4 ms·

I work in advertising and defend tracking, targeting, Meta, etc all the time as largely harmless. But I think one exception is when they promote products which

by cm2012 2y ago

I work in advertising and defend tracking, targeting, Meta, etc all the time as largely harmless. But I think one exception is when they promote products which are bad. Tobacco ads are already banned - gambling should 100% be a banned ad category. So should mobile apps that are basically gambling in disguise.

dagurp 2y ago
Gambling ads are banned in my country but we get bombarded by them on YouTube. Me and a bunch of people I've talked to have reported them many times but nothing happens.
EA-3167 2y ago
How do you feel about advertising alcohol, Gacha games, MLM businesses and things like that?
- cm2012 2y ago
  I'd ban them all
  - EA-3167 2y ago
    Alright, well you have my respect.
lotsofpulp 2y ago
What is bad? Alcohol? Cheap clothes made to be worn a handful times and that shed microplastics all over the place? Gratuitous consumption solely for the purpose of signaling wealth? Political parties that want to restrict people’s rights?
- miohtama 2y ago
  Software industry that defines bad is called compliance-industrial complex. Defining bad is a big business. Here is a good book about it: https://www.amazon.com/Compliance-Industrial-Complex-Operating-Pre-Crime-Society/dp/3031192230 https://www.amazon.com/Compliance-Industrial-Complex-Operati...
- cm2012 2y ago
  As decided by elected officials.
ninkendo 2y ago
I live in a Midwest state that allows gambling completely unrestricted, including apps where you just give a credit card and press a slot machine button and (inevitably) lose all your money. I also watch the local news each morning as part of my morning routine. It’s utterly ridiculous how many gambling ads are on tv now. Like outside of election season with political ads, it feels like 9 in 10 ads are for some gambling app. Sometimes a casino app, often sports betting. It feels so dystopian, like if I were an addict it would be seriously triggering me how constant and incessant the ads are. It’s always felt so strange to me that we allow this. I’ve also had family members lose their livelihoods to gambling apps. They have perfected the addictiveness, giving you free credits if you lose too much, to keep you going. It’s extremely difficult to actually get money out of the apps too. They want you to gamble it all away, but slowly. Of all the things that have changed in this part of the country in my lifetime, this is the most obviously bad one, the one that makes me feel the most ashamed of how bad we’ve collectively let things get.
- giantg2 2y ago
  Not sure of your location, but it seems many rural areas have turned completely to vice. It seems every other new business is a smoke shop, dispensary, bar, tattoo parlor, etc. Many other businesses are shutting down, like bowling alleys, hobby related stores, etc. And gambling has been added to some that stick around, including stuff like "skills based" games. But the most obviously bad change I've seen is the drugs. I think they're also partially responsible for the popularity of gambling due to hopelessness and how bad things have gotten in some areas. Edit: I should add that the other 50% of business seem to be fast food and dollar stores.
  - spencerflem 2y ago
    I think heavy drug use is more a symptom of hopelessness than the other way round
    - giantg2 2y ago
      Primarily, I agree. However, I think there is a secondary effect once it's wide enough spread that others start to think things are hopeless, or the crime and broken homes from the drug use erode the hope of others.
DrBazza 2y ago
> I work in advertising and defend tracking, targeting, Meta, etc all the time as largely harmless. Perhaps tell that to one of my friends that has a shopping addiction. He buys endless amounts of running gear, and then resells it, basically burning thousands of pounds every year. His phone does nothing but show more and more running gear adverts. We've told him to stop but he reckons he doesn't have a problem. No runner needs 30 pairs of trainers a year, or 10 rucksacks etc.
- _carbyau_ 2y ago
  Your friend needs to youtube review them - preferably honestly and decently. Experience across a market of products is valuable!
- cm2012 2y ago
  Advertising is just a tool. Shopping addiction is really unfortunate but it exists with or without targeted ads - people buying too much stuff has existed since shopping existed. Like you said, you can't help someone who doesn't think they have a problem - sellers will just give them what they want. However, some categories of products are categorically bad, like gambling. So we can ban anything that makes it easier to do those categories.
9283409232 2y ago
Funny, there is a story on the front page right now demonstrating how harmful ads can be. https://timsh.org/tracking-myself-down-through-in-app-ads/ https://timsh.org/tracking-myself-down-through-in-app-ads/
WheatMillington 2y ago
Yeah you don't really have much moral ground to stand on there.

by cm2012 2y ago

dagurp 2y ago

Gambling ads are banned in my country but we get bombarded by them on YouTube. Me and a bunch of people I've talked to have reported them many times but nothing happens.

