# Whats with all the porno-MMO ads?



## Janx

I recall once upon a time, that ENworld had a "don't offend Eric's Gramma" rule for discussion about things.

I'm thinking that Eric's Gramma wouldn't approve of Roman Orgy MMOs or "make love to her now to fight evil" RPGs.

It's one thing to feature a buxom beauty on the the ad to sell product.  It's another to basically say "play this game and you can boink her"

Generally, ENWorld stays clear of such topics in its forums.  I don't see why its ads shouldn't reflect the forums decorum.


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## Umbran

The ads are from Google.  That means we don't pick them - they are based in part on what site you visit, and in part based on what Google thinks you might be interested in, based on previous browsing history.

If you see an ad that violates our rules, if you can catch *where* the ad leads, we can have them blocked.


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## Janx

Umbran said:


> The ads are from Google.  That means we don't pick them - they are based in part on what site you visit, and in part based on what Google thinks you might be interested in, based on previous browsing history.
> 
> If you see an ad that violates our rules, if you can catch *where* the ad leads, we can have them blocked.




Odds are good there's some quirks to google's algorthm.  I don't go to MMO sites or naughty sites.  That's how your PC gets AIDS.

I have seen the banner ad show topics that I've searched for that are unrelated to RPGs, so I'm familiar with the behavior.  those ads have a different look from the ads that appear to be paid for directly to Enworld.

Odds are good, google gets some of its cues from search history, other cues from the current page you are on (meaning Google sees I am on ENworld, which has various keywords on it, and pulls up ads that fit those keywords).

the Roman Orgy one even changed it's name.  it used to be called something else (which I can't recall).  it's almost like they got blocked, and changed their name so they could sneak back in.


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## Umbran

Janx said:


> Odds are good there's some quirks to google's algorthm.




I dunno if I'd call it a quirk, so much as "not as specific as many would like".



> Odds are good, google gets some of its cues from search history, other cues from the current page you are on (meaning Google sees I am on ENworld, which has various keywords on it, and pulls up ads that fit those keywords).




That's pretty much what I meant.


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## Janx

Umbran said:


> I dunno if I'd call it a quirk, so much as "not as specific as many would like".
> 
> 
> 
> That's pretty much what I meant.




It also just showed me an ad for getting my Credit Score.  Something I don't search for.

As much as people are paranoid about what search engines collect on us, they still kind of suck at showing me ads I might actually click on.

For the record, I've probably clicked on 5 ads in my lifetime.  I've bought something online maybe 10 times.

While I work and play in a digital environment, I am not a good target for digital ads.


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## Morrus

http://www.enworld.org/forum/meta/314612-faq-faq-faq-no-permissions-errors-search-ads.html


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## Umbran

Janx said:


> While I work and play in a digital environment, I am not a good target for digital ads.




Well, perhaps you should drop them a line and tell them to stop sending them to you, or something.  Let them know that they're wasting their time and effort on you, and maybe they'll stop.


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## Janx

Morrus said:


> http://www.enworld.org/forum/meta/314612-faq-faq-faq-no-permissions-errors-search-ads.html




yes, I'm pondering how to extract the URL without actually clicking on the ad.  I've no interest in exposing my PC to whatever malware hell awaits at a Roman Orgy MMO.

Though I would suggest ammending your FAQ entry to mention that google isn't just returning results on what the user searched, but results based on the current site/page that is loading the ad.  They are scanning the enworld, too.


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## Darkness

Janx said:


> yes, I'm pondering how to extract the URL without actually clicking on the ad.



Right-click on it; the appropriate option should be on the list ('copy link address' or something like that).


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## Janx

Darkness said:


> Right-click on it; the appropriate option should be on the list ('copy link address' or something like that).




nope, they are flash ads.  they have a different, useless set of options under the context menu.

the object tag in the html source has some clues, but the URL listed there goes to google with some querystring content to direct it to do something (like show an ad).

Of interesting note, not all the ads are Flash.  the normal looking RPG ads appear to be images and have the traditional set of options under the right-click menu.

But the porno-MMOs?  Flash ads.  I hate Flash.

having an aversion to clicking on links to things I don't want to open may interfere with solving this.

But the important thing is we all learned something.


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## Flatus Maximus

Janx, you just became my favorite poster on ENWorld for the following quotes:

"I don't go to MMO sites or naughty sites. That's how your PC gets AIDS."

and

"I've no interest in exposing my PC to whatever malware hell awaits at a Roman Orgy MMO."

Outstanding.


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## Orius

I'm just popping in for the Evony cracks.  Although I might not find any, Evony hasn't used this tactic in quite a while. (and Janx's comments ring true with Evony, from everything I've read about that piece of work, your machine will need a hefty dose of PC-penicillin if you go there).

I think these games are borrowing a page from Evony's old advertising campaigns though.  Yeah, I've seen the Roman Orgy and "make love against the darkness" a few times on various websites already, and there are several more game that to this.  I just ignore them all, really.

Actually, a few weeks ago, the Google ad server came up with an ad for some adult services site, which I found amusing before ignoring it completely.  Somehow, the ad still managed to be more Grandma-friendly than the typical Evony or Roma ad.


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