3 ms·

Why would it benefit society to get less targeted ads as opposed to more targeted ones?

ab5tract 2y ago
Because there would be no incentive to commodify user activity, bundle it up, and resell it to ever more dubious information brokers?
- llm_trw 2y ago
  You'd need to ban targeted marketing, not just advertising. If I were selling widgets I still greatly care about knowing who buys a billion widgets a year and will pay good money to find out.
  - okanat 2y ago
    Tracking stats of your customers using the data they willingly gave you and making marketing decisions isn't the problem. Neither is making sponsorship agreements with content producers who make relevant content. Creation of global markets with interconnected networks to track and share detailed personal information about mental states, political alignment, sexual life and more is the problem.
    - llm_trw 2y ago
      Yes, all those things mean I get to find out what _groups_ buy my products. The plural of anecdote is data after all.
- amelius 2y ago
  Also it would help reduce overconsumption which is great given the finite resources we have on this planet.
ozim 2y ago
Ads can be targeted but not at individual. If I am Tylor Swift fan I should get her merch advertising only when I am visiting swifties forum or group - but not when I am checking my fishing forum where I expect fishing gear ads. But nowadays I get adsg
autoexec 2y ago
> Why would it benefit society to get less targeted ads as opposed to more targeted ones? Because more targeted ads require a dangerous and abusive system of pervasive surveillance while less targeted ads can still be targeted without hurting as many people in the process.
- refurb 2y ago
  > Because more targeted ads require a dangerous and abusive system of pervasive surveillance I don't think they require it. A targeted ad can be as simple as geolocation via IP address and showing local businesses.
austhrow743 2y ago
Ads would be less effective at convincing people to be unhappy.

Because there would be no incentive to commodify user activity, bundle it up, and resell it to ever more dubious information brokers?

llm_trw 2y ago
You'd need to ban targeted marketing, not just advertising. If I were selling widgets I still greatly care about knowing who buys a billion widgets a year and will pay good money to find out.
- okanat 2y ago
  Tracking stats of your customers using the data they willingly gave you and making marketing decisions isn't the problem. Neither is making sponsorship agreements with content producers who make relevant content. Creation of global markets with interconnected networks to track and share detailed personal information about mental states, political alignment, sexual life and more is the problem.
  - llm_trw 2y ago
    Yes, all those things mean I get to find out what _groups_ buy my products. The plural of anecdote is data after all.
amelius 2y ago
Also it would help reduce overconsumption which is great given the finite resources we have on this planet.

ozim 2y ago

Ads can be targeted but not at individual. If I am Tylor Swift fan I should get her merch advertising only when I am visiting swifties forum or group - but not when I am checking my fishing forum where I expect fishing gear ads. But nowadays I get adsg

autoexec 2y ago

> Why would it benefit society to get less targeted ads as opposed to more targeted ones? Because more targeted ads require a dangerous and abusive system of pervasive surveillance while less targeted ads can still be targeted without hurting as many people in the process.

refurb 2y ago
> Because more targeted ads require a dangerous and abusive system of pervasive surveillance I don't think they require it. A targeted ad can be as simple as geolocation via IP address and showing local businesses.

austhrow743 2y ago

Ads would be less effective at convincing people to be unhappy.