Mis-leading Online Advertisements - Have Your Say!

[KynloStephen66515]

I want to start a little thread here to bring to light, all those nasty little advertisements that fool the average (and sometimes even the more tech savvy) into clicking on pages.

Firstly, they take the notice away from the reason your on the page in question, but also...What is the point?  If they are on PPC (Pay-Per-Click) or even PPI (Pay-Per-Impression) then the originator is paying money to drive traffic, to his or her website, through bad techniques, for which people are simply going to navigate away!

What's worse, is that, if there where off-line advertisements, they would be reported, and be removed due to 'False Advertising' laws...yet nothing is done about it on the Internet.

Lets get started!


1. The "Download Now" Trick

This trick, is #1 on my BAD move list, and I would love to see it's removal from the entire internet...

Usually put where you would expect to find a legitimate download link.

2. The "You wasn't paying attention" trick:

Now, I some-what agree, that with this one, you should have been paying more attention...but whats the bet, that 50% of people see this, and use the one on the right, before they notice the small text link to the REAL download?

Use's a slight psychological trick, to fool users into clicking that, instead of what they actually wanted.

Just gonna add those 2 for now.

Feel free to add one's you think should also be removed!

[Renegade]

+1.0 x 10^666

I LOATHE deception in advertising. No. Really. It's beyond that. Marketing. Advertising. Propaganda. I'm incapable of writing what I really think because there simply are not words strong enough to express it, and any attempt of mine would likely land me in prison.

With respect to false or misleading advertising offline, it's horrible here in Australia. Consumer protection is weak. Advertising here is often outright deceptive just like the examples you've posted. Companies purposefully, willfully, and intentionally set out to deceive people. (Anyone familiar with how telecommunications are advertised in Australia will know what I'm talking about.)

Being upfront and honest is NOT a part of modern advertising/marketing/propaganda.

Time for me to shut up before I say what I really think...