Should there be an official response from Skinner on Prop 8 ads?

[FlyingSquirrel]

Please rec this thread and vote.

If you want to prattle on about how people should "just donate", "just get ad blocker", or say that the admin "has no choice what ads appear", there are plenty of other threads to do so.

But to me the problem is the complete silence from DU admin on this. If they can't do anything, they should let us ALL know this. They should do so because not every single person who is unhappy about it will PM them; because it takes them a long time to get back to each individual PM; and because ALL the members of a progressive site such as this deserve to know why anti-gay ads are here.

Dear Skinner: If you can't do something about it, please say so. If you can, but it's taking some time, say that. If you can, but don't plan to, please say so and explain your reasoning.

It's been several days now and the longer this goes on, the more people feel hurt or upset or frustrated. Please just post a thread explaining what's going on.

P.S. IBTL - beat y'all to it.

[Dogmudgeon]

1. The response should simply be to condemn the ads

Skinner has no control over Google's advertising.

Although I have a donor star, that is new. I used to see all the ads, too, including RW ads. But that's part of the deal. It takes a LOT of money to run a big website.

Anyway, this is a big reason WHY we fight for the rights of the GLBT community. As long as anti-GLBT bigotry exists, it will ooze into everything and require confrontation. Just as well that confrontation should happen here, where the advertiser money is wasted.

--p!

[Luminous Animal]

2. I absolutely do not believe this.

If Skinner has no control, then why do we not see pro- McCain ads.

By the way, my thread was locked. Fuckety, fuck fuck fuck.

[FlyingSquirrel]

3. Looks like they are finally paying some attention to it though, so good job.

Per DU rules, complaints and criticisms about the site must be made privately to the Administrators: Skinner, EarlG, or Elad.

Their contact information is here:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/contact.html


For what it's worth, this topic has been kicked upstairs.


Sympathetically,
Krispos42, DU moderator

---------

Maybe what is needed is to get a large number of people to actually PM Skinner at the same time. Not sure how to accomplish that without once again getting a thread locked.

[Luminous Animal]

5. Well, we can ask people here...

and I will send some private messages to the folks that showed support on that thread. That's a start, anyway.

[cboy4]

12. No....the whole contact the administrators through their

little e-mail address route is perhaps well intentioned on the part of the moderators, but it's the equivalent of pissing into the wind.

[cloudythescribbler]

4. I'm sure there's an EZ way to program them out,& if not ready at hand, NOW's the time to DEVELOP it!

[LeftyMom]

6. The ability is built into AdSense

https://www.google.com/adsense/support/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=9875

[LeftCoast]

8. First, an admin would have to care

:shrug:

[LeftyMom]

11. True.

And since nobody's been bothered to even address the issue...

I suppose it's all of our fault for not alerting enough again. Or something like that.

[Zuiderelle]

7. How many people have actually sent skinner a PM or email about this?

Do you expect him to read every post in the GLBT forum, when there are dozens of forums here and thousands of posts every day? That would be my first question. The ads don't bother me, because I don't see them. If I were to see them and be troubled by it, I would send skinner a PM asking him about it.

[cboy4]

13. The issue is not simply being raised in the GLBT forum...

there have numerous, and I mean numerous threads/posts in General Discussion complaining about this.

I just think it's such a controversial subject, because the site needs the revenue, that the administrators would rather just remain silent, rather than speak and potentially ruffle feathers.

[Zuiderelle]

14. Ah, I didn't realize it was also being discussed elsewhere.

[cboy4]

16. Yea, here are just a few threads from GD in case your're curious:

Please, please, please stop the anti-gay advertising on DU
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=389&topic_id=4226609

DU Admins: Why Can't You Block The Bigoted "Yes On Prop 8" Banner Ads??!!!
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=389&topic_id=4204296

DU is running PRO prop - 8 ads against gay marriage so...
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=389&topic_id=4210600

[LeftyMom]

17. The mods have already said that they "kicked the issue upstairs"

Since the Google AdSense procedure explained above is very simple, and since we have no reason to believe that all three admins have simultaneously traveled someplace with no internet access, inattention or lack of care is the most likely explanation.

[Zuiderelle]

18. Then I'm looking forward to hearing their solution.

I did see the suggestion that 94114 had posted with instructions on how to block specific advertisers. I would EXPECT this site to make at least some effort at doing so.

Here's hoping they do.

[IndianaGreen]

9. DU got rid of the Hillary nutcraker ads, so why not this?

:shrug:

[LeftyMom]

10. And the ads with the lady in the sexy policewoman outfit for the Rational Response Squad

Apparently a skeptical viewpoint (or boobies) is way more offensive than say, altering the California State Constitution to eliminate the rights of an unpopular minority.

[cboy4]

15. Yup. What is there was an anti-semetic ad? Would the argument

continue to be that there's no control over the subject matter??

[FreeState]

19. I'd like to see a donation button to No On 8 on the top for the duration of the campaign

that would lead to a page with FL and AR as well. I know I know - how likely is it for a Democratic board to propose we are equal and need support badly...

[LeftyMom]

20. That would certainly be reasonable.

[FreeState]

21. So how do we make it happen? n/t

[terrya]

26. I agree with that.

Seriously, if we lose Prop 8, and the amendments in Florida and Arizona, it would be a DISASTER. Big time. It would embolden the bigots to try to push an amendment in Connecticut. And if we lose in California, Florida and Arizona, there's no guarantee an amendment in Connecticut wouldn't pass.

[Book Lover]

22. I wrote to the admins last night and received this reply

"If you are referring to the "protectmarriage.com" ads, we blocked those yesterday morning (Monday). It usually takes about 24 hours for ads to disappear after they have been blocked."


Discuss.

[cboy4]

23. I guess better late than never.

[Jamastiene]

24. A few words from Skinner on this topic would go a LONG way.

While it is true that he cannot control the ads without some considerable effort, a sentence or two shouldn't be too incredibly much to ask.

[terrya]

25. Yes, there should be.

And quite frankly, there needs to be a review of accepting these ads on DU. I don't fucking appreciate seeing bigotry shoved in my face with these ads. We COULD lose on Prop 8 in November. I don't fucking to see some ad in here that would help make losing Prop 8 a possibility.

[RobertDevereaux]

27. Yep, should be a response and an apology...

...and absolutely a removal of those ads!

[Skinner]

28. The ads were blocked first thing Monday morning.

The first time I became aware of the ads is when I checked my email on Monday morning. I blocked them as soon as I read the first email about it (I think there were three emails in all). When an ad is blocked it sometimes takes as long as 24 hours for it to disappear, so they should have disappeared by Tuesday morning.

At this point, the only inappropriate ads I am aware of are from protectmarriage.com. If there are any others, please let me know. (For best results, either reply to this post or send me an email: [e-mail])

We do not (and cannot) pre-screen the ads that appear on our website. However, we do have the ability to block them after they appear when we are aware of them. It is our policy to block anti-gay ads.

[Zuiderelle]

29. Fantastic! Thanks.

[terrya]

30. Thank you very much, Skinner!

[racaulk]

31. Awesome!!!

Thank you very much, Skinner! :hi:

[applegrove]

32. Good for you skinner.

[TechBear_Seattle]

33. Your response is much appreciated

Thank you. :thumbsup:

[Book Lover]

34. Thank you for this post

I think it has helped to hear these things directly from you.

[Name removed]

35. Deleted message

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