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Ads should have a comment section

3 points by TheRealPomax 6y ago

Given the nature of ads on HN, not offering a comment section for folks to ask for clarification in promoted posts devalues the ad itself. If a YC2019 company is hiring, and their job page is lacking, the comment section can help get it improved. If someone makes a tech announcement as an ad, then all we've done is sold a spot on the front page without the freedom of discourse. Whether it's paid placement or user-submitted, the community should have a voice (and if that voice is one of dissent and disapproval, that's an important signal that is currently unavailable to those deciding whether to sell that front page spot to X or whether to let Y have it instead)

maxharris 6y ago
They do on Twitter. The problem is that the advertisers don't like it, and judging by the analytics I see on my own comments on ads, users don't seem to pay much attention to such comments either.
- smt88 6y ago
  OP is talking about HN's job postings for YC companies, which can't have comments.
  - maxharris 6y ago
    Whoops, my bad! I didn't catch that - sorry
smt88 6y ago
If unpaid ads for jobs at YC's portfolio are the only way YC can financially justify this site, I don't understand how anyone could complain. It's not evil, it's not tracking us, and it's pretty unobtrusive. It's even helpful to many of the people browsing.