Matthew Smithies, blogger, 15, year 11, Hendon, north London
I use MySpace and Facebook regularly and I also write a blog on LiveJournal, the free blog site. There is sidebar advertising on the blog which seems to blend with the whole page, so I don't notice it too much - which is a good thing. MySpace is good, because if you have something on your profile the sidebar will come up with an ad that is relevant to you. These personalised ads are more effective than random ones. YouTube is a good platform for ads because there are less of them and they are less intrusive than MySpace. They don't take your attention away from the page and are much more neutral. If an ad is really well designed with nice artwork I'm more likely to look at it. If it brings in new content or gives you more information than you might get elsewhere, it's a good thing.
Tarik Fontenelle, 18, blogger, Leytonstone, east London
The ads on the new Japanese phones are amazing, with flashing lights, and they make the phones look brilliant. The really clever ads are on games, particularly Pro Evolution Soccer. If you look at the pitch, there are real-life ads on the hoardings. I play these games on my PlayStation and they grab my attention straightaway. They are brilliant and I always remember them. I love the ads on games because you go and explore them. They are subtle. Net advertising is often over the top and garish. I don't need everything shoved in my face or ads that get in the way of what I am doing. We're kids. We are busy people. We don't need things slowing us down.
Sasha Frieze, 36, chief executive, Virtual Worlds forum, Kilburn, north London
I don't have ads on my blog because it's a personal blog. I did consider Google AdWords but it wasn't right for me. Many other bloggers use ads in their archive or for visitors rather than for regular readers as they offset bandwidth costs. I think it's a personal choice for bloggers who use ads to recoup some of their costs or make money from them.
I notice the ads on Facebook when they are relevant to what you have just written. A friend changed their status to "engaged" recently and got a large amount of wedding dress and wedding insurance ads. The days of the huge television ad campaigns are over. We are now more research oriented. For example, after 20 minutes on Google and a price comparison site, you can find out everything you need to know.
Oliver Cheeseman, 18, youth consultant and blogger, South Woodford, north London
MySpace and Facebook are good for ads because people my age are on them the whole time so it's convenient and it is connected to what we do. We are not going out of our way to see the ads. It's much easier than seeing something on television, for example. As long as the visual aids are good - to the point, interesting, fun and exciting, and not patronising or boring - then it works. It doesn't necessarily have to be busy, with flashing colours. I really don't like the ads that expand, for example, on MySpace. I also don't like the ads that you accidentally click and that re-direct you elsewhere. They are just in your face and don't benefit you in anyway.
Megan Mayhew, 22, administrative assistant, Deptford, south London
I look longer at ads on blogs than elsewhere on the net because I spend more time looking at these sites. If more people could blog because of these ads then advertising is a good thing as it gives more freedom. I prefer ads that are discreet, like a little box at the side of the screen, as I am more likely to look at them than pop-ups. If it becomes a choice whether you click on it or not, it encourages me to look further. Ads on Facebook are a good idea because I would not be willing to pay for Facebook. I would use email, as I have so many other expenses.
Dan Stevens, 31, IT sales consultant, Birmingham
The best ads are the viral campaigns that use a mini clip, especially if they are humorous and interesting, because they can be forwarded to colleagues and friends. They give everyone a break from their work so people are more likely to remember them. The ads at the bottom of MSN are great. As long as internet ads are not in your face and don't get in the way of using the product or slowing it down, then they're not a problem. I had a MySpace page when I was in a local band. It was a good way of getting people down to the gigs. The iPhone is really funky and cool so if advertising helps to bring the price down it is a good thing, so long as it does not impinge on how you use it.
Jo Tait, 59, educational developer and blogger, Guildford, Surrey
I like receiving e-bulletins which are halfway between advertising and information because they don't feel like advertising and because I've signed up for them. I really enjoy the Apple ads that come into my email. It makes me feel part of the Apple club. The ads that are explicitly directed to me, such as the Amazon emails, feel personal too. It is sorted for me and relevant to me. The advertising texts on my iPhone, for example, from O2, give me useful and relevant information as if they know who I am and what I want. If ads enable the price of technology to come down so more people are able to play with it and share information then that is great.
Interviews by Melanie Abrams
