Proposed ad placements on Basic accounts or for Basic users?

[matgb]

So, they've announced that Basic accounts will return but the flip side is that they want to monetise them in some way. At least they're being honest and open about it, but given our no-opt-in statement, I'm really not keen on some of the proposals, especially both 3s. I think prop 2 looks the least worse, although it means no opt out at all. 1

Comments

[flameelf]

Would all those be across the board on all Basic Accounts, or just new Basic Accounts after they start the new advertising?

I really don't trust the LJ Overlords anymore.

Nechtan

[foxfirefey]

All Basic Accounts, I believe from the reading. Everyone I know is interpreting it that way.

[janinedog]

Yup, your interpretation is correct.

[foxfirefey]

Thanks for the confirm!

[foxfirefey]

Correction: they want to monetize them more. Basic accounts have been monetized since the inception of LJ ads, because (as we all know) Basic accounts view ads on Plus journals and are subject to any number of sponsorship pushings. More thoughts later.

[ex_uniquewo]

I have the same concern about #1. It does seem like a better solution because no registered basic user would see ads but I'm not sure it's the better one in the long term.

And definitely no to #3a or #3b; I can imagine people trading paid time or whatever for friending you back.

[soph]

Do remember that the proposals may be applied in any combination. It's not necessarily a matter of choosing one of the options, from the way I read it.

[polyfrog]

I think 1 or 2 are better than either 3.

The more I think about it, I think I'd suggest 1 or 2, decided by the journal owner. Some will want to have their journal free of ads for others at the cost of seeing ads themselves, some the opposite.

[foxfirefey]

The more I think about it, I think I'd suggest 1 or 2, decided by the journal owner. Some will want to have their journal free of ads for others at the cost of seeing ads themselves, some the opposite.

That's a good idea, actually. Bring the Prisoner's Dilemma to the masses!

Re: Bring the Prisoner's Dilemma to the masses

[polyfrog]

Except that some users have more Internet savvy friends than others.

I would totally choose to see ads myself, because I have adblock and know how to use it, but my journal is read by some non-LJ users who can barely identify which browser they're using. If I was regularly using LJ from public machines, I might choose the opposite and more strongly encourage those non-LJ users to create accounts....

Re: Bring the Prisoner's Dilemma to the masses

[foxfirefey]

Agreed, especially when these ads have been repeatedly shown to carry malware on occasion, which can really affect the computer unsavvy.