Skip to main content
Meta Stack Exchange

You are not logged in. Your edit will be placed in a queue until it is peer reviewed.

We welcome edits that make the post easier to understand and more valuable for readers. Because community members review edits, please try to make the post substantially better than how you found it, for example, by fixing grammar or adding additional resources and hyperlinks.

6
  • 1
    We delivered 10 M+ ad impressions globally that contained light animation during the testing period, which was three months. During that time, there were 0 ad reports from users that these ads were distracting or intrusive. Commented May 1, 2025 at 18:14
  • 25
    @Rosie To report an ad, we have to take a screenshot of it, save that screenshot, modify it so that it's small enough that we can even upload it because it's too big if you don't, and then we can finally submit a report. It's literally easier to make a post on MSE with the image than to report an ad, who is going to care enough to put forth that much effort to make a report that's never going to get a response indicating whether the report was even read. On top of that... why would a passive user even consider reporting an ad? the majority of those impressions aren't logged in users. Commented May 1, 2025 at 18:29
  • 5
    FWIW, that was more an issue with just reporting ads in general, that's always been an issue. I don't really see any issue with this guidelines change... because i think everyone should be blocking ads making it moot anyway. :shrug: Commented May 1, 2025 at 19:59
  • 21
    @Rosie - Too many shady ads include something that looks like a "report ad" button but is actually part of the ad, just to fool you into clicking. Seasoned Internet users know that it's not safe to click anywhere in the general vicinity of an ad. Please don't try to draw any conclusions based on ad reports from users because that entire concept is irrecoverably broken. Commented May 1, 2025 at 22:24
  • I have been distracted for 30+ minutes(!), since I found an annoying and distracting animated ad when I wanted to get an answer for a work issue. I tried to report the ad but I got an 500. now I am going through Meta to check what the hell went wrong with SO and I am not happy with what I see. they say this shit is on purpose. Commented Sep 17, 2025 at 12:27
  • @Rosie it is easy to get 0 ad reports when the ad reporting feature does not work (facepalm) Commented Sep 17, 2025 at 12:28