Given the heat wave (100f here in Jersey City yesterday), this is a good time for hell to cool down.
If you have been hanging around here the past 6 months or so, you probably are aware of my rant(s) about false “click here to watch the video” links that actually lead to commercials.
My first line of first defense has been to remain alert, hand on the mouse, hovering over the X on my browser’s tab, while waiting for the news video to load. As soon as I see that it is trying to deliver a commercial, I click the damn thing and leave that web site.
The second line of defense has been to send a pissed off email to the web site and to the advertiser, telling them I am not visiting their web site again nor am I buying any product advertised anywhere on the site unless they stop this deceptive, insulting practice.
I’ve tried to stick to that policy. News sites such as ABC, CBS, and even PBS and the BBC have pulled that manipulative crap and gotten that email.
Not one has ever responded or even acknowledged my email. No surprise there.
I grew click-shy. For a while I refused to click on the offer of a news video on ANY web site.
But in the past week or so, for some reason I have not examined, I started again heedlessly clicking on those “click to watch video” links, even for a few of the boycotted web sites.
WOW! It’s a miracle. The deceptive practice has virtually stopped. So far today, I have not seen a single attempt to play with truth. Not one unasked for commercial.
Is it possible that there has either been a new law passed (and, most amazing of all, actually being respected)? Or, greater miracle of all, have the offenders come to their senses? Is it possible that they have gotten enough protests from the general public that they understand how outrageous a practice it is?
For whatever reason, it is nice to be able to again click on a link that actually is what it is labeled.
Hell is getting to be a rather pleasant place, isn’t it?