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0 pointssotix1y ago0 comments

Show HN is a great example to bring up! I often find the hacky projects a lot more valuable and worth my time than the ones that are clear adverts.

HN can obviously be gamed, but I think when people ask or share tools they use to solve certain problems, that demonstrates a desire to discover something new showing that there are ways to discover valuable tools without ads. That type of discovery is a lot different from an ad on Instagram for a drop ship company advertising its US roots while repackaging cheap Chinese manufactured products. In the latter example, I feel the ad exists entirely to sell something that is completely unneeded rather than to inform about something the person genuinely could find valuable.

0 comments

timmg1y ago

Interesting. This stood out to me:

> In the latter example, I feel the ad exists entirely to sell something that is completely unneeded rather than to inform about something the person genuinely could find valuable.

Ironically, this is why "targeted ads" are (in theory) beneficial to both sides. Companies certainly would love to sell you their product -- whether you want it or not. But advertisers would rather show ads to people who will want their product (versus those that don't). This is why Instagram is a powerful platform: it knows a lot about you.

The common privacy concern (which is real, but sometimes overstated) is that the more the advertisers know about you, the worse it is. But "Show HN" is kinda the opposite. That's why you like it more.

In any case, I'm not trying to convince you of anything. I personally see ads as a component of commerce. I'm willing to pay to see fewer ads (like Youtube premium) because I value my time. But I accept that websites that earn money from ads deserve to have them seen.

sotixOP1y ago

I get what you’re saying, but I definitely think we just view things from different perspectives. To me targeted ads signal consumerism when I think at a certain point you’ve gotta be happy with what you have. Perhaps a targeted ad can know you need to replace a broken coffee maker. But how would it know yours broke, and why can’t you repair the coffee maker yourself?

When you let marketing run things, you get what’s currently happening with Apple. A decline in software quality alongside products designed to be replaced more frequently than they need to be. It’s worse for consumers as well as the environment.

I certainly align with you on paying for YouTube premium to avoid ads. I’m perfectly happy to pay for goods and services. I just wish I could traverse my city without seeing billboards crammed everywhere and someone always trying to sell me something. It’s a wonder why I enjoy The Rolling Stones’ Satisfaction so much haha.