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0 pointsA_non_e-moose2y ago0 comments

> I mean, if I am looking for a notebook, I rather have FB/IG (or Google or whatever), show me adds of a notebook that I might end up buying, instead of the generic poker/porn adds that we had on the beginning of the internet.

I would rather have <best case of personalized ads> rather than <worst case of random ads>. That's not an equal comparison, neither does it represent a common scenario.

> It is almost impossible to have a free internet without ads. So on one side, people want everything free, on the other side, we don't want ads, so there is a clear problem here.

People do want ads to subsidize free internet usage, as it has been since the Internet's inception. People accept random ads or even contextual ads, but people flat out refuse targeted ads. This refusal comes out of many reasons, many of which you'll find in other comments around here.

Mine are self-determinism and privacy. I don't want someone, regardless of how well intentioned or competent they believe they are, to collect sensitive data on my habits, preferences and choices to then attempt to influence me. I like to make my own mistakes and own up to them.

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squigz2y ago

Thanks for this comment. I am getting sick of this implication that it's one way or another - we either accept the gross invasion of the privacy of billions of people and let companies do whatever they want with that data... or we're freeloading assholes who just want everything for free and clearly we don't understand how business and the world works.

Unfortunately many people seem to ignore the fact that it isn't one or the other, and we can reach a balance here.

kelipso2y ago

Ya it's not like there's a real need for these companies to exist anyway. Most people will happily go back to sms messages and calls if they shut down. Not a big deal.

xigoi2y ago

Ah yes, because SMS and calls are the only ways to contact people without giving your data to megacorporations. Services like Matrix and Jitsi don't exist.

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teddyh2y ago

> […] ads to subsidize free internet usage, as it has been since the Internet's inception.

I can assure you, there was an Internet before ads, and it was better without them.

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