this post was submitted on 08 Dec 2025
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Why are people normalizing targeted ads, let alone being impartial to ads at all?
I'm seeing this the other way around. It's possible the normalization is incidental: the comic exists because it's a common interaction these days.
At the same time, the comic is from the New Yorker. Magazines have a different attitude about advertising in general, so (IMO) this is as anti-ad as a magazine comic can get away with.
There can be good targeted ads eg. For locus businesses. But usually they are not that.
When I did have Instagram I did really like that it told me about local events, the downside that I had to scroll reels to get them. All those events listing websites don't have the type of events I want to see. So there's no places I know about them unless it's from Instagram.
the cork board at the good coffee shop has filled that niche for me pretty well
Oh yeah, I like that.
It's the targeting itself that is bad. Very, very bad. It's a blueprint for mind control and singling out opposition. In the current political climate, this spells bloody trouble.
Elections are far out and this ain't America. Also if the radio would be able to do it so should online ads. That's the line, though.
If I am looking to buy a product or service that serves a specific need, then I would rather be able to use a search engine to find it.
Ads have more than 1 purpose. Eg. Creating awareness a new restaurant opened in your area.
Because I pay for shit I use so it's not really that bad. Shocking I know. God forbid you pay someone for the service.
Because in the grand scheme of everything ads have so little effect on life and my experience that whining about it is a complete and utter waste of time.
That’s objectively untrue, though. It’s just so effective, you don’t notice it anymore, and that’s kind of scary.
👌👍 they have a huge effect on my life. You clearly know better than I.
Advertising works, and changes your habits and opinions, whether you acknowledge this or not.
I just don't care, it's not having a huge effect. I know I know, it is only the ads and ecosystem that makes me want a new GPU from my 2 realistic choices. And I might know of the existence of some other stupid product.
I have better things to be annoyed and concerned about.
I don’t see how paying for a service implies or justifies solicitation. Ads, especially online, persistently obstruct information and strive to be a general sensory nuisance. I don’t even watch cable TV because the ads have become so noisy, brainless, and aggressive (also since so much of the network content has as well).
I think they might mean that consuming ads is a form of payment?
They're not wrong but I still block them. One it has gotten out of hand ads are obnoxious and everywhere. Two they have infected people computers before so are not safe.
You don't understand how commerce works? Everything is just run for free I guess. Nobody is getting paid for anything at all.
Are you trolling?
Understanding how ads work is trolling now?
We….. twice….. established that a consumer is already fiscally paying for these services which then add ads onto the service