h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

An advert for Wonga on h2g2. This site really has plumbed the very depths.

The ads are a third party service. I see ads specific to my Texas locale rather often.

The choice of adverts is not a function of h2g2.


I wasn't familiar with this "wonga" of which you speak, but now I see it's a payday lender. I share your distaste.

There should be a way to block certain adverts on most advertising. It puts me off looking at my own entries for fear of what I'll find. Wonga is one of the worst of the payday lenders, they only make money when people can't afford to pay back their loans.

The best use of ads on a website I've seen is on reddit. Half the time they give you cute pictures or simple java/flash games to thank you for not using AdBlock and the ads they do show, you can upvote or downvote them. Enough downvotes and they go away permanently.

On facebook I've had advertising that is downright lies. Yes I appreciate that's the sort of norm but there are differing levels of it. Last year when I lost a lot of weight and regularly posted my progress there I used to get sidebar adverts saying stuff (exactly) like - Cheryl Cole lost 21 kg with this diet!!!! Occasionally it was Angelina Jolie.

If she lost 21 kg she'd be dead or at least have several less limbs. Clearly advertising standards have little power or teeth when it comes to internet advertising.

The ads and the advertising policies of facebook are heinous. They just recently settled a lawsuit for $20 million for using facebook users images and faces to in promotional advertising for third party customers, often without their knowledge and definitely without their express consent. Adults are not allowed to opt out of such usage and while minors "can", but they should, at least be asked to opt IN.

Anyway, Facebook settled for $20 million for a policy they profited over $75 million with.

Laws don't apply to corporations when they can consider the penalties as mere business expenses.

Hi Mina, as BG says, the adverts on h2g2 are provided by a third party, in this case it's Google Ads and deities know what sort of tracking algorithms they use to come up with "suitable" ads at times. We agree, we don't like Wonga on the site and will flag it up to get rid of it.

If you see anymore unsuitable ads, please take a screenshot of them and email it to [email protected] so we can act on it. As far as we're concerned, adverts and revenue come second to the people using the site, and always will!

Thanks Pastey I will do.