zlacker

[return to "What if we made advertising illegal?"]
1. toomim+12[view] [source] 2025-04-05 18:15:37
>>smnrg+(OP)
This begs the question: how could you reliably distinguish advertising from other forms of free speech?

The courts already distinguish "commercial speech" as a class of speech. Would we prevent all forms of commercial speech? What about a waiter asking you "would you like to try a rosé with that dish? It pairs very well together." Is that "advertising" that would need to be outlawed?

What about giving out free samples? Is that advertising, and thus should be illegal?

What about putting a sign up on your business that says the business name? Is that advertising?

I hate advertising and propaganda. But the hard part IMO is drawing the line. Where's the line?

◧◩
2. kelsey+M5[view] [source] 2025-04-05 18:37:11
>>toomim+12
The ambiguity of these questions is a feature rather than a bug.

Being unable to tell when something is "advertising" forces everyone to think twice before hawking their wares, which is exactly what we want if we intend to kill ads. The chilling effect is precisely the intention.

It’s the engineer’s curse to believe that airtight laws are automatically better, or that justice springs from mechanistic certainty. The world is fundamentally messy, and the sooner we accept its arbitrariness, the sooner we can get to an advertising-free world.

◧◩◪
3. econ40+9b[view] [source] 2025-04-05 19:06:12
>>kelsey+M5
There would be a chilling effect on speech. People would be afraid to speak or be imprisoned for saying the wrong things. North Korea is the only country that bans advertising.
◧◩◪◨
4. mschus+9c[view] [source] 2025-04-05 19:11:43
>>econ40+9b
> North Korea is the only country that bans advertising.

Outright banning, yes maybe. But many countries or local governments severely regulate advertising in one form or another, and no one is crying foul either.

◧◩◪◨⬒
5. econ40+Yc[view] [source] 2025-04-05 19:18:05
>>mschus+9c
These countries typically ban alcohol, gambling, children and pharma ads. They still let a large number of ads through.
[go to top]