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We are working to get inappropriate ads off the site

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Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Hi everyone

We realize there are some inappropriate ads from Trojan running on the site. We sincerely apologize for these ads, and are working to remove them from the site. We believe we should be able to finish this by tomorrow morning, December 30.

ADDED DECEMBER 30: This was taken care of at around 11:30 PM on the 29th, thanks everyone for your understanding!

Dave H.
SparkPeople.com
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  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

ICEBOYKOLD 5/16/2011 10:36AM

    Frankly, I find the ads for cheeseburgers more offensive than those for condoms. But as long as they keep Spark free, as I say advertise away!

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CAROLFAITHWALKR 1/26/2011 1:01PM

    Thank you.

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MOLLYBROWN55 1/13/2011 4:14PM

    Thank you!!

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NORASPAT 1/13/2011 4:11PM

    I saw this ad and as soon as I did I contacted a coach to be sure I was not over reacting. She had not seen it but she agreed and I contacted Spark and they acted immediately to remove it. I was glad I reacted to it and I was really impressed at how quickly it was removed.
Just what I should have expected from this great site.
Pat in Maine. emoticon emoticon

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PICKIE98 1/13/2011 3:43PM

    On a lighter note, I did not see these trojan ads, but I guess the ads are featured near peeps that would actually use them:I only se Depends, Ben gay and Boniva,, great!!!, arthritis, old, sore,achy joints and incontinence!! Guess you have me pegged!! LOL!

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SMALLERMELORIE 1/13/2011 7:49AM

    I always appreciate the help here. I also appreciate that when there is a problem with the advertisers, Spark always steps up and solves it. Like the problem with Acai Berry.

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DESERTDREAMERS 1/13/2011 6:34AM

    It's been a long while, but I remember seeing some ads for places that I refer to as "Bimbos-Are-Us" - Spark People responded to complaints and removed them. Overall, I think the site does a fantastic job of keeping it clean!

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GLITTERGIRL69 1/13/2011 3:49AM

    Although it happened a while ago I was unaware of this, but it is so great that you cared enough to take care of it A.S.A.P.

Thanks again

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GIVEUP30 1/13/2011 12:40AM

    So far they aren't in my way... emoticon

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JIBBIE49 1/13/2011 12:26AM

    I've been here for over 3 years and I don't even notice the Ads. I have nothing against the practice of safe sex, since I worked as a nurse and I saw what health issues people have when they don't.

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AAALADY1970 1/4/2011 7:48PM

    I saw them. I while I advocate safe sex, i didn't like seeing the advertisment everytime I logged in. If it would have been for condoms or some other birth control method that wouldn't have bothered me at all. The fact it was for their new "blow your hair back" vibrator 3 pack was a bit much. Thanks!

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KIKIBM 1/4/2011 8:53AM

  Thank you for having a great site. I lost my original log in due to not using the site9myfault not yours) but I am back again still fighting for a better and new me. Thank you for a wonderful site. I appreciate it. And for the subscriber above I'm more offended by Tampon commercials and male enhancement commercials. Get over the conspiracy theory... Tracking people who want to live healthier ?..... Yes what data could be gleamed..... again thank you SparkGUY.....

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MARSHASTAR 1/3/2011 4:09PM

    I haven't been offended by any ads. I'm only offended when I can't log on due to heavy traffic.
This is a FREE TO US site, and I think you should sell ads to any legitimate business.

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STRIDERGIRL 1/3/2011 3:27PM

  Trojan ads promote health and good decisions. Many of the diet ads on the site are downright dangerous and based on NO research. Those are the ads I would like to see removed.

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LOVEDBYGOD25 1/3/2011 8:48AM

    I'm going to agree with the users below, safe sex... well, that's something we should be promoting - right? Conservative right wing or liberal left or whatever else... I think everyone can agree that safe sex is a good thing (even if they don't want to see the ad).

I do find the ads that promise that I will loose the weight in a week, or are other scams to be a problem - but it's a free site, and I know you need ads to continue to make it free, so I simply shy away from those things that I know aren't good for me or my computer. However, not everyone is going to know this...

I appreciate all you do. Thank you for responding so quickly to the concerns of your patrons.

Comment edited on: 1/3/2011 8:54:57 AM

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ANUJAY70 1/3/2011 6:27AM

    I have been a member for a very short while but i have found no offensive ads. Maybe like one of the members posted, i dont see what i dont want to see. But again, this is a free site and you do need advertisements to allow it to function i suppose.
So as long as it doesnt create major problems, I am quite happy to ignore them
This site is great! i love it! Thank you Sparkteam!

