I understand why advertising and marketing exists. What I wish for were people in that world who took an approach that was more respectful of users: both their privacy and experience as a user. I expect that most people (“regular” users, not tech savvy ones) use ad blockers to make the internet tolerable. Is it really that big of an ask to respect the people who you ultimately want to sell to? (Ok, that’s a dumb question: 30 years of watching the internet evolve, I think I know the answer sadly..)
The problem is that it is an arms-race, and if you don't engage in chumbox style shit, then others are going to kill you in the market.
It worked on Google, because nobody was allowed to do anything but text ads.
As for respecting the customer? That requires having something worth selling in the first place. Unfortunately, since 99% of everything is crap, 99.9% of ads are for things that should not be sold in the first place.
Being "respectful" is less optimal and you get outcompeted/eliminated by those that aren't "respectful". The reason is because users indirectly/subconsciously tolerate/support those that aren't "respectful".
If you want change, try convincing everyone to actively invest effort to support those that are "respectful". Good luck though, I don't think you'll get anywhere.
This has got to be one of the most out-of-touch comments I've ever read on HN. Most users of the internet aren't tech saavy and should not be preyed upon because of it.
Isn't that sort of victim blaming? This post kind of says "people are getting wise" and the solution is "make sure everything and everyone on the internet is a fake influencer"
No? Because the "victims" are voluntarily choosing what businesses they patronize. No one is forcing them to choose "bad business" instead of "good business" and thus causing "good business" to go out of business.
Protip: the good businesses tend to be more expensive and harder to find, and customers aren't willing to spend the extra time and money for the "good business".
Which is why you need regulation, to make sure there's a level playing field where the "bad business" can't out-compete the "good business" using methods that harm consumers.
