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Well, that's the thing: Nobody actually likes ads. At best, people like what ads allow (e.g. free content, services, etc), but they're a necessary evil even th
by wanderfowl 11y ago
Well, that's the thing: Nobody actually likes ads. At best, people like what ads allow (e.g. free content, services, etc), but they're a necessary evil even there. If given the choice between two universes, one involving ads and one not, which were equal in all other respects, there would be no line to get into the ad-ful one.
And I think the ad industry is going to need to give up on tracking as a concept. No matter how they do it, it's basically the same concept as the massive data collection the NSA is working towards which everybody hates, except ad companies don't even have the illusion of protective and pure motives.
- eli 11y agoI don't really agree with that. The people who truly want zero ads are, I think, in the minority. If I'm reading a blog about Django and it's got an ad with a discount code for DjangoCon, I actually want to see that ad -- and not just because it supports the blog. The other day I put an item in my cart on an ecommerce site and forgot about it until I saw a "retargeted" ad reminding me to complete my purchase. I wanted to complete the purchase, I just forgot. I want that ad. For some non-tech examples: consider how many people would opt for an ad-free Superbowl or an ad-free fashion magazine. Some would, but certainly not everyone. Many people like those ads. I think people hate ads that are not relevant to them. Third party tracking cookies have many problems, but they're one way to help make ads more relevant. (Disclaimer: I'm cofounder of an ad-supported B2B news organization)