OK. An admin has replied so I'll respond point by point.
@mgr:
Let me make (and tell) some things clearly: (Sorry if it's going a bit technical at times).
@ThrobbinRod:
OK, I found the answer - the rollover popups are created by this java applet hard coded to some pages.
Your Ad Here
at first: as you can see from your code snippet: that is no jave applet but "only" a javascript (Javascript is embedded (and mostly activated) in nearly every modern browser). Java applets on the other hand need the java runtime evironment and are something completely different. As you can also see - the source of that advertising is not our server but our ad-partner (src="http://ads.adbrite.com/mb/text_group.php…") so the only "embdded by the staff" action is to put your cited code snippet on the page.
I did goof when I used the word applet. But you admitted two things:
1. The code is there because the admins agreed to place it there
2. The code sends members' IP data out of the GT-RU site
If the pop-up ads were hosted on the GT-RU servers, then members' data would never need to leave the site.
The code also contains a string that will allow servers at adbrite to link the IP address to a gay torrent site's HTML page.
Adbrite is in business to make money. I feel safe in saying that they will find some way to sell that linked data to their advertisers. Thus that IP address will be linked to someone with interest in gay material.
@mgr:
@ThrobbinRod:
Since it automatically contacts the adbrite server, the IP address of any member is transferred to adbrite
every time you go to the home page or login.
Your IP address is sent with each and every request you make with your browser (or any other Internet related program) - where else can the server know where to send his answer to your request?
Like amice told correctly - your ISP is the only one who can put together your personal data and your IP - also in Germany a judge is needed to force your ISP to divulge that data, not even the police alone (without a judge's decision is allowed to ask for that connection. Just to say it again: If you use any kind of the internet - your IP is open to the whole world - something you have to (or should) know before using the internet.
So I can't agree with the conclusion:
@ThrobbinRod:
This is terrible security for the members!
Sadly, you are wrong. Almost everywhere else on the internet can be accessed through a proxy. Many members here are denied that extra security shield.
Some of us run two torrent programs. One here where our true IP is exposed and another where proxies are allowed. Since the policy here is not to allow some proxies, one might assume that extra care would be taken to protect member's IP data. They would be wrong.
As an example, see above where a global mod admitted accessing my IP data, although doing so was not necessary to the discussion. A moderator should have no reason to see a member's address. That should be left to admins.
@mgr:
a second point: do you have an impression how much our server lease is each month? That is the reason we use (and need) advertising. There are not many advertising companies who accept ads from a gay torrent site or accept a gay torrent site as an advertisding partner. OK - there are some of them - but with much more aggressive advertising than adbrite.com. Or do you like advertising with a huge automatic popup window that covers you complete screen or opening a lot of new windows in your browser? I for sure don't like advertising at all much less agressive advertising.
As a "last resort" against advertising: All donators have the option to switch off advertising.
No, we don't know how much it costs, but unless you are willing to share that info and the revenue stream info from adbrite, it's unfair to moan about it.
We are not stupid. We know it costs money. That's why some of us donate.
By the way, donators' data is still sent to adbrite from the main and login pages since they haven't yet been identified as donators. Otherwise I, a donator, would never have seen the problem.
Neither OurGTN nor Gay-Torrents have any advertising on their login pages. Just here.
@mgr:
As I told before - the advertising source is from adbrite.com, not from us. In this case it is adbrite who decided to implement those trick in their advertisement. Now that leaves only two solutions for us: either drop adbrite as our advertisement partner (and try to get money elsewhere - any solution is welcome) or keep them (and get some money to pay for our servers.
It is the admins who decided to allow them to implement this "trick". You have quite a few members, and do have some negotiating leverage. Use it. Tell them your members have concerns about the script and security.
Solution 1: Negotiate with adbrite for click-only ads. (Their response to that request will tell a great deal about what they do or intend to do with members' IP data. Since advertisers usually only pay an ad agency like adbrite for actual appearances by browsers hits to their sites, revenue loss from this site would be negligible and server costs would go down due to less data being pulled.)
Solution 2: Require adbrite not to keep any record of IP data from info sent as a request from the java scripts on this site and not to transfer that data to any other souce. If they balk at that you can be certain member's IP data is being sold.
In that case, you really need to look for another advertiser and warn all members their data has been compromised.
At a minimum, please pull this ad script off the login page.
Another solution might be to implement a system where the donator class has a time limit as will as a seed bonus attached.
Say 3 months for minimal donation, increasing with the size of the donation, as the seed bonus does. That might help to reduce the need for ad revenue. Right now 5 euros sets you for life.
Now if some kind admin or mod can delete the item above which is all quotes that I was unable to edit to this response because there is some time limit on edits, I would appreciate it.
Don't forget to vote in the poll!
May Saints Sergius and Bacchus bless you!
(See hxxp://www.colfaxrecord.com/detail/91429.html)
TR
