[goin'batty]

Is anyone else as truley annoyed and ticked off by these stupid "sponsored product links" that keep appearing in our postings? I am posting on this forum to either get or give support, not to turn into an advertisment for some product. There have been times that one of these stupid links has appeared in my post for a product that I don't even like. It appears like I'm endorsing this stuff!

It's bad enough having all these pop up ads, but this is really going too far when my own words are being used to endorse products!

[34andhopeful]

To get rid of the pop -ups you can get netscape 7.2 - I do not get any at all... And if you are IE fan, i think their new version gets rid of the pop-ups...

[Momof2andcats]

Oh I know! It drives me insane how you can type in the "right" combination of words and an instant link appears. You are not the only one annoyed. -Sarah

[amom4life]

Yes it is annoying and intrusive that our posts are being used for marketing tools.
Judy

[kiwi]

The product links are probably one of the least intrusive forms of sponsorship on the web. Though you probably disagree, such links are fairly common on the web so there are not too many newcomers to the forums who think you are endorsing a product. In addition to being a web wide occurance, the links are made very distinct from anything any forum user would be able to create on their own.

[Maria K]

I downloaded Google's toolbar and with it comes a popup blocker... I don't see any of the popups.

[eahollen]

It's not pop up ads but the "sponsored product links" that appear in your post if you type a certain combination of words such as "Twenty Things Adopted Kids Wish Their Adoptive Parents Knew" or "adoption triad."
If you run your mouse over the link you will see a further plug for the product. That's what annoys me. You don't even have to click on it.

Beth

[34andhopeful]

Well, it is a "free" forum - they have to make money some how....

[goin'batty]

Well, 34andhopeful, you bring up an interesting idea. They are indeed making money.

This is only one small subset of adoption.org. They sell all sorts of stuff and have ads and pop ups everywhere. They are making money.

Now, let's look at what we as members of adoption.org get....
1. No membership controls or verifications. We have crazy anti-adoption people posting and disrupting all the time. Yet they do not implement any type of control. Everyone is anonymous. I have been a member of non-for-profits which had better membership controls. This can be fixed.

2. Seclusion of certain groups such as gay and lesbian adoptive parents. There is a group for every possible type of person in the triad, yet they refuse to allow a group for this set of people.

3. Moderators have their own agendas and beliefs, this can and does at times create problems.

4. We can't post about our experiences with agencies yet they can plaster ads all over the place. Money talks I guess.

Hmmm....maybe this place doesn't really provide what I feel is "support".

[BrandyHagz]

No membership controls or verifications. We have crazy anti-adoption people posting and disrupting all the time. Yet they do not implement any type of control. Everyone is anonymous. I have been a member of non-for-profits which had better membership controls. This can be fixed.

Adoption.com offers open membership to everyone, if we didn’t, those that really needed help or assistance wouldn’t join. We try to weed out the anti-adoption people as quickly as they join, but sometimes they slip thru the cracks.

Restricting membership to the forums is, in theory, a good idea. However, if even one person comes here to register, finds they have to jump thru hoops to do so, and then goes to another site for support, then we haven’t served out purpose. Adoption.com (and its co-sites) are the biggest on the Internet. Many of the other sites (including some of the larger anti sites) don’t offer the kind of broad support that we offer here, from all sides of the triad.

There is still some talk of creating a fee based section of the forums…one with more relaxed rules and less advertising because the fee will keep most of the trouble makers and problematic members from joining as well as support the site financially.

Seclusion of certain groups such as gay and lesbian adoptive parents. There is a group for every possible type of person in the triad, yet they refuse to allow a group for this set of people.

I don’t agree with the decision to “wait and see” in regards to the G&L forum, but it isn’t mine (or anyone else on the forums, including Kiwi’s) decision to make. The reason that the owner of the site would like to wait is a justified one, so all we can do at this point is wait and see.

Moderators have their own agendas and beliefs, this can and does at times create problems.

I’m a little offended by this…the only agenda any of the moderators have is to protect the members of this forum by enforcing the Terms of Service as well as the agency discussion guidelines.

We can't post about our experiences with agencies yet they can plaster ads all over the place. Money talks I guess.

This has nothing to do with money, and everything to do with protecting our members.

Many of you don’t know the full story of how the “agency discussion” rule came about, so let me offer some insight.

About ten months ago, we noticed that some members were only posting about their agency & facilitator experience, and then when we started looking into it, we discovered that these members weren’t actual clients, but paid employees of an agency and/or facilitator.

Initially, we attempted to do some damage control, and that’s when things got nasty. A number of agencies and facilitators believed it was their right to inflate their ego on the forums, simply because others (their clients) had bashed them.

