News:

Want to get your Webcomic Site reviewed by a professional? Volunteer your site for review in this thread!

Where do you draw the line when approving ads on your site?

Started by Alectric, February 01, 2010, 12:10:14 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

Alectric

I could really use some advice on this.  I set my ad so that all new bidders have to get approved by me first.  I try to keep my comic/site PG-13, or somewhere around that area.  I don't approve of uncensored swears on the ads, though that hasn't been a problem so far.  However, I'm not sure where the line should be in regards to sexual content.  As an example (and why I brought this up in the first place), I just got a bid for the following site:

http://www.undressedreviews.com/

Now, it's not porn, which I would be comfortable rejecting, but it does have this message on its homepage:

"Please understand that this site contains frank discussion of sex and sexuality. Sometimes there are racy pictures (gasp) and I think I even saw a nipple one time. If any of this is offensive to you or you are not legally permitted to be viewing such topics in your area, please leave now."

I'd feel kinda bad rejecting any site that isn't glaringly inappropiate, so I'd like some advice on this.  Do you think I should reject this ad?  Would you in my situation?  And what are some more general guidelines that you use?

Funderbunk

I think it goes far enough over the line to be put into 'better safe than sorry' territory. Especially because, well "frank" discussions on sex, what does that mean? Words can get just as graphic as pictures.
I'm so optimistic, my blood type is 'B Positive'!

JGray

My tendency is to refuse advertisements for NSFW sites and sites which scream scam (the ones that tell you how to reduce your debt or make money). Mostly, I stick to the etsy craft stores, baby MMORPGs, and other webcomics.

Miluette

I ban sites with completely awful ads, racy ads, or completely awful websites.

If I can't stand how it looks up next to my comic/site, it's a-goin'.

Rob

I think you have to draw your own line in the sand and make a choice. PG-13 isn't exactly little kid friendly these days. PG-13 has cursing and can often get away with a little bit of nudity (usually just the butt).

If it were me and I was telling myself that the goal of my comic is to be somewhat controversy free I would deny any ad that even gave me pause. Why sweat about it? If you question even for a moment that the ad might not be right for your site then just get rid of it. There are more constructive uses for your time.

My site has had ads for a Gay news forum and Homosexual webcomic/blog type thing. But I swear occasionally in the comic, a lot more in the blog and although I don't plan on having any nudity or overt sexuality my jokes can often be crude to the point of tastelessness.

So I don't bother censoring my ads. My time is better spent on other things. If I saw an ad for actual pornography or an ad with nudity in it on there I would probably block it. But Project Wonderful doesn't really allow that. For the most part the only really overt sex stuff is in art and webcomic sites and Project Wonderful requires them to self label as NSFW. Personally I feel that's more than enough warning for folks. And I'm ok with that.

If I was doing something for kids or family friendly I would feel otherwise but I'm not.