Fun idea, poor placement. I really dislike the idea of people who don't have anything to really advertise being able to stuff things on my world. Sponsors like the ones in the links or regular advertising would be fine but this? *sigh*

If you're going to offer this to premium members, then how about also offering the option to turn it off? I can guarantee you that if I don't want it, I sure as hell wouldn't subject my friends to it. So that's a feature that doesn't interest me at all.

-Darren

I have no problem with relevant advertisements that support the site being on my Worlds because I'm not a Premium member. Things for Premium, Art of Otaku, sponsor links (DVDs, merchandise, convention or licensing annouments, etc.), celebrity and other organized chats, and so on, would all be acceptable kinds of advertisements to have posted. I am a bit bothered by not having any kind of quality control over what text advertisements are shown on my Worlds though. For now, I've taken the only measure I can which is an indemnity disclaimer in my World introductions stating that I'm not affiliated with or endorsing content of ad links on my Worlds. If I can't control the content, I won't be held responsible for it either.

Paid for privilege to advertise or not, the final say about what goes on a user's page should be up to that user (As long as it doesn't violate the TOS), no one else. I can understand not wanting to let basic members, like myself, turn off those annoying advertisements completely, the money to run the site has to come from somewhere, but it would be nice to have some say in what's displayed there.

This being a beta feature, I know things will change with time and feedback. I'll be patient with it and tolerate the inconvenience for now.

When I first read this, I didn't think it would be too bad. But when I visited my WORLD and saw the ad link there, it really, really, ticked me off. It just didn't feel right to not have control over my own WORLD.

I'm not going to point out all the reasons to remove this feature, you can read all the rest of the comments for that, but I just want to say that this feature was a bad idea.

I'm fine with advertising like company ads and such. But I don't like that premium members can link their worlds on my personal world. Just because they paid extra money, it shouldn't give them the right to spam other people's blogs. I don't like this idea. I really hope you guys get rid of it...

Even though the actual links don't look very intrusive, I thought that kind of thing was considered spam. Thus the bit in the rules about not leaving comments that only promote your world.

So... spot on the front page where they would rotate seems like a good idea. Stuff for real advertising like premium, art of otaku, upcoming anime, etc. That's fine.

But the other... I think it has no place on people's worlds. That's my two cents. Keep the feature, just put the links in a better place. Unless you're worried that members are going to do...

OMG SUPER KAWAII YAOI HERE!!!

And wouldn't that just look ever so super special on the front page in a link box. It would look equally as awful on my world, so yeah, I don't need links to people's blogs on my own blog.

~*Aaryanna*~

Right now, I'm not really annoyed about the whole thing (although that's subject to change). But seeing as how a lot of you appear to be hating this feature, maybe we should push for TimberWolf's idea of letting members have the option of permitting ads in their World or not. That way, ads can still exist (especially the ones with really nice link) and each and every member's right to privacy and right to free will would still be upheld.

@Allamorph:

Whatever your purpose was, the image inspired me to make this.

I think I mainly agree with timechaser. The idea can still work, it just needs tweaking.
I myself don't mind so much the ad links on my World. What I do mind are the ads that are being used to promote what are basically just blogs. That feels like unnecessary promotion/spam to me. :/

@Waffuru:

I totally agree with you. I dont like this.

Hmmm, seeing that one of the links was nothing more than The Best Place Ever and merely linked to someone's world (someone who according to their info isnt' even old enough to be a member) I see this as spam instead of advertising for contests or wishing someone a Happy Birthday. The same for one that said My Mini Otaku, it was nothing more than a link to their world. More spam in my opinion.

Based on what I've read here and at other worlds in regards to this new feature, I'm leaning in favor of creating a box to go underneath the sponsor links that features these random ad links by premium members.

It would be a good compromise in my opinion. People could still have their ads and they'd get good exposure in a location like that. Plus non-premium members would not have to worry about stuff they are not interested in showing up on their personal worlds. It wouldn't surprise me to find out that even some premium members don't care for it.

Though I think stuff that supports the site in a more direct manner is acceptable on one's world page, like sponsors links for upcoming anime, or to promote the premium service. I realize this is just a beta feature at the moment, but I see a very real potential of it driving an unnecessary wedge between the regular member base and the premium users, in it's current form that is.

-Sabrina

...Now that I've read others comments, I've fully understood this situation.

And I'm not too sure if I like it. :|

But if it's subject to change, whatever is whatever. It's not like I'm premium. *shrugs*

No Adam, just plain outright NO. It's a nice idea but the execution or rather placement is poorly thought out. :/ It's one thing to have regular advertising from site sponsors since those help keep the place running, but from other members? NO.

If this isn't allowed in comments "No posting for the sole reason of promoting your own sites/contests." Then why the hell are you suddenly allowing people to do it directly on our world where we can't get rid of it or opt out?

Why not add a box under the sponsor links where several of them are posted and can rotate? Then they get exposure all over the site and leave our poor worlds in peace.

I was fine with that when it was only advertising the premium service and the art of otaku but now, to be frank, I find it extremely irritating.

~Crystia

Also, peeps need to quit freakin' out about this feature. Key words in the post: BETA FEATURE THAT IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE.

Lordy.

@Allamorph:

*returns from a short bit of repetitive refreshing to discover which world this actually is*

lol"yoai".

Incidentally, a (censored) shot of the world that I did not care to be directed to is here: nice, thanks.

@Waffuru:

Patience in all things. This will be only a momentary discomfort, I'm sure.

Thoughts on the feature here: Tesser

I did place a few thoughts on the adjustment of the feature later on down the page. Like Des said, I believe this could be good. But as it's implemented now, it WILL be annoying.

Oh...well there goes basically everything I liked about this website...like at all.

- Advertising a chat event you have that's coming up soon

That would certainly help spread more word about things like Movie Sign or Anime Club. But I can also understand how everyone else who's commented so far feels. This idea could still work with some more tweaking though.

Yeah, this one could turn out to be pretty annoying. I can picture my blog bogged down with "AD ME PLZ!!!!" and other such inane drivel. I say the option to turn it off should be made available, at least.

Or to only accept ads from certain members. That would be nice.

...

Yeah, I REALLY don't like this idea.

I side with Des on this. I'd be rather annoyed to have someone 'ad my world'. And what happens if a good majority want to put their ad on one particular world because they know the person is popular? Like Iruka Sensei or Elves?

Des brings up a good point, and frankly, it feels like a violation of my personal space. My World is something I've put lots of time into, and I would really prefer not to have somebody randomly advertising their things in it.

Nice idea there..... good concept.... i like it.... lets see how this works out

Personally, I don't like other people being able to put up links on my World. Other places on the site, like in the sidebar next to the sponsor links, would be fine. But letting premium members put ad links on other people's Worlds doesn't seem much better than if you were to exempt them from the no advertising in comments rule—maybe even worse, since we can remove comments but not the links.

I think this is a decent idea but I believe the placement is going to annoy a lot of people and could fuel resentment of premium members.