
Okay, can there be a more gross ad that shows up on so many blogs these days than this one above? I don’t think so. I read your blogs on my iPhone, and in order to like and/or comment, I have to scroll down through at least four advertisements. Other than being a hassle, most of the ads aren’t objectionable. But the one at the top of this post is just disgusting. It’s ads like these that makes it worthwhile to me to pay extra to ensure that crap like this doesn’t show up on my blog.
But wait! Suddenly I’m getting a feeling of déjà vu. I think I may have groused about this before. I did a search of my archives and, sure enough, I found this post that I published in June 2019. It seems that ads for excessive belly fat in women is nothing new on WordPress.
Anyway, here is my previous post on this topic:
Is This Really Necessary?
I understand that the folks who bring us WordPress have to make money. And since many bloggers take advantage of the fact that WordPress makes its site available for free, one way for the company to make money is by placing advertisements at the end of people’s posts.
But one would hope that those ads would not be disgusting to see. Unfortunately, that doesn’t appear to be the case. As evidence, I present you with this example of what I saw at the end of one blogger’s post this morning.

Eww! Jeez, WordPress, is displaying such a gross ad really necessary? I was drinking coffee when I saw this and almost did a spit take.
This is one of the reasons I opted to upgrade to a paid plan. It doesn’t cost that much (I think they start at $3 per month) and it eliminates all ads. I figured that was a small price to pay to not expose my readers to vomit-inducing advertisements. I’m not suggesting that others should opt for a paid plan. I’m just making you aware what other bloggers might see when they go to visit your site if you’re using the free plan.
Something to think about.
And don’t think I don’t appreciate it! I pay the money too. Those ads are revolting.
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big reason for me too.
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That’s not the worst I’ve seen and yes totally unnecessary
Sent from my iPhone
>
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I pay, but there are still ads. (Still using the “Starter” offering, though.)
Any ads that capitalize on perceptual gore or gratuity gross me out. It’s my belief that contributing users should choose the ads we’d prefer to show. That should be law.
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WordPress is a business, they don’t care. And the level of the ad probably indicates that to businesses WP isn’t the best option. Anyone ever seen a Nike ad?
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I pay 4 dollars a month. So that eliminates these ads? Then I would continue to do it.
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I hate the disgusting ads. I see those plus the foot fungus ones pretty often. I feel the ruin the mood of a post, especially when it’s poetry. Unless the poet is writing about foot fungus 🤮
I also pay to get rid of them!
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Right, all the feet! Ugh.
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(WordPress will love all this encouragement to pay to remove ads.)
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Maybe they’ll pay me a commission! 😉
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I disabled the ads on my blog because they are both disgusting and because they kept getting plastered into the middle of my content. Very discouraging.
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They start at $4 per month. I pay $8, but I think it was got extra storage for I can’t have the widgets yet.
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Enlighten me: why are these ads gross?
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Wondering the same! So taken aback by this post I did not see all the typos in my own reply!
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Why were you so taken aback by this post, Ami? I personally find such ads gross and that’s all I was saying. I have to scroll down the page on my iPhone to like or comment on a post, and when I see ads like these, I think they are in really bad taste. If WordPress must attach advertisements to posts, which I can understand they want do as a business looking to make money, must they be distasteful?
If such ads don’t bother you at all, that’s fine. I was just expressing my opinion on my blog.
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They seem kinda gross to me, but, hey, maybe not to everyone. You know, whatever floats your boat.
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Yep
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I am also confused about this post. Are the ads gross because the idea of an over-weight or obese female is gross to you? Or are they gross because yet again, advertisers are using female body shaming to generate income? I receive penis enlargement ads in my e-Mail constantly and I am all woman, yet I do not find these gross. I find them I appreciate for me personally but on a global level, leave me in a sour disposition because advertisers, peers and even parents find and use those of us not born 10’s to either ridicule, use to make use others do not get like us or try to swindle us out of our hard earned dollar for products that never-ever work. Again I ask, what about these ads do you (and others that responding similarly) find distasteful??
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To me, the images are gross. Not because I think overweight women are gross, but because of the body shaming factor and the fact that what they’re selling is snake oil. 1/2 cup of their miracle elixir will melt away belly fat as shown in the drawings? Yeah, right? And why women? Don’t a lot of men have huge bellies on them?
On those penis enlargement emails you receive, do they show images of tiny penises side by side with enormous ones? If they did, would you not find that gross?
As to what it is about these ads that I find distasteful, my one word answer is “everything.”
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Typo – I appreciate = inappropriate
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Interesting. I always thought the ads were based on your browser history. I only ever see Peacock and Amazon ads, and maybe an occasional one for jewelry 😂
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I have seen the same ad recently on almost all bloggers’ posts who do not pay WordPress to eliminate ads, so I don’t think it has anything to do with a WordPress blogger’s browser history.
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No, I mean the viewer’s browser history. Not that I’m saying you’re looking at shady weight loss scams, lol. But that would make sense if that’s the only ad you’re seeing. For example, when I’m on my phone, I only ever see Amazon and Peacock. On the computer, it’s a little more diverse. Apart from a few random ones, they’re generally for websites I frequently shop at. I think it also has to do with location too (internet laws and what not).
Sorry, I’ve been trying to understand the WordPress ads myself, so I’ve been doing a lot of reading.
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I noticed that that same “belly fat” ad appeared on all of the daily word prompts I follow. But maybe they only show up when I view those blogs. Who knows?
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Ooh, I see what you’re talking about now (just saw the ad). I guess I don’t participate in that many daily prompts to notice, haha!
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😉
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I use an ad blocker so I never see these things and I have a paid account so I hope you don’t see them either. They certainly are unattractive to look at and worse the products they are offering probably don’t work. I wouldn’t want people to waste their money on these things because they saw an ad on my blog.
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I hear WP are developing ads for beer-drinking men with pot bellies. A lucrative market they say…….
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I agree, the pile on of ads is obnoxious. I pay too so you better not be seeing ads on my site!
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I have a paid account on WP so I hope no ads appear on my blog. I’m with you on the many ads I do see on other blogs, that they are truly awful.
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Oh gosh, yes, I hate seeing those disgusting ads! I have a free site but actually now that I have a job I might upgrade. WP should pay you for causing bloggers to upgrade to a paid plan.
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The second image looks like a giant nose.
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It does, doesn’t it. Well, sort of.
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Yes, l nose that you nose that too 🙂
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I have a paid plan too. Its gross that ads for belly fat and taking things to get rid of it are allowed to appear on peopleâs blogs. Really gross. Xx
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