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> Thought experiment: what would the humanity miss if we removed the concept of ads entirely? for one you wouldn't be posting on this site since it's literally

> Thought experiment: what would the humanity miss if we removed the concept of ads entirely? for one you wouldn't be posting on this site since it's literally a marketing device. without targeting advertising you effectively only allow large companies to advertise. I'd say you lose anything you're not paying for explicitly, which is most of the internet.

hightrix 3y ago
> I'd say you lose anything you're not paying for explicitly, which is most of the internet. The internet existed before ads and would continue to exist after ads. Trillion dollar companies built on ads served to the internet would not exist, but the internet would.
- whimsicalism 3y ago
  Vast majority of the internet did not exist prior to ads and removing ads would make its revenue model very difficult. Putting your fingers in your ears and wishing away the problem is not a solution.
timeon 3y ago
> which is most of the internet Ads and SEO killed lot of community driven internet. I was active in several of those. We can live without ads.
avgcorrection 3y ago
> I'd say you lose anything you're not paying for explicitly, which is most of the internet. Oh no. Anyway.
fulafel 3y ago
I think HN works as a argument in favour of an ad ban: it's a marketing device, but it's not an ad. This clearly seems like a better outcome for the public than ads.
- BoxFour 3y ago
  Isn't that even more problematic? Essentially advertisements camouflaged as non-advertising content?
  - Sakos 3y ago
    Except the comments here are open for discussion about what's being advertised. Often you'll see people discussing pros and cons and talking about alternatives. I'll often find something better in the comments than what was actually posted. With how critical the crowd here is, you have to be careful about advertising products here. The Digital Ocean post goes to show how badly you can be eviscerated.
    - BoxFour 3y ago
      The context here is that the entire website itself functions as an unspoken advertisement for YC, not about individuals promoting other things on HN.
- whimsicalism 3y ago
  Facebook isn’t “an ad” either. HN gives privileges to Y Comb startups. I think the public has no clue what it wants/doesn’t want. They are currently trying to legislate that services are effectively provided to them without any profit-seeking activity. We will see if that works
_cenw 3y ago
We can take this further. Corporations usually pay for prime shelf space in retail. That's technically an ad.

hightrix 3y ago

> I'd say you lose anything you're not paying for explicitly, which is most of the internet. The internet existed before ads and would continue to exist after ads. Trillion dollar companies built on ads served to the internet would not exist, but the internet would.

whimsicalism 3y ago
Vast majority of the internet did not exist prior to ads and removing ads would make its revenue model very difficult. Putting your fingers in your ears and wishing away the problem is not a solution.

timeon 3y ago

> which is most of the internet Ads and SEO killed lot of community driven internet. I was active in several of those. We can live without ads.

avgcorrection 3y ago

> I'd say you lose anything you're not paying for explicitly, which is most of the internet. Oh no. Anyway.

fulafel 3y ago

I think HN works as a argument in favour of an ad ban: it's a marketing device, but it's not an ad. This clearly seems like a better outcome for the public than ads.

BoxFour 3y ago
Isn't that even more problematic? Essentially advertisements camouflaged as non-advertising content?
- Sakos 3y ago
  Except the comments here are open for discussion about what's being advertised. Often you'll see people discussing pros and cons and talking about alternatives. I'll often find something better in the comments than what was actually posted. With how critical the crowd here is, you have to be careful about advertising products here. The Digital Ocean post goes to show how badly you can be eviscerated.
  - BoxFour 3y ago
    The context here is that the entire website itself functions as an unspoken advertisement for YC, not about individuals promoting other things on HN.
whimsicalism 3y ago
Facebook isn’t “an ad” either. HN gives privileges to Y Comb startups. I think the public has no clue what it wants/doesn’t want. They are currently trying to legislate that services are effectively provided to them without any profit-seeking activity. We will see if that works

_cenw 3y ago

We can take this further. Corporations usually pay for prime shelf space in retail. That's technically an ad.