EA-3167 2y ago

How do you feel about advertising alcohol, Gacha games, MLM businesses and things like that?

cm2012 2y ago
I'd ban them all
- EA-3167 2y ago
  Alright, well you have my respect.

lotsofpulp 2y ago

What is bad? Alcohol? Cheap clothes made to be worn a handful times and that shed microplastics all over the place? Gratuitous consumption solely for the purpose of signaling wealth? Political parties that want to restrict people’s rights?

miohtama 2y ago
Software industry that defines bad is called compliance-industrial complex. Defining bad is a big business. Here is a good book about it: https://www.amazon.com/Compliance-Industrial-Complex-Operating-Pre-Crime-Society/dp/3031192230 https://www.amazon.com/Compliance-Industrial-Complex-Operati...
cm2012 2y ago
As decided by elected officials.

ninkendo 2y ago

I live in a Midwest state that allows gambling completely unrestricted, including apps where you just give a credit card and press a slot machine button and (inevitably) lose all your money. I also watch the local news each morning as part of my morning routine. It’s utterly ridiculous how many gambling ads are on tv now. Like outside of election season with political ads, it feels like 9 in 10 ads are for some gambling app. Sometimes a casino app, often sports betting. It feels so dystopian, like if I were an addict it would be seriously triggering me how constant and incessant the ads are. It’s always felt so strange to me that we allow this. I’ve also had family members lose their livelihoods to gambling apps. They have perfected the addictiveness, giving you free credits if you lose too much, to keep you going. It’s extremely difficult to actually get money out of the apps too. They want you to gamble it all away, but slowly. Of all the things that have changed in this part of the country in my lifetime, this is the most obviously bad one, the one that makes me feel the most ashamed of how bad we’ve collectively let things get.

giantg2 2y ago
Not sure of your location, but it seems many rural areas have turned completely to vice. It seems every other new business is a smoke shop, dispensary, bar, tattoo parlor, etc. Many other businesses are shutting down, like bowling alleys, hobby related stores, etc. And gambling has been added to some that stick around, including stuff like "skills based" games. But the most obviously bad change I've seen is the drugs. I think they're also partially responsible for the popularity of gambling due to hopelessness and how bad things have gotten in some areas. Edit: I should add that the other 50% of business seem to be fast food and dollar stores.
- spencerflem 2y ago
  I think heavy drug use is more a symptom of hopelessness than the other way round
  - giantg2 2y ago
    Primarily, I agree. However, I think there is a secondary effect once it's wide enough spread that others start to think things are hopeless, or the crime and broken homes from the drug use erode the hope of others.

DrBazza 2y ago

> I work in advertising and defend tracking, targeting, Meta, etc all the time as largely harmless. Perhaps tell that to one of my friends that has a shopping addiction. He buys endless amounts of running gear, and then resells it, basically burning thousands of pounds every year. His phone does nothing but show more and more running gear adverts. We've told him to stop but he reckons he doesn't have a problem. No runner needs 30 pairs of trainers a year, or 10 rucksacks etc.

_carbyau_ 2y ago
Your friend needs to youtube review them - preferably honestly and decently. Experience across a market of products is valuable!
cm2012 2y ago
Advertising is just a tool. Shopping addiction is really unfortunate but it exists with or without targeted ads - people buying too much stuff has existed since shopping existed. Like you said, you can't help someone who doesn't think they have a problem - sellers will just give them what they want. However, some categories of products are categorically bad, like gambling. So we can ban anything that makes it easier to do those categories.

9283409232 2y ago

Funny, there is a story on the front page right now demonstrating how harmful ads can be. https://timsh.org/tracking-myself-down-through-in-app-ads/ https://timsh.org/tracking-myself-down-through-in-app-ads/

WheatMillington 2y ago

Yeah you don't really have much moral ground to stand on there.