Change of Ad Provider

[SilencedSkies]

Well that was fast. Less than an hour of white list and three redirects to other sites. Sorry, but I am not going to risk my data security over this.

[velinion]

In response to post #37617610.

Dark0ne wrote: While I wouldn’t normally divulge such information publically in a news post due to the “unsexy” nature of talking about advertising, and because most of it happens behind the scenes anyway, I thought I would be remiss if I didn’t update people on this topic.

A little under two months ago we announced and released our new ad reporting functionality. The idea was to provide a very easy method to report bad ads that might come up on the site. Most importantly, for us, it was a way of gauging just how bad a problem bad ads were on our provider. Bad ads being defined as ads with auto playing sound, redirects, pop-ups or, worst of all, malware or viruses. I had an inkling, but I had no official figures to back it up.

Over 8,500 reports later on 115 specific ad placements (in under 2 months)...I have a very, very good idea. I was abso-bloody-lutely livid when the extent of the problem was revealed and sent regular emails expressing my disgust to my provider. Here’s just a snippet:

We're a part of the problem! We're the reason more and more people are turning to adblockers to secure themselves against this crap. And I think what annoys me most is it's taken me having to waste my coder's time creating an ad reporting system...to even know there was a problem in the first place! It's diabolically bad, and I'm ashamed I'm serving these ads to my users and ashamed I've let it go on for so long.

While I won’t go into the internal politics that happened behind the scenes that involved me exerting pressure to try and improve the situation, I’m writing this news post today to let people know that as of this Saturday, we will be moving to a new provider. It is my hope that moving to this new provider should provide higher quality, more targeted advertising that is far more reliable and safe for users of the Nexus.

We’ll rework our reporting system to work with the new provider’s system and I will continue to monitor the situation closely. If it doesn’t work out, we will move again (and again, and again, if necessary) until we find a provider we can truly rely on. Even if it means taking a hit on our ad revenue to ensure the security is correct.

I wanted you to know that this stuff is important to me and I take it extremely seriously. We work hard to secure our site as much as we possibly can, and it frustrates us that our work is undermined by external attack vectors outside of our direct control that we rely on in order to survive.

So, from this Saturday, it is my utmost hope that the advertising situation improves considerably. I will update you accordingly, especially in regards to the new “tiered membership” incentivised system I mentioned in the earlier news post linked at the beginning of this article.

Once we’ve gauged the reliability of the new ad provider we’ll be in a position to launch that system and provide some benefits to those of our users who help to support the Nexus by turning their ad blockers off (or not using adblockers at all) on the Nexus.

Ads like this is why I have an ad blocker, and never turn it off. Also why an ad blocker is the first thing I install on the computer of non-tech-savvy people when I fix their computers - they don't know enough to identify malicious advertising, and that is both a major attack vector and an easily closed one.

Loving the Nexus and how much it helped the chaos of the early modding community (where mod collections would close with little to no warning, with mods disappearing permanently as a result) is why I became a premium member as soon as that was an option.

I'm glad to hear you guys care about not serving these kinds of ads, and hope your new provider proves more able to manage their content.

[Dark0ne]

In response to post #37618650.

SilencedSkies wrote: Well that was fast. Less than an hour of white list and three redirects to other sites. Sorry, but I am not going to risk my data security over this.

If you read the news post, it does quite clearly say that Saturday is when the new provider goes live. So until then, we're still on the old one...

[RustyXXL]

First let me say, I really appreciate your open words, I hope this will turn out to be an example for some other site to also rethink their advertising models. It is really needed. That said, I'm afraid my Addblock will be kept on for any site. I've seen it to often even presumably "good" ad provider having weaknesses or suddenly chane their policies, and I simply won't take any risks anymore, for nobody. I am all for supporting any site I regularly use directly or indirectly. I've bought premium in the past, and whenever my financial situation allows it I will do so again. Over the years I brought a bunch of new users to the nexus, but my recommendation will stay (not only for the nexus, but for the whole internet) "use an addblocker, and support the sites you like in anyway you can directly.".

But I will continue to monitor the ad situation, and maybe someday the day comes where I can say it's safe enough for me to turn my addblock off. And when that day comes, you can say to yourself, that this decision you made here, was one of many, many neccessary steps to get there.

And as such I really do mean it, when I say I appreciate your efforts you showed here, even if it doesn't change things for me immediatly.

So thanks for that. :)

[Dark0ne]

In response to post #37618590.

underskyzx wrote: well thanks to this notice I recovered some trust in NexusMods again, i will disable adblock again and see how fair things are...but if I ever click a empty space and a new tab opens with some relationship website then my friend its going to be blocked forever

Wait until Saturday to do it.

[JimmyRJump]

Read, acknowledged, appreciated and approved. AB and ABP will be deactivated for the Nexus come Saturday...

 

*EDIT*

 

Ha! Forgot for a second I'm a supporter and don't see ads :P

Edited May 11, 2016 by JimmyRJump

[PlagueHush]

In response to post #37618235.

jim_uk wrote: My Premium upgrade has been worth every penny and more, all of this has passed me by unnoticed.

This :D

[1wolffan]

Well, as I've mentioned before, I'd LOVE to support you guys somehow. I've no money (seriously, even $2 is more than I can spare) so the only way I CAN support people is by enabling ads. As I also mentioned before, I didn't so much mind the ads, as I did the CRAZY slow-down.

 

As of Saturday, I'll definitely try to allow them again. It's the best I can do (though some people would say least, this is not the case) to help out with this wonderful site. :D

Edited May 11, 2016 by 1wolffan

[demonofsarila]

Actually after reading this I just decided to buy the "Supporter" thing. Because I like that you're trying, but I'm not going to look at ads, I'd rather pay $2 once.

 

Good luck with the incentives thing for disabling adblock.

Edited May 11, 2016 by demonofsarila

[demonofsarila]

In response to post #37618695.

RustyXXL wrote: First let me say, I really appreciate your open words, I hope this will turn out to be an example for some other site to also rethink their advertising models. It is really needed. That said, I'm afraid my Addblock will be kept on for any site. I've seen it to often even presumably "good" ad provider having weaknesses or suddenly chane their policies, and I simply won't take any risks anymore, for nobody. I am all for supporting any site I regularly use directly or indirectly. I've bought premium in the past, and whenever my financial situation allows it I will do so again. Over the years I brought a bunch of new users to the nexus, but my recommendation will stay (not only for the nexus, but for the whole internet) "use an addblocker, and support the sites you like in anyway you can directly.".
But I will continue to monitor the ad situation, and maybe someday the day comes where I can say it's safe enough for me to turn my addblock off. And when that day comes, you can say to yourself, that this decision you made here, was one of many, many neccessary steps to get there.
And as such I really do mean it, when I say I appreciate your efforts you showed here, even if it doesn't change things for me immediatly.
So thanks for that. :)

Ummm.... under your avatar it says you're a supporter, which mean you won't see ads regardless. Edited May 11, 2016 by demonofsarila