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CVEEKS 1/2/2011 11:48PM

    I second the user saying the spam ads are most offensive. I don't want to see another ad telling me I'll loose all the weight in a week or something equally as ridiculous. Get rid of those, and we'll be looking good!

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FIREPHOENIX 1/2/2011 7:57PM

    I'd rather see the ads that are actually scams removed, like the "acai berry diet" & "wrinkle remover secret" that use buyer's credit cards inappropriately. Trojans promoting safe sex is a good thing, in my humble opinion.

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HEATH592 1/2/2011 6:55PM

    I saw the ads, but they really didn't bother me. Now if you would do something about the HGC ads, which promote a very unhealty (500 calories) diet and totally disproven diet method ...

I'd rather see safe sex ads and run the dangerous diet ads off the site.

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FILICKA 1/2/2011 1:35PM

    I don't look at what I don't want to see. Didn't even notice the ads. A shame someone left because they thought the site was "right wing conservative". Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but no one is entitled to enforce theirs on anyone else. Mutual respect. If you don't like it, don't look.

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JANC319 1/2/2011 11:23AM

  You must have jumped right on this... I've never seen an offensive ad. emoticon

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ZENAIMAC 1/2/2011 1:31AM

  I am not offended per se by the appearance of Trojan advertisements. However, I would be somewhat disappointed to find that the content of such ads to have hidden software "tools" embedded to capture and/or track member's system just by logging in to SP.

But I am also confident that SP who philanthropically created such a fundamentally useful website; would review any ad it chooses to allow on the SP site to check for the ad's correct use and purpose.

From a moral perspective, I suppose some may be offended by seeing a Trojan advertisement. However, SP membership does not occur in a vacuum. I feel it is essential when members in open websites such as SP that we must temper our opinions with weighted reason. With that said, is it wrong to think that as we are all here striving to be slimmer could we possibly also be envisioning our slimmer selves as more desirable sexual beings that just may require "equipment" to help us stay active and safe now that we are enjoying a more generous sex life?

Just a thought.

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DARIADAMMIT 1/1/2011 11:25PM

  'Inappropriate' from TROJAN??? I'm sorry I didn't realize that this was a CONSERVATIVE RIGHT WING site. GIMME A BREAK!!! Bothersome ads would be all those that lead you to Spam sites or products that aren't real.
I guess I'll be leaving.
Shame. This site seemed to help.
emoticon

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LAFEMMEDELALUNE 1/1/2011 9:27PM

    I'd like to see the graphic disease ads leave the site, if I may say so.
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GING76 1/1/2011 6:11PM

  Thanks for removing that ad. It was on every page you clicked and they were huge ads.

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STRRRETCH23 1/1/2011 10:10AM

    There's nothing offensive about safe sex- except to people who aren't getting enough of it. Oh that was mean, but I'm only kidding.
Although it was odd that I recently purchased that product and then I was seeing ads for it on SP. I thought you guys were spying on me.
emoticon

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POPEYETHETURTLE 12/31/2010 11:23PM

    So much for me noticing ads.

From comments, now I'm curious what I missed.

I've complained of a couple of ads I found objectionable and the longest it ever took to remove the ad in question was a day and a half. Y'all do a great job, thanks.

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BLOOM49 12/31/2010 11:18AM

    The Trojan ad was not what I expected to see but wasn't offensive. Thanks for removing it but I agree with Russellorama that we are lucky to have such a great - and free - site.

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ELYMWX 12/30/2010 8:31PM

    There were for a while ads that I found more offensive running here in Canada, for the Dr. Bernstein diet system. The fact that they were running here was the straw that broke the camel's back, and made me install an ad blocker.

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RUSSELLORAMA 12/30/2010 8:30PM

    I appreciate SparkPeople's quick attention to member requests. I know every time I have contacted SparkPeople about technical problems, I have received timely and helpful responses.

But I also appreciate the fact that it SparkPeople is FREE and that ad revenue helps keep it that way. As long as the ads don't promote illegal activity or try to take over my browser, I have no problems with any of them. I tend to ignore them anyway (well except for that time that macaroons dominated my page for a couple of days) but I got over it.

We are all bombarded thousands of times a day with advertising messages like Burger King tempting us with pizza burgers during the dinner hour, some guy trying to convince us that a Pos-T-Vac will change your life or some photoshopped woman claiming that she lost 20 pounds in 10 days.

We have to learn how to live in a world full of temptations and distractions, and SparkPeople helps me do so. If the site polices every ad that may offend my sensibilities or yours, then expect an announcement of membership fees very soon.


