not before. I don’t see it on the site today.

JaneJeffer · 09/04/2026 17:02

TheBroonOneAndTheWhiteOne · 29/01/2026 00:03

Really?

No. Those ads are based on nothing whatsoever but people keep trying to make out it’s your fault.

notacooldad · 09/04/2026 17:05

I haven’t had those adverts.
mine are for the cycle exchange because I’ve been looking at changing my bike.

ticolac · 11/04/2026 01:36

Unsettling ad previously mentioned seen multiple times on this thread and one other

What's this doing on MN?
What's this doing on MN?
What's this doing on MN?
What's this doing on MN?
summergin · 11/04/2026 01:44

I’ve had similarly weird Asian porn ads and yes I’m human so have sexual interests and yes I’ve seen porn but never Asian related so no previous cookie gathering pushing on previous searches 😆

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