Sorry but I went OTR for a nosy around...

[Drew]

... and I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw a banner advert in their Debts Forum for Wonga Pay Day loans!

[Amethyst]

Re: Sorry but I went OTR for a nosy around...

Sites do cost money to run and there are a variety of options available to administrators to help fund the hosting fees and so on, some forums chose to make this income from advertising, others through voluntary donations. We survive on voluntary donations and decided at the beginning we would avoid advertising for as long as possible. Although we know it could be a possibility in the future it would certainly be more along the unrelated affiliate links for shopping etc (much like MSE) as opposed to keyword targetted advertising such as that used OTR. The idea of advertising the very companies we exist to help people fight against and stand up to leaves quite a nasty taste in the mouth I think. I believe OTR's thoughts are that people on the forums will click the ads solely to cost the advertisers money and help finance the site, which they see as some kind of victory for them - but I think they have failed to realise that many people who do visit the site and thus become exposed to the adverts are in a desperate financial state and could easily think that clicking on a Wonga ad and taking a loan will solve their problems faster than waiting for responses and going through CCA requests or fighting off the bailiffs and such like.

Oops, bit of a ramble there. It has been a bit of an ongoing issue for the forums of late.

[Guest]

Re: Sorry but I went OTR for a nosy around...

Yes indeed, it seems to me that if you try hard enough you can justify even the most unjustfyable behaviour.
This is what Mr G is doing here. Truth is that someone made an offer he could not refuse and in my view it is not on.
The worst aspect of this is that vulnerable people who are in financial difficulty may interpret these adds as being recomended by this "self help forum".

Look up hypocracy on Wikipedia it will take you right to the CAG home page, or it should do.
Peter

[Turboman]

Re: Sorry but I went OTR for a nosy around...

Just a little story to share

Me & Di30 are TEAM in another small site (most of whom are on here too) but Ed introduced Google Adsense both for forum/thread headings and the first 3 or 4 posts in a thread under the TEAM members posts---he wanted to give us to receive a contribution individually for clicks on "interesting adverts"

Well-----the adverts were clever weren't they

AsI work mainly on PPI threads----I was giving advice and calculating/checking refunds and underneath my signature were adverts to claim back PPI through CMC's for christ's sake----and to visit MSE in some cases----nightmare and demoralizing for TEAM

Needless to say - I asked for myself not to be included - and now there arejust the adverts at thread headings

But as fast as we could update the blocked list----another 12 CMC's sites would take their place

[Guest]

Re: Sorry but I went OTR for a nosy around...

Hi
An interesting piece of trivia pointed out by a friend of mine.
If someone with debt problems went to the CAG home page they would be able to apply for a Payday loan faster than they could register to the site.
Peter

[leclerc]

Re: Sorry but I went OTR for a nosy around...

Hi
An interesting piece of trivia pointed out by a friend of mine.
If someone with debt problems went to the CAG home page they would be able to apply for a Payday loan faster than they could register to the site.
Peter

.......but the question is would they do that? Or would they register?

I suspect 90% of people if not more would register to receive advice.

[CleverClogs]

Re: Sorry but I went OTR for a nosy around...

Hi
An interesting piece of trivia pointed out by a friend of mine.
If someone with debt problems went to the CAG home page they would be able to apply for a Payday loan faster than they could register to the site.

Would CAG be paid any commission or referral fee?

[Guest]

Re: Sorry but I went OTR for a nosy around...

.......but the question is would they do that? Or would they register?

I suspect 90% of people if not more would register to receive advice.

Yes it would be nice to think that ,but cant help thinking if it wasnt there maybe 100% would seek advice, instead of 10% matbee taking the "easy route" and going deeper into debt.

Peter