MobileRead Forums - View Single Post - IMPORTANT: Rules for posting affiliate links in this forum

anamardoll · 09-29-2011, 12:27 PM

ScalyFreak, I am referring to the apparently new Standard Moderator Notice in this thread:

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=151478

The OP posted a link from SlickDeals, not realizing it was an aff link from someone else. I feel that the response is harsh enough to discourage people from posting for fear of making mistakes and being called names. Others may disagree, but being told that I am "lying" is a big deal to me, personally.

Since Koland has been kind enough to clarify that every link from SlickDeals, Inkmesh, and eReaderIQ is an affiliate link, and since that's where many people were getting their deals, and since not everyone knows how to scrub links, and since the moderator response is... somewhat harsh, there's some concern there.

Also, ScalyFreak, you know I love your posts, but please don't say I am "throwing a fit" to be concerned about this. It's apparently NOT that simple to scrub tags -- in the three threads on this issue, Koland has posted some very interesting details about how different many of the affiliate tags are and how some are all but impossible to spot.

I actually posted an example of a weird aff link in my post to ask for help, but then removed it because I wasn't sure I was allowed to post it asking for help. Send me a PM if you want to see the one I mean. Assuming I'm allowed to send aff links through PM for educational purposes. Am I?

And this is kind of the point: We've been given no education about this issue, I'm not even sure if we're allowed to post aff links asking how to scrub them, and the moderators are throwing around terms like lying at people who are making honest mistakes. It's not fair, and it's not respectful. It hurt a poster's feelings already and I'm not comfortable with it. And it's all being framed as greedy people making money off the moderators' time and efforts, which is not helpful to people who repost eReaderIQ and SlickDeals links in all innocence.

ATDrake has put together a very nice boilerplate and offered it to the moderators to use in place of the "lying" one, but I haven't really seen anyone say, yeah, that's probably better for us to use. It seems like this is almost personal to someone and it's just... I don't know. Rambling. I guess I'm just saying that I don't like insults online, and I get uncomfortable when they come from moderator notices. Especially since I'm never sure how much it will seem like sass to say, um, no, I wasn't lying thankyouverymuch I made a mistake.

As for myself, being called a liar *is* a big deal. I love Mobile Reads, I love the moderator team, and I like you, so I'm hoping this doesn't come off as harsh, but my concerns feel genuine to me, and I would prefer them not be dismissed as a "fit". Since you brought up respect (and rightfully so) earlier in the thread, I hope you can respect my concerns as I do your opinions.

09-29-2011, 12:27 PM	#214
anamardoll Chasing Butterflies Posts: 3,132 Karma: 5074169 Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: American Southwest Device: Uses batteries.	ScalyFreak, I am referring to the apparently new Standard Moderator Notice in this thread: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=151478 The OP posted a link from SlickDeals, not realizing it was an aff link from someone else. I feel that the response is harsh enough to discourage people from posting for fear of making mistakes and being called names. Others may disagree, but being told that I am "lying" is a big deal to me, personally. Since Koland has been kind enough to clarify that every link from SlickDeals, Inkmesh, and eReaderIQ is an affiliate link, and since that's where many people were getting their deals, and since not everyone knows how to scrub links, and since the moderator response is... somewhat harsh, there's some concern there. Also, ScalyFreak, you know I love your posts, but please don't say I am "throwing a fit" to be concerned about this. It's apparently NOT that simple to scrub tags -- in the three threads on this issue, Koland has posted some very interesting details about how different many of the affiliate tags are and how some are all but impossible to spot. I actually posted an example of a weird aff link in my post to ask for help, but then removed it because I wasn't sure I was allowed to post it asking for help. Send me a PM if you want to see the one I mean. Assuming I'm allowed to send aff links through PM for educational purposes. Am I? And this is kind of the point: We've been given no education about this issue, I'm not even sure if we're allowed to post aff links asking how to scrub them, and the moderators are throwing around terms like lying at people who are making honest mistakes. It's not fair, and it's not respectful. It hurt a poster's feelings already and I'm not comfortable with it. And it's all being framed as greedy people making money off the moderators' time and efforts, which is not helpful to people who repost eReaderIQ and SlickDeals links in all innocence. ATDrake has put together a very nice boilerplate and offered it to the moderators to use in place of the "lying" one, but I haven't really seen anyone say, yeah, that's probably better for us to use. It seems like this is almost personal to someone and it's just... I don't know. Rambling. I guess I'm just saying that I don't like insults online, and I get uncomfortable when they come from moderator notices. Especially since I'm never sure how much it will seem like sass to say, um, no, I wasn't lying thankyouverymuch I made a mistake. As for myself, being called a liar is a big deal. I love Mobile Reads, I love the moderator team, and I like you, so I'm hoping this doesn't come off as harsh, but my concerns feel genuine to me, and I would prefer them not be dismissed as a "fit". Since you brought up respect (and rightfully so) earlier in the thread, I hope you can respect my concerns as I do your opinions. Last edited by anamardoll; 09-29-2011 at 12:47 PM.