zlacker

Silly idea. Some advertising is bad. Some is really bad. Other advertising is useful. I wouldn't know about half the gigs or exhibitions I go to and enjoy if it weren't for the advertisements throughout the city. There are many small local businesses I wouldn't know about (to my detriment) if it weren't for advertising. The internet as we know it never would have been built if it weren't for advertising.

But there is a certain kind of advertising that is detrimental. My first thought is Amazon 'sponsored' products. Allowing companies to pay money to put inferior products at the top of search results is bad for society. Same goes for Google sponsored search results. Sponsored content in general is terrible. People that have gained your trust selling you things and not actually telling you they are being paid to do so. There are many many digital ads that would not be allowed IRL because they would be stopped for false advertising by regulators.

Like most things in life these days, the problem is not the thing itself. The problem is the Wild West that is the internet where there is minimal regulation allowing people to lie, cheat and get away with it.