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> targeted advertising is not as valuable as everyone believes > privacy nightmares and ethical issues like allowing targeting alcoholics with alcohol ads The

> targeted advertising is not as valuable as everyone believes > privacy nightmares and ethical issues like allowing targeting alcoholics with alcohol ads These two statements are diametrically opposing each other. Either targeted advertising works or it doesn't. You can't say that it isn't valuable and then raise concerns about how it causes privacy nightmares and alcoholics to buy more alcohol. Alcoholics will buy more alcohol either ways. Targeting makes no difference to their behavior really. But your argument holds no ground because alcohol ads are highly regulated. You can read more about why here: [1]. More often than not advertising companies reject alcohol ads as it hurts their business more than it helps (due to stringent regulations in most parts of the World). It is not as easy as you make it out to be. Else your social media pages should be inundated with alcohol ads. It is not. I strongly believe that there should be regulations on the content of the ads that are pushed out (just like the alcohol ads). There should be regulation on how often an ad can be retargeted and to ensure that the placements don't hamper user productivity. Blanket bans on advertising methods just for sake of privacy is going to do more harm than good. There has to be some sort of a balance. For people who want privacy they can opt for privacy focused social networks. But if entire platforms move towards privacy then the advertising industry will collapse completely. Targeted advertising is the cheapest way for small and medium businesses to get new customers. It levels the playing field with corporations with big pockets. If you move towards privacy as a focus point with no proper alternatives to advertising it will cause a major shakeup. Many businesses will shutdown. You'll have more consolidation and less competition. Only those with big pockets can advertise their products/services. And in the post-Corona World, this is a lifeline to many small businesses. [1]: https://support.google.com/adspolicy/answer/6012382?hl=en https://support.google.com/adspolicy/answer/6012382?hl=en

Rebelgecko 6y ago
As a disclaimer, I work at a different company that makes a lot of revenue from advertising. However, I think people should try turning off Personalized Ads on Youtube and watching a few videos (without adblock!). IMO it's fucking awful, even compared to regular targeted ads. You'll get the same crappy Trump "socialism survey" 6 times in a row because there's no tracking of ad viewer fatigue.
- deleted 6y ago
  [deleted]
- gav 6y ago
  When I do that that I get political adverts mixed in with meal-kits, diets (I'm not sure what they're trying to sell), and exercise equipment. It's pretty awful and I'm waiting down the seconds to hit skip. It's like going back in time to pop-ups and animated horrors of the 90s and early 00s but with vlog-style ads instead--I guess this style tests well, they all look the same to me. Instagram does a great job of personalizing ads to both products and the type of companies I like. I don't mind seeing these kinds of ads at all. I'm happy (in this case) for them to track me because it's much much, better than the alternative.
  - na85 6y ago
    >I'm happy (in this case) for them to track me because it's much much, better than the alternative. You're acting like there is only one alternative, but what about blocking ads? That's win-win for everyone but the advertiser. And really that makes it win-win-win, unless you work in advertising or for Facebook/Google.
    - shripadk 6y ago
      > You're acting like there is only one alternative, but what about blocking ads? That's win-win for everyone but the advertiser. And really that makes it win-win-win, unless you work in advertising or for Facebook/Google. Win-win for who? If everyone uses adblockers you will have major unemployment. All small and medium businesses will shutdown as advertising is the cheapest mechanism to reach customers. Without advertising these businesses will have to rely on billboard advertising and TV ads. Both are extremely expensive in comparison to internet advertising. Don't bite the hand that feeds you. As simple as that!
      - na85 6y ago
        >All small and medium businesses will shutdown What a load of beans. However did the world survive until these selfless internet advertisers came along to save small and medium business?

Rebelgecko 6y ago

As a disclaimer, I work at a different company that makes a lot of revenue from advertising. However, I think people should try turning off Personalized Ads on Youtube and watching a few videos (without adblock!). IMO it's fucking awful, even compared to regular targeted ads. You'll get the same crappy Trump "socialism survey" 6 times in a row because there's no tracking of ad viewer fatigue.

deleted 6y ago
[deleted]
gav 6y ago
When I do that that I get political adverts mixed in with meal-kits, diets (I'm not sure what they're trying to sell), and exercise equipment. It's pretty awful and I'm waiting down the seconds to hit skip. It's like going back in time to pop-ups and animated horrors of the 90s and early 00s but with vlog-style ads instead--I guess this style tests well, they all look the same to me. Instagram does a great job of personalizing ads to both products and the type of companies I like. I don't mind seeing these kinds of ads at all. I'm happy (in this case) for them to track me because it's much much, better than the alternative.
- na85 6y ago
  >I'm happy (in this case) for them to track me because it's much much, better than the alternative. You're acting like there is only one alternative, but what about blocking ads? That's win-win for everyone but the advertiser. And really that makes it win-win-win, unless you work in advertising or for Facebook/Google.
  - shripadk 6y ago
    > You're acting like there is only one alternative, but what about blocking ads? That's win-win for everyone but the advertiser. And really that makes it win-win-win, unless you work in advertising or for Facebook/Google. Win-win for who? If everyone uses adblockers you will have major unemployment. All small and medium businesses will shutdown as advertising is the cheapest mechanism to reach customers. Without advertising these businesses will have to rely on billboard advertising and TV ads. Both are extremely expensive in comparison to internet advertising. Don't bite the hand that feeds you. As simple as that!
    - na85 6y ago
      >All small and medium businesses will shutdown What a load of beans. However did the world survive until these selfless internet advertisers came along to save small and medium business?