Site Ads problem/issue

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  buttoni · Member · Mar 2, 2014 at 12:21 am

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  The following comment was made today on my site: buttoni.wordpress.com/ .

  Posted by reader named Frustrated: “It is one thing to have an ad on the site, but another when you are reading this on an iPad and the ad forces you over to the App Store and gives you the install screen for the advertised app! Time to boycott this site and the castle clash app!”

  In the 4 years of my site’s existence, nobody has ever said this has happened to them. I have no way of knowing if “Frustrated” has posted SPAM or this redirect really happened. But if it DID happen to them I’m not real happy that WordPress would force a redirect that might cost me readership. I have been most pleased with WordPress over the past 4 years. Can you shed any light on this upsetting reader comment?

  The blog I need help with is: (visible only to logged in users)

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  thistimethisspace · Member · Mar 2, 2014 at 12:26 am

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  I suspect that the message referred to is an upgrade your app message and I’ll tag this thread for a Staff response. Please subscribe to this thread so your are notified when they respond.

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  raincoaster · Member · Mar 2, 2014 at 1:18 am

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  This IS an ad problem. http://techcrunch.com/2014/01/06/shady-app-install-ads-are-automatically-redirecting-mobile-users-to-app-store-google-play/

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  buttoni · Member · Mar 2, 2014 at 4:25 am

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  Thank you ThisTimeThisSpace. I eagerly await the Staff response.

  And thank you RainCoaster for the article link. I had not heard of this despicable practice before. The article was enlightening.

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  raincoaster · Member · Mar 2, 2014 at 4:51 am

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  Apparently it is brand new. If I know WP.com staffers, they will stop this immediately.

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  staff-blorbo · Staff · Mar 3, 2014 at 6:58 pm

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  Thanks for the report! I’m not seeing the ad on any sites here with my iPad this morning, so I’m assuming for the moment that it’s gone.

  If you do see the ad again, please take a screenshot before the redirect kicks in http://en.support.wordpress.com/make-a-screenshot/ and upload it via Media -> Add New in your blog’s Dashboard so we can take a look.

  We take this very seriously, and the screenshot will help us to identify the offending ad network.

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  buttoni · Member · Mar 3, 2014 at 7:34 pm

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  I actually didn’t see it myself or get redirected (I never see the actual adds). It was one of my

  readers

  that experienced this. I’ll pass a copy of your response along to her in hopes that she will share a screenshot of it next time so I can upload a screenshot for you folks.

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  staff-blorbo · Staff · Mar 3, 2014 at 7:56 pm

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  Thanks, that would be much appreciated!