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I just noticed that the tag is currently being sponsored by Plastic SCM, which as far as I understand, is a competing product. Is it really kosher to have the first thing you see when visiting a tag be links to a competing technology?

Although as per this answer they don't get to have a logo on the tag itself, it's still questionable in my opinion. Will we see sponsored Java links on the C# tag next?

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  • Very good question. Mind you, pablo has asked quite a few questions about git over the past months. Maybe he's seen the light? :) At least they don't have their logo on the actual tag...
    – Benjol
    Sep 12, 2011 at 4:57
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    @Benjol That would never happen, unless Plastic SCM actually buys git. meta.stackexchange.com/questions/33081/…
    – balpha StaffMod
    Sep 12, 2011 at 5:05

2 Answers 2

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Our current advertising policies do not exclude the purchase of what may be considered competitive keywords or tags and as a result, yes, it is possible for a brand to get access to the inventory associated with any specific tag page as long as they are willing to commit to a large percentage of the share of voice. See this answer again for specifics and the logic there of how the share of voice helps deal with generic tags, also seems to work equally well in the potentially competitive inventory situations.

Note that the share of voice policy also makes the hypothetical case of Java links on a C# tag kind of unlikely unless there really is a reason such links and advertisements actually are relevant to that segment of the community as well.

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    Unlikely perhaps but it's happened. As I noted in meta.stackexchange.com/questions/107340/… a company providing JBoss services sponsored links to Tomcat, Web Logic and WebSphere. My question takes this one a step further and asks what happens if the tag is a trademarked name and the owner objects to predatory advertising. The answer so far seems to be there's no policy as to what recourse, if any, the trademark owner has.
    – T.Rob
    Sep 25, 2011 at 18:00
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Disclaimer: Stack Exchange employee

To add my solely personal opinion: I don't really see this particular case as an issue. The two links on the tag page (and that's all they get for the sponsorship) both say "Try Plastic SCM", making it clear that they're offering an alternative. It also says "Sponsored links" in bold letters, so I don't think there's chance for confusion.

And who knows, some users digging around in the tag may just be lost and bewildered souls who are perplexed by git, and to whom an alternative version control system may actually be interesting. Certainly more relevant than a Groupon ad for a fish pedicure* :)

*that's not a joke!

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