I remember when the web used to be (mostly) free, with no ads nor any expectation of payment from others. Sites were simpler then, sure, but costs were very man

I remember when the web used to be (mostly) free, with no ads nor any expectation of payment from others. Sites were simpler then, sure, but costs were very manageable even if the barrier to entry was higher. People deserve to get paid, for sure, but I think many overestimate the value of what they put out, and I'd argue much of the web has negative value these days due to the flagrant violations of privacy that come with the raw tripe I have to sift through if I'm seeking to be informed in a particular topic.