Dodgy ads being served by the Independent.co.uk?

[pete]

Has anyone else seen lots of "x person had pr0n site blocked" that they've traced back to the Indy (or their 3rd-party ad bureau) serving up dodgy ads?

 

Specifically, I've seen 3-4 times the amount of pr0n alerts and tracing them they're all linked to having browsed to the Independent.co.uk first.

[pete]

I'm seeing something linked to the indy serving up thumbnails for the popular site that used to be a hamster.

 

They're getting blocked, but there's definitely something awry.

[markwilfan]

+1 same here for those previous hamster hits

[caffrey]

Same here too

[drewp]

Can’t say that when looking at the indepentant.co.uk that any dodgy adds were being shown, but safeguarding reports were flagging access to hamsters and all sorts...

 

I spotted that mdotlabs.com was uncategorised and added it into adverts which are always blocked, this seems to have stopped the safeguarding reports from flagging stuff when browsing on the site.

[caffrey]

I wonder if they've been compromised and don't know it ?

[TechMonkey]

Yes, I noticed this as well but thought it must be something else going on.

 

Also spotted a carnal book entry.

[pete]

Can’t say that when looking at the indepentant.co.uk that any dodgy adds were being shown, but safeguarding reports were flagging access to hamsters and all sorts...

 

I spotted that mdotlabs.com was uncategorised and added it into adverts which are always blocked, this seems to have stopped the safeguarding reports from flagging stuff when browsing on the site.

 

Yeah, I flagged up mdotlabs.com, moatads.com and hitlist.ru as the likely culprits on the SW blocklist feedback form yesterday afternoon.

 

edit: And I've just emailed them in case it's not deliberate (ISTR they used Outbrain at one point, so their ad choices may be questionable).

Edited December 1, 2016 by pete