At one point, and agency from the northeast was calling and screaming into the phone daily, as well as reporting (and demanding) that every negative thing said about her agency was to be removed, or face legal action.
After dealing with the agency issue for well over a month, we (the administration, owners and moderators) decided it would be best to disallow ALL agency discussions from a certain date forward.

As an added precaution, I implemented the “Agency Feedback PM List”. The listing allows new members to search the list and PM those who have experience.

In the end, the decision for the agency discussions rule came down to one thing, protecting our members from the kinds of agencies that find it necessary to personally come to a public adoption forum and solicit clients and birthparents.

I’m sorry you don’t find the forum supportive, unfortunately we are unable to meet the needs of every member every time…although we do try.

[LoveRiddenDad]

This is my view of it:

The ads are freedom of speech. I agree ads are annoying, but this forum is free. I really doubt a lot of people would invest $20 a month for ad free boards. I wouldn't. Some would. Create it for those who will pay! The internet is the last truly free forum. I think we the people should get to set our own rules and create any sort of site we please.

As a member of the G&L adoption community, I'm not sure I think a forum is necessary quite yet. My approach is if any voice is large enough on this forum, it has to be heard. If you feel strongly about it, keep posting on the designated thread! Don't be silent!

Nope, not everyone is supportive on here, just like any other situation. So what? Plenty of people are. Ignore the people who have nothing to offer.

[goin'batty]

Well, I don't have a strong urge to debate what cannot or will not be changed. I just want to make one last statement and then I'm done.

My views may not represent the majority, but I do know that I am not alone since I have communicated with others who were leary of complaining about these exact issues. Most of those no longer or rarely post here any more.

LoveRiddenDad, while it's easy to ignore those who have nothing to offer, it's not so easy to ignore those out to cause pain. Just ask the woman who had a poem she posted about her child who was reclaimed by her birthmother stolen and placed on an anti-adoption page which riducled her and called her crazy. That woman was already hurting unbelievably, then this was added to her pain because what she posted was not safe.

Yes, what you post on the internet is generally not safe, but unless you can be free to speak about the issues near to your heart and get meaningful responses from those who care, then how supportive can a group be?

Ugh, I'm debating again. I'm just going to drop all of this.

[eahollen]

In a perfect world, this forum would be a safe haven for adoptive/hopeful adoptive parents. It would have no ads, popup or otherwise. And administrators would donate their services out of generosity to the adoption community

I realize that this is not the case, and I deal with the pop up ads (not so much anymore with Norton Firewall) and the on-page ads. However, the sponsored product links really get under my skin. For instance, I was posting in a thread discussing a book, and my comments were not favorable. I submit my reply and *poof* my words are turned into a link to purchase the very book that I was NOT recommending. AARGH!

That is why I do not think they are appropriate. I don't get to make a decision, but I get to say what I think. THAT's freedom of speech.

As far as the necessity for a GLBT forum, I feel as though there are so many issues we have to deal with that other adoptive parents don't have to, that it would be nice to have a place to discuss them. For instance, there are countries that make you sign an affadavit stating you are not gay in order to adopt from that country. There are agencies that will not work with you if you are gay. There are states that have outlawed gay parents adopting and very few states that allow both partners to adopt legally. These issues alone are formidable for a gay couple just beginning to consider adoption. Our closest GLBT parenting group is an hour away, and most of them have bio kids who are older. Thay can't really relate to our situation, or we to theirs.
I'm just saying it would be nice. Maybe there is one out there, and I just haven't found it yet.
Sorry so long, I do go tend to ramble on.

Beth

[34andhopeful]

Well, the thread started because of the product links. And that is all we should be talking about. Not freedom of speach or gay rights.

This is the way I see it, laws or rules are made and when that happens, the people it effects (I'm talking about money) will find other ways to make money.

There is a national do not call list for telemarketers. I still get calls, in my mind they are telemarketers. But, they are "just taking a survey" or they are fundraisers. That is a law that was put in place that restricted their livelthood and they found a way around it.

And that is what is happeneing here. Pop up ads are not fun to deal with. But product links are the same thing. A new window is just not opening up.

Everyone has a right to make money - BUT I also have every right to completely ignore the link when I see it. Or change my wording so you do not see it at all.

[eahollen]

We are not talking about gay rights, but the problems and issues that are unique to the gay adoptive community. And we are talking about them becuase the person who originally started this thread brought up the subject. It is a valid point that GLBT adoptive prents do not have a forum when Catholic, Over 40, Military, transracial, Jewish,...etc all have their own forums.

I'm not saying that Adoption.com isn't allowed to turn a profit. They seemed to get along fine without the sponsored product links for years. Maybe something changed and they needed more income and I can understand that in today's economy. I'm just saying that IMO there might have been other and better ways to increase the bottom line.

I don't really see how telemarketers relate to sponsored product links.

Beth