Now they're advertising birth control?

[-Ducky-]

why would a 14 year old be thinking about birth control and preventing pregnancy?

Age compression and something called hormones.

well yeah, i can understand that, but on neo? i mean, COME ON

save the sex related adds for the porn sites and keep um off neo

[OmniIcyshelf]

why would a 14 year old be thinking about birth control and preventing pregnancy?

Age compression and something called hormones.

well yeah, i can understand that, but on neo? i mean, COME ON

save the sex related adds for the porn sites and keep um off neo

Well, that's what I mean, but the scope of your question seemed to extend beyond Neopets.

[-Ducky-]

why would a 14 year old be thinking about birth control and preventing pregnancy?

Age compression and something called hormones.

well yeah, i can understand that, but on neo? i mean, COME ON

save the sex related adds for the porn sites and keep um off neo

Well, that's what I mean, but the scope of your question seemed to extend beyond Neopets.

well being a mature (IMO of course) 15 year old, i can understand having hormones being out of control, but I could care less about preventing pregnancy, mainly due to the fact that I don't plan on having kids(to put it lightly) until i'm marrried and out of college. I gues i just goes to show how much I love my firewall, and love the fact it blocks all the ads.

[Full Metal Alchemist]

That's why we have a logistic growth function for the world. There is a LIMITING CAPACITY to the number of humans the world can hold before DEPENDENT LIMITING FACTORS get us.


STUPID BIOLOGY.

[Istanbullfrog]

if it's sooo pointless, why have it?

why would a 14 year old be thinking about birth control and preventing pregnancy? why would married couples care about birth control if they most likely have all the kids they want.

Because neopets isn't only visited by 14 year olds or married couples. There's a huge demographic of people in their 20's, unattached, college/working. And sometimes, they even have sex, so it does have an audience, as UNNECESSARY as it is, for a family related site, it does reach people who are their target audience.

well being a mature (IMO of course) 15 year old, i can understand having hormones being out of control, but I could care less about preventing pregnancy, mainly due to the fact that I don't plan on having kids(to put it lightly) until i'm marrried and out of college. I gues i just goes to show how much I love my firewall, and love the fact it blocks all the ads.

Birth control is a product you use to make sure you won't be having children. So I think with the logic you've presented, people who believe the same things as you are the prime candidates. Hence, my earlier point.

[Twisted Sanity]

Okay, the first ad, I had no beef with. The other one that was mentioned, that actually mentions sex is a little over the top. My opinion - anything that can get you frozen on Neopets, shouldn't be allowed in an ad.

But then, all these people that sign up over their real age are also to blame. Neo cannot be sued for innapropriate advertsing if little frail-minded 8 year old Joe Nobody signed up as an already sex-educated 18 year old. It's his own damn fault, IMO, if he sees an ad that 'shatters and corrupts his mind', and the parents' fault for not monitoring their 8 year old's online activities. The internet isn't exactly the most kiddie friendly place in the world.

The only thing thats worrying is the parents who might be playing Neo when they're kids walk in. If some big sex chat ad (please never let it appear) is showing up, then I'd be worried.

And whilst I'm ranting, I'll just say that the Neo marketing team must have been under some kind of influence or something whilst choosing their banner sponsors. There are plenty of sites that don't rely on the help of Tribalfusion, Burstnet, or any other one of these shifty ad compaines, and they're doing quite well. I mean, Tribalfusion is like the cyberdevil, and signing them as your ad-company-non-sponsor-thing is like selling your website's soul. And as addicted as I am to Neo, I will be seriously starting something if they sign a deal with cydoor (hate hate hate) or gator.

Oh, heh, by the way, I get an strangely large amount of people thinking that I'm older than I really am. Even in real life. Maybe coz I'm tall? 0_o

[Pokemon Kid]

I am 10, believe me, I am 10. I signed up as 18. Same with here at PPT. I lie everywhere. I am already educated when it comes to love, marry and beyond. Maybe not so much, but I know basic things.

I changed my mind though, I do that alot. Kids shouldn't be seeing that. Not even people who signed up for 18, some of them may be lying.

But I still don't care much.

