For me, the simplest and logical conclusion about the site is that there's way too much text on the top of the page, and when you visit the site, a screen-size

For me, the simplest and logical conclusion about the site is that there's way too much text on the top of the page, and when you visit the site, a screen-size ad opens up that you have to close. When you do, a popup ad shows up as well. It's insane. Users leaving because they're annoyed at the ads, not the social features, is the best and simplest and most obvious conclusion. But I do agree with this comment: "I think this was a valiant effort to provide a more interactive user experience to a website whose users have no interest in it."