> This argument is based on the premise, however, that display ads are the only (or the main) way of monetizing the web while keeping the content free Reality

> This argument is based on the premise, however, that display ads are the only (or the main) way of monetizing the web while keeping the content free Reality is that paying for content is no guarantee ads will go away. I already said this somewhere else: ad brokers will always pay for ads to be shown. Content providers will always look for ways to increase revenues. Paywalls do not change this reality. Recent example of the above: "I paid $60 bucks to have advertisements in a game."[1] [1] https://www.reddit.com/r/gaming/comments/3krj4c/i_paid_60_bucks_to_have_advertisements_in_a_game/ https://www.reddit.com/r/gaming/comments/3krj4c/i_paid_60_bu...