Comments on 8390 | MetaTalk

I have a question about Metafilter's Textad policy. In general, I find the ads relevant and useful --- I'm far more likely to click through here than on other sites.

However, I noticed today that there's an ad running that asks people to "Play Texas Hold'em", posted by checknraise. Those of you who run Movable Type or Wordpress blogs might have noticed a recent wave of comment spam advertising "Texas Hold'em".

If I had ads on my blog, I wouldn't accept them from people who are also spammers. Does Metafilter have a policy on this type of thing, and is there any way to dump the "Texas Hold'em" ads?
posted by robcorr to etiquette/policy at 12:46 AM (14 comments total)

A google search for "Texas Hold'em" returns a lot of links. Are you sure it's the same people?
posted by D.C. at 1:51 AM on November 1, 2004

Yeah, how do you know it's the same people? There are countless companies who could run such an ad. Texas Hold 'Em is just a card game.
posted by dobbs at 2:13 AM on November 1, 2004

You gotta know when to hold 'em
Know when to fold 'em
Know when to walk away
And know when to run.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 2:47 AM on November 1, 2004

Fair point. I guess I should've checked that first.

...and, now that I have, it doesn't seem to be the same people.

I've had a comment a minute for four days, and still going strong. I guess I just saw that damned phrase and got angry.

Note to self: don't jump to conclusions.

But while the thread's going --- does Metafilter have a policy to deal with these sorts of issues? I couldn't find anything on the Textads FAQ page.

(Lol -- just clicked the Spell Check button and "Metafilter" is not in the dictionary...)
posted by robcorr at 3:20 AM on November 1, 2004

robcorr: I had this piece of code installed and my blog is now Texas Hold 'Em free.
posted by soundofsuburbia at 5:32 AM on November 1, 2004

" Has the community shifted so much that online gambling is now of interest or related to the majority of us?"

Bet you a dollar that it is.
posted by mr_crash_davis at 11:36 AM on November 1, 2004

In general I'm not sure I like the tone that ad sets, though. I thought textads were supposed to be things that were of interest or related to the community. Has the community shifted so much that online gambling is now of interest or related to the majority of us?

Poker isn't gambling, god dammit! It's a game of careful strategy and EV! Don't make me smack you like I was holding cowboys to your hammer and you tried to put a move on my nuts.

+34 points for sexual innuendo and semi-obscure poker terminology.
posted by The God Complex at 2:51 PM on November 1, 2004

Robcorr: I guess you've missed the whole Texas Hold 'Em Poker craze, sparked by the million-dollar and celebrity TV tournaments. There are hundreds of sites offering the game.
posted by rcade at 6:33 PM on November 1, 2004

I thought that only members could buy them textads (or something like that) making it pretty much community interest/related right off the bat.
posted by dabitch at 5:26 AM on November 2, 2004

I thought that only members could buy them textads (or something like that) making it pretty much community interest/related right off the bat.

Nope, anyone can now, I had thought that as well. I'm also a little concerned by the growing lack of relevance of some of the textads [not the google ads which are basically never relevant here and I get tired of reading headlines like "Why are the Jews hated?" in threads about ingrown toenails but that's a separate story] since we now have Google ads which is a reasonable option for non-MeFites.
posted by jessamyn at 7:34 AM on November 2, 2004

I've finally seen someone here from my home town! And he's making a dick of himself.

;)
posted by uncanny hengeman at 3:49 PM on November 2, 2004

November 1, 2004 12:46 AM Subscribe

November 1, 2004
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