On: Companies are paying huge sums to show their ads t...

[Oarch]

The digital economy would doubtless take a hard hit if we knew the true scale of synthetic engagement out there. It's just easier not to look too hard. Reminds me of a joke:

"Doctor, my brother has lost his mind. He think he's a chicken." "Have you tried telling him he's not a chicken?" "No. You see, the thing is, we really need the eggs..."

[c7b → Oarch]

> No. You see, the thing is, we really need the eggs.

Isn't that the opposite of the problem here? If the bots actually generated sales, the adbuyers would likely be quite happy. This seems more like the Emperor's New Clothes, if you're looking for a metaphor.

[wccrawford → c7b]

I read that as his brother doesn't actually lay eggs, they're just hoping against hope for it.

Same as the ads and the bots.

[grandpoobah → wccrawford]

"We could really use the eggs" might have been a better way of phrasing it then.

[c7b → wccrawford]

ok, yeah, reading it that way it is a quite an appropriate metaphor

[mountainb → Oarch]

No one really wanted to do much digging when the market was good, but now that the market is bad, expect a lot of digging and a lot of suing.

[InCityDreams → Oarch]

Must be a European joke. In the States I'm guessing it costs more to see a doctor than just go buy eggs.

And, yes, i know my euro-taxes essentialy pay for my doc, but a week in hospital that cost me €13.50, I'll live with. As well as a year's worth of post-care and meds....€0.00.

Eggs are getting a bit pricey now, though.