Comment edited on: 12/30/2010 8:31:18 PM

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REGILOVE 12/30/2010 8:26PM

  Thank you for removing the ad. :) emoticon

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BOOTS1221 12/30/2010 8:21PM

    Maybe if we all had a little more playful (safe!) sex, we'd burn some more calories!!

emoticon

No worries about the ads, keep up the great work!!!

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JEWITCH 12/30/2010 7:16PM

    emoticon SP

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KATHLEEN320 12/30/2010 7:06PM

    The ads were NOT for condoms. And they were explicit and something that couldn't be ignored -- even without clicking on the ad itself.



Comment edited on: 12/30/2010 7:15:51 PM

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HARLEYCHARLIE 12/30/2010 6:53PM

    I'm not offended by condom ads, but I do believe them to be rather inappropriate for this particular website. I don't think anyone is here in search of sexual matters or material. Heaven knows, there are more than enough other sites out there for that. If an advertisement doesn't promote healthy living, then- IMHO - it doesn't belong on Spark.

God bless you & keep it SPARKY! (Yeah, that was pretty cheesy, but it's what came to mind.. Sue me. emoticon )

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MOM2KATNISS 12/30/2010 6:46PM

    wow, i wasn't offended. now I feel like I should've been! ;)


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NEVERORNOW 12/30/2010 6:27PM

    Thank you for removing them. I did, unlike many others who've posted here, find them offensive.

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KATHYJUNE14 12/30/2010 6:23PM

    thanks for removing the ad; not appropriate; nor are the food ads

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CREEPINGJENNIE 12/30/2010 6:05PM

    I did not find the condom ads offensive, but I do find the Groupon ads offensive. I do not need photos of cupcakes and hamburgers tempting me as I use this site to maintain a healthy weight.

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SAPPHIRE99 12/30/2010 5:51PM

    I wasn't offended by those ads, but I do get slightly concerned about all the cupcake and burger ads I keep getting from groupon. Great way to promote healthy eating...

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CUDDLYPOLARBEAR 12/30/2010 5:36PM

    I was not offended as should we not be promoting safe sex

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FREDDIE_13 12/30/2010 5:29PM

    I am MUCH more offended by food ads. Leave the promotion of safe sex and healthy sex. After all, sex is normal. Bad food is not.

Edit: for those who may not recall what Trojan is, Trojan are CONDOMS, not DILDOS or Vibrators. But I am sure you can Spark websearch some sites for those.

emoticon

Comment edited on: 12/30/2010 5:42:15 PM

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PIEGRRL 12/30/2010 4:39PM

    I wasn't offended! I thought it was great! I actually hadn't noticed the ad, but clicked it accidentally (that's what they all say, right?) and after my initial surprise, I thought it was quite funny!

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RARANM 12/30/2010 4:15PM

    I didn't see condom ads from Trojan. I saw ads for their vibrator. It's taken care of so oh well.

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CHRISTINECAN 12/30/2010 4:10PM

    I agree with the majority. How did condoms get to be offensive when they are one of the most important ways that people can stay healthy?

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OREGONFAERIE 12/30/2010 4:03PM

    Please, don't assume that the majority is offended by condom ads. You may have received some complaints but many people don't think there is anything at all inappropriate about condom ads - it's only common sense -when did that become inappropriate? This is the 21st century, after all. I think the truly inappropriate ads are the ones that appeal to a person's sense of low self-esteem to sell a product, especially children.

Comment edited on: 12/30/2010 4:03:59 PM

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TIGGYWINKLE1 12/30/2010 3:51PM

    Condoms are part of life as are other ads. You can choose to look at them or not. At least SparkPeople do not have ads for diet pills, diet programs (this is the best and only) nor does it have ads for fattening products which I am grateful for - all for being able to have this fantastic tool at hand and free too? Keep up the fantastic work SparkGuy and (off topic) thanks for the new Spark book. emoticon

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LADY_KATHY 12/30/2010 3:44PM

    THANKS

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FUTUREHOPE49 12/30/2010 3:40PM

    I just ignored the advert! It was not offensive to me! But thank you for caring!
Ellen

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HIP-MOM 12/30/2010 3:38PM

    I wasn't offended. A lot of people must have only seen a condom ad, but I saw and was questioned by my 9 year old daughter about the trojon vibrations ad. I just told her it was for adults and everything was fine. Then today I saw it was replaced by a vaginal cream ad. LOL!

Regardless, the ads keep this fabulous site free and I just classify it as 'personal care' and 'healthy living'. :) I'd much rather see these ads than the unhealthy diet miracles and bogus work from home ads any day of the week.

Compared to what I see out in public, tv and other internet sites, this is by far the most minor and unoffensive.

Cheers!

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