The sole advantage that I'll grant ad-funded services is that they tend to far more open-access than the alternatives. Bill Gates and homeless people get the sa

The sole advantage that I'll grant ad-funded services is that they tend to far more open-access than the alternatives. Bill Gates and homeless people get the same features from Facebook. The rich subsidize the poor without ever having to actually open their wallet. Ads are still a net negative, but it's worth considering that requiring payment will price some people out, because the poor aren't usually subsidized with paid services.