1. Captain Underpants

    NSFW spotlight images

    I've noticed this seems to be getting more pronounced lately, and I'm substantially less likely to keep the site open in a background tab as a result.

    I know that pictures like Sunbathing EeePC Girl have been used a lot, but it would be great if you could stop using NSFW images for spotlights or carousel article listings.

  2. Jamie Kitson

    So I'm not the only one. I compiled a short list here:

    http://blog.jamiek.it/2013/10/sexism-at-theregistercouk.html

    Although my last post pointing this out wasn't published...

  3. That Lewis Page

    Borne in mind, but ...

    But, Jamie - I thought you weren't going to read us any more! Let alone give us free content like this. Nonetheless point noted.

    However the stats and analysis of the bits of site people mouse over, click through etc seem very clear that there are an awful lot of readers who like such stuff. As ever, not many people are motivated to write in by liking things, and still fewer if they would have to admit to being attracted by pictures of naked ladies.

    I don't know if it makes any difference, but one of the main culprits behind these egregious headlines and pics happens to be an attractive young woman herself.

    1. Jamie Kitson

      Re: Borne in mind, but ...

      > But, Jamie - I thought you weren't going to read us any more!

      I'm allowing myself access to the forums :)

      > However the stats and analysis... there are an awful lot of readers who like such stuff.

      Sure, but that doesn't make it ok, The Daily Mail is the most popular/successful news website, is that what you want to become? Can't we strive for something more than that? You are in a position of power here and currently you are reinforcing nasty stereotypes about both men and women.

    2. Captain Underpants

      Re: Borne in mind, but ...

      I figured analytics would be contributing to this, Lewis, and your honesty in that regard is appreciated, but for me at least the probability of reading the site on a daily basis (or at least doing so at work, where I generally consider the news covered here to be related to my role) is decreasing in proportion with the amount of non-worksafe icons used.

      I'm not particularly interested in who's responsible for the pictures; my concern here is not whether there is sexism involved, but merely that the site has seen a marked increase in the usage of NSFW images. (I will say, however, that I share Jamie's views on the topic and would prefer if El Reg didn't feel compelled to become yet another site that desperately uses The Promise Of Bewbs to try and get more clicks...)

    3. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Borne in mind, but ...

      one of the main culprits behind these egregious headlines and pics happens to be an attractive young woman herself

      pics, or it didn't happen ;-)

  4. Rippy

    NSFW? in Blighty?

    I'm curious about the measure of "NSFW" images ... using Jamie's Rant as a survey of El Reg depravity, I didn't see any (by Canadian office standards) "firing offense" NSFW images. Tasteless yes, unprofessional yes, scoldable certainly, firing no.

    Now the double entendres in the headlines and subheads in Bootnotes, on the other hand ...

    G.

    1. Captain Underpants

      Re: NSFW? in Blighty?

      @Rippy:

      I consider a spotlight image of what appears to be a topless woman painted blue with a Superman logo on her chest to be NSFW (here, if you're interested, and linking to this story). Whether you do or not is not relevant to me, although I do appreciate that we've all got our own boundaries on this one.

      Anyway, Lewis has pretty much made it clear that since analytics say this drives the clicks, the phenomenon isn't going away. Which is what I wanted to determine.

    2. MrXavia

      Re: NSFW? in Blighty?

      The topless blue supergirl MAYBE if your at a seriously prudish company then it is possible that would be considered bad...But in general I've seen worse things on the BBC news, and they don't go banning that right?

      I remember watching the local BC news once and saw a butt naked girl protestor being escorted out of a church by police with no effort to cover her up, that was about 20 years ago now I think, but back then I am sure we were all less prudish..

      Really non-sexual nudity is not something that should ever be considered NSFW...

      The biggest issue is what are you doing browsing the web during work hours? surely you should be doing that in your own time?

  5. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    toned down?

    Is it me, or am I seeing far fewer NSFW images recently? If so, well done El Reg for not persisting with the purile option, even if it does cost you a few clicks.

    1. The Man Himself Silver badge

      Re: toned down?

      I think it's just you

  6. Hungry Sean

    nsfw ad

    seems like the right thread to complain about an ad for some online game called "heroes" that seems to be showing up on my work computer in IE, both on the main page in the gutter and inline in some of the articles. Shows three scantily clad female characters. Definitely not appropriate for me to have up in the office. It's hard enough finding women applicants for programming jobs, I don't want to be contributing to the problem.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: nsfw ad

      That is interesting - how recently? We run some ads via Google ad-x, but we block games ads precisely because of those scantily clad female characters. If anyone sees ads like this, please send us a screenshot to webmaster @theregister.co.uk.

      1. Hungry Sean

        Re: nsfw ad

        Thanks Drew. Haven't seen it again.

        This would have been Thursday the 7th around 5:00 PST. I was logging in from the bay area if that makes any difference.

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