[Morningstar]

It isn't neopets fault for the ads.
They just got in contact with a big ad company and got all different ads on the site.
They aren't sponsors.....

It IS their fault for the ads. Neopets is ultimately responsible for EVERYTHING put on this site. They knew exactly what they were getting into when they decided to put the banner ads up. And, if they don't have good attorneys to write up contracts with these ad companies that state exactly what can and what cannot be on the site, then they need to hire some. And, need to hire someone to monitor the ads--just like they hire someone to monitor what we say and do on the site.

And, let me just add that I am outraged by these ads! Having a stupid nasty cockroach crawl across the page is one thing, but this is just too much. I can only imagine what the Australian press would say about this!

Why am I so outraged? Because, first off, this is "touted" as a family-oriented, kid-friendly site. But, even more so, because Neopets is extremely hypocritical. They will freeze someone who writes the word "sex" or any sexual term for that matter (such as "shake it like a Polaroid"). Yet, apparently it is OK if someone pays them to display that very same word at the top of the page and to display ads for products that help you avoid the unwanted consquences of that act.

They had better hope Disney doesn't get wind of this. Some of their big-time sponsors might not want to be associated with the slimy sort of ads that are suddenly appearing on such a clean, wholesome site.

[skizzy the wonder lizard]

The thing I find pretty funny isn't the ad itself, its the uselessness of the ad. Honestly, if you are looking for birth control and you're on Neopets and you see that ad, would you click it? Or would you go to a doctor? I would love to know how many people are saying, "Oh yes, I saw this birth control ad on Neopets. I'm looking into it."

well, to be honest, i clicked on the ad, because i'm always looking at new birth control methods. had it been the kind of product i was looking for, yes, i would have gone to my doctor and said "i saw this birth control ad online." they know that 23-year-old women such as myself are playing neopets, and market accordingly.

so i see the marketing reasoning behind the ads. and i promote learning about safe sex as early as possible. HOWEVER. if i started a discussion about birth control on the neoboards, i'd get frozen, or at least warned, in a heartbeat. talking about sex is against neo's rules. it's appalling that the ads are allowed to break these rules because they bring in money.

[Drake Redcrest]

if it's sooo pointless, why have it?

why would a 14 year old be thinking about birth control and preventing pregnancy? why would married couples care about birth control if they most likely have all the kids they want.

Well, I'm nearly fourteen and I'm on birth control. No, I don't sleep around. Birth control is an effective way of controlling acne, and it also helps with certain *problems* females have.

I think that the only way this is inappropriate is if kids under 13 are seeing it. If they're over 13, I don't see a problem with it. They need to find out about it somehow, if their parents or schools haven't talked about it already.

[Pokemon Kid]

if it's sooo pointless, why have it?

why would a 14 year old be thinking about birth control and preventing pregnancy? why would married couples care about birth control if they most likely have all the kids they want.

Well, I'm nearly fourteen and I'm on birth control. No, I don't sleep around. Birth control is an effective way of controlling acne, and it also helps with certain *problems* females have.

I think that the only way this is inappropriate is if kids under 13 are seeing it. If they're over 13, I don't see a problem with it. They need to find out about it somehow, if their parents or schools haven't talked about it already.

But isn't acne something you can clear up with other things?

[Adam loves Hilary Duff]

It isn't neopets fault for the ads.
They just got in contact with a big ad company and got all different ads on the site.
They aren't sponsors.....

It IS their fault for the ads. Neopets is ultimately responsible for EVERYTHING put on this site. They knew exactly what they were getting into when they decided to put the banner ads up. And, if they don't have good attorneys to write up contracts with these ad companies that state exactly what can and what cannot be on the site, then they need to hire some. And, need to hire someone to monitor the ads--just like they hire someone to monitor what we say and do on the site.

And, let me just add that I am outraged by these ads! Having a stupid nasty cockroach crawl across the page is one thing, but this is just too much. I can only imagine what the Australian press would say about this!

