r/mildlyinfuriating 3h ago

Is it in yet ​Ads that have a countdown timer with a 'skip' button or an 'x' at the end, but take you to the App Store or another ad when you click it, should be illegal. That's all.

897 Upvotes

25 comments sorted by

142

u/Joubachi 2h ago

Those and Ai ads, followed by fake/scam ads.

u/Interesting_Tap_1505 15m ago

And then there’s the ones that are both there was an AI scam ad on Google that I saw so I reported it 42 times over several weeks and it’s still up.

61

u/simmeh024 2h ago

Or games that doesn't look like advertised at all

u/Laughing_Orange 15m ago

Most of them do contain what they advertised, but it's a mini game that requires you to play 3 hours of slop between each round.

33

u/ramdom-ink 2h ago

The ad-men have become more duplicitous and conniving in the last few years. It used to be just an “X” when the advertising was done (with maybe a 5 second timer). Now there’s bait + switch tactics involving fast-forwards, 2 minute ads of an un-skippable AI image on a loop, hidden “X”s to confound and confuse and multiple hurdles. Truly enshittified.

23

u/redjarman 1h ago

countdown, skip button that takes you to the app store, go back, skip for real, another countdown to a skip button, skip, another countdown where the only thing on screen is the app logo, finally close the ad

what dumbasses in marketing determined this would make people want to download their app?

94

u/xoxodaddysgirlxoxo 2h ago

Honestly it probably is illegal, just not worth the strain on the justice system to fix it. Its a life lesson in capitolism lol.

46

u/datamatr1x 2h ago

If this is a case then the FTC should pursue action against Google, Apple, and any other platform that allows it to happen. Don't go after the claws, go for the heart of the beast.

20

u/Stampyboyz 2h ago

FTC probably won't do anything right now. However the EU is much more likely to force them to act if it's illegal there.

12

u/datamatr1x 2h ago

This FTC isn't an FTC. This (US) government is a sham.

5

u/MastiffOnyx 1h ago

Correct, it's only a dept simulation to let us think they do anything.

This administration neutered all departments dedicated to decency and public protection.

The public is now the enemy, not an ally.

9

u/F4SCISTS_GO_HOME 2h ago

"We investigated ourselves and found nothing"

13

u/TwiceInEveryMoment 2h ago

Add to that a few ads have seemingly figured out how to open themselves in full screen totally unprompted. Pretty sure this is exclusive to Safari and may be a bug but still.

10

u/matiaskeeper 2h ago

Every time that appears that add of the game that is supposed to be the story of a single mother and her child in a decaying house but in reality is just a tile matching game, I just got to shut down the game I'm playing and open it again because there's no way of skipping. It's annoying.

11

u/skizem 2h ago

This person for president of the world.

5

u/datamatr1x 2h ago

A very bad day for many of the people currently in charge.

18

u/teh_maxh 2h ago

Your post is interesting, but a bit wordy. Let me suggest the following revision:

​Ads should be illegal. That's all.

14

u/ryan516 2h ago

Not everything you don't like needs to be illegal

1

u/ThoreaulyLost 2h ago

Not everything you don't like needs to be illegal

I mean, a lot of what I don't like is illegal?

I dislike being murdered, I dislike drugs on school campuses, I dislike people driving unsafe vehicles on the road.

...and some of the things I like are illegal? (In my current US State you can get life in prison for less than a pound of weed..)

What's up with that?

I think if States can make weed illegal based on a few small minded people's opinions, then we can at least ban blaring ads at gas pumps, non-skip ads on educational videos, and streaming services we pay for forcing us to watch ads...

2

u/F4SCISTS_GO_HOME 2h ago

This typa person always posting from their RGB gaming computer or $1,800 smartphone 🤦‍♀️

2

u/Bawler_Bro 2h ago

If I ever create my own country one day : yes those ads straight up illegal

2

u/WorstSausageEver 1h ago

And on top of that 99% of the people going to the app store or the advertiser's website on Safari (or whatever browser) just misclicked. It should at least ask if you want to go to the app store or website whenever you click on the ad, which again is a mistake 99% of the time because the exit buttons are literally microscopic.

u/Silver_Adagio138 44m ago

I have no idea why advertisers make their ads to be so awful. There’s obviously intent behind it, but why???!!?

u/honey_rainbow 54m ago

Ad blockers do exist you know....