> Every way for you to find out about anything to buy is advertising. I don't think that's right. If I use a product, like it, and tell my friends about it, th

> Every way for you to find out about anything to buy is advertising. I don't think that's right. If I use a product, like it, and tell my friends about it, that isn't advertising because it isn't funded by anyone who gains from the purchase of the product. Similarly, Consumer Reports isn't advertising, because they are funded by their members. General review orgs like The Wirecutter may or may not be advertising, depending on how successful they are at preventing manufacturers from influencing their reviews.