Why am I so outraged? Because, first off, this is "touted" as a family-oriented, kid-friendly site. But, even more so, because Neopets is extremely hypocritical. They will freeze someone who writes the word "sex" or any sexual term for that matter (such as "shake it like a Polaroid"). Yet, apparently it is OK if someone pays them to display that very same word at the top of the page and to display ads for products that help you avoid the unwanted consquences of that act.

They had better hope Disney doesn't get wind of this. Some of their big-time sponsors might not want to be associated with the slimy sort of ads that are suddenly appearing on such a clean, wholesome site.

Owning a pet site myself I would know.
First you sign up with the ad company.
And if you notice that there are ads that are wrong, you ask them to remove them.
Obiously the guy who signed neopets up with the ad company didn't see the ad yet.
All the guy saw was a big fat pay check.
And I think this guy was Mr. Doug Doorknob.
Also, if it is really true under 13 year olds only see neopets ads, 14 year olds are sometimes doing that kind of stuff. Though I'd say it would be good to make it so only 18 year olds can see these kinds of ads.

[Morningstar]

It isn't neopets fault for the ads.
They just got in contact with a big ad company and got all different ads on the site.
They aren't sponsors.....

It IS their fault for the ads. Neopets is ultimately responsible for EVERYTHING put on this site. They knew exactly what they were getting into when they decided to put the banner ads up. And, if they don't have good attorneys to write up contracts with these ad companies that state exactly what can and what cannot be on the site, then they need to hire some. And, need to hire someone to monitor the ads--just like they hire someone to monitor what we say and do on the site.

Owning a pet site myself I would know.
First you sign up with the ad company.
And if you notice that there are ads that are wrong, you ask them to remove them.
Obiously the guy who signed neopets up with the ad company didn't see the ad yet.
All the guy saw was a big fat pay check.
And I think this guy was Mr. Doug Doorknob.
Also, if it is really true under 13 year olds only see neopets ads, 14 year olds are sometimes doing that kind of stuff. Though I'd say it would be good to make it so only 18 year olds can see these kinds of ads.

Having gone to Northwestern law school and having worked in corporate law for many years, I know for a fact that any corporation who signs up for any advertising signs a contract for this. And the contract specifically says what you can and cannot do. If the Neopets corporate attorney didn't put something in the contract stating that sexual references were prohibited from all ads, then he isn't the brightest bulb on the Christmas tree. If he did put that in, then Neopets needs to take legal action against the advertising company and, perhaps, should make a point of previewing all ads before they are released to the public.

By showing those ads, they are going against everything said in their Press Kit about how safe and trustworthy Neopets is. Quote: "Neopets follows the guidelines established by the Children's Advertising Review Unit (CARU), a self-regulatory forum set up by the advertising industry in conjunction with the Council of Better Business Bureaus to review and provide guidelines concerning advertising and promotional materials directed at children in all media." NO, they don't. If you check CARU, they are not following the guidelines.

Quote: "Importantly, parents trust Neopets. Thanks to the diligence of the site's round-the-clock team of monitors and e-mail support staff, Neopets, Inc. works vigilantly toward its goal of maintaining a safe and fun online environment for all ages." NO, by advertising sex on the site, it is no longer a safe environment for all ages. I know of many moms who play Neopets with their littler kids sitting in their laps or right next to them. The account is Mommy's, but the little kid helps out by feeding the pets, etc. Not too cool if the 5 year old who like to play the Disney games asks Mommy what "heat of the moment" is. Not too cool if Mommy has to try to explain that to her little kid.

[kamehameha0]

I don't think it's wrong at all.....the United States at this time needs as much advertising about Birth Control as possible. Too many young people today are having unprotected sex, and we need them to be aware of the dangers of it. And about younger users seeing the ad....they have to learn sooner or later about sex, don't they? Hell, I learned about when I was 7.

[Morningstar]

I don't think it's wrong at all.....the United States at this time needs as much advertising about Birth Control as possible. Too many young people today are having unprotected sex, and we need them to be aware of the dangers of it. And about younger users seeing the ad....they have to learn sooner or later about sex, don't they? Hell, I learned about when I was 7.

I agree about kids needing sexual education. But not on a site that claims to be so darned protective, safe, and family-oriented. Particularly, when they will freeze you in a heartbeat if you say the exact same words.