this post was submitted on 22 Oct 2025
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Greentext

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This is a place to share greentexts and witness the confounding life of Anon. If you're new to the Greentext community, think of it as a sort of zoo with Anon as the main attraction.

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[–] rumschlumpel@feddit.org 132 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (10 children)

I assume most normies use Instagram, Tiktok etc. as apps nowadays. Which are also chock full of advertising/sponsored content, but in a somewhat less aggravating way. I assume that's also part of why LLMs are so popular - web without adblockers is complete shit and search results are seriously deteriorating, so instead they turn to a more concise version of algorithmic slop.

I wonder where people will go when LLMs services aren't free anymore (that shit is seriously expensive to run) and the regular internet is filled to the brim with ads and AI slop. Are they just going to pay up for an LLM subscriptions?

[–] kehet@sopuli.xyz 52 points 1 week ago (3 children)

I don't think LLMs will become completely paid, but instead they will be filled with product placement and ads.

You're absolutely right! Have you considered how refreshing a Nuka-Cola product would taste while copy-pasting this writing assignment? Here are directions to the nearest Nuka-Cola vending machine.

Or perhaps a little more subtly, when talking about soft drinks, LLM mentions Nuka-Cola (and how refreshing it is) as an example, rather than competing brands.

Or you ask image generators for a picture of a cartoon cat and it just happens to be holding a bottle of Nuka-Cola. Or maybe there are a few recognizable bottles of Nuka-Cola on the table in the kitchen in the background.

[–] Deme@sopuli.xyz 23 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (1 children)

I suspect that selling information about their users will also be a major source of revenue. They could be doing constant psychoanalysis and profiling based on the conversations and honestly it sounds like the holy grail for data brokers.

[–] kehet@sopuli.xyz 11 points 1 week ago

Also this. It's certainly easy to sell almost anything to someone who has just used LLM as a therapist or girlfriend

[–] rumschlumpel@feddit.org 9 points 1 week ago

Interesting idea, that would be more subtle. The "product placement" approach.

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[–] voytrekk@sopuli.xyz 17 points 1 week ago

It's amazing how they can adapt. I can watch my wife use snapchat and go through a story. When an ad gets between pictures, she instantly goes past the ad without even thinking. It must be the same power that users have when they close error windows and have no idea what the issue is.

[–] sleen@lemmy.zip 17 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (2 children)

but in a somewhat less aggravating way.

This is a quite interesting point to take in. The ads are there but not a straight to the face like website ads are.

TikTok and TikTok alternatives as mentioned, use ads that pop up periodically, but naturally - as in it can be indistinguishable to other content that is presented. As said, the ads are less intrusive and more so designed to occupy the user for a couple of seconds to not effectively brake their inertia of scrolling.

The status quo in the ad sector looks mismatched - but possibly for a purpose. It is known that ads are not only used for advertising on its own, but as a method of manipulation (e.g: YouTube premium). The friendly nature of TikTok ads in contrast to intrusive website ads poses an important question if the design is intentional and in result manipulative. In result, individuals of all ages are drawn to short form content and drawn from effective long form content. Additionally, since most individuals irrespective of age are essentially living off of short form content, it means they don't have effective strategies developed to navigate or use the power of the wider internet. This situation is attributed to discouragement; in effect all age groups are seen to be affected - even considering many individuals which have skills for browsing the wider internet.

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[–] shalafi@lemmy.world 56 points 1 week ago (6 children)

Hardly use my phone for internet, but when I'm away from my PiHole, "WTF is this bullshit?!"

No one talks about it, but internet advertising is a bubble ready to pop. How is a consumer to chose your product, or even begin looking into it, when the they're overwhelmed by an avalanche of ads? The numbers are in and 73% of ad views are fucking bots.

Don't know the available alternatives, but soon companies are going to figure their online marketing budget is a total waste.

Reminds me of pinning my buddy down, "How much money is this satellite install business actually making after costs?"

<after some back of the napkin math>

"Fuck this shit. Let's move to Florida."

[–] Damage@feddit.it 40 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Firefox mobile supports extensions, including uBlock Origin

[–] stardustpathsofglory@lemmy.world 7 points 1 week ago (1 children)

This way you also don't see ads on youtube.

[–] tigeruppercut@lemmy.zip 7 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Revanced still works on android

[–] SparroHawc@lemmy.zip 5 points 1 week ago (1 children)
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[–] slaacaa@lemmy.world 7 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Doesn’t matter, line must go up 📈

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[–] tuff_wizard@aussie.zone 7 points 1 week ago (10 children)

I used to have my own dns server running at home so I could direct all my mobile and laptop dns requests though it, from anywhere over vpn. It meant I got dns level ad blocking anywhere.

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[–] ICastFist@programming.dev 6 points 1 week ago

The advertising industry as a whole is the biggest scam ever created

[–] CommissarKrieg@leminal.space 5 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (1 children)

Web3 is just a dross. Shitewhole

Edit: i meant 2 but the point against cellphone internet usage can be aggravated by THIS pathetic excuse for keyboard

[–] angstylittlecatboy@reddthat.com 13 points 1 week ago

Fediverse should've been what got called "Web 3.0." It seeks to correct problems with Web 2.0 (many of the same ones that the blockchain Web3 purpoted to solve even) through new technology. Just as Web 2.0 tried to democratize the internet by emphasizing user generated content, Fediverse seeks to democratize the internet by distributing ownership of the servers.

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[–] HootinNHollerin@lemmy.dbzer0.com 44 points 1 week ago (1 children)
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[–] CommissarKrieg@leminal.space 35 points 1 week ago (1 children)
[–] bobs_monkey@lemmy.zip 30 points 1 week ago (5 children)

Without an adblock solution either

[–] winkerjadams@lemmy.dbzer0.com 17 points 1 week ago

Me setting up my moms browser with Adblock only to find out she disabled it for a coupon website....

[–] CommissarKrieg@leminal.space 10 points 1 week ago

may the godhead have mercy on their souls

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[–] count_dongulus@lemmy.world 34 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Well, they don't much any more. The normies moved to apps.

[–] Blackmist@feddit.uk 27 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (1 children)

> Downloads app for a store

> Bingabeep at 3am

> There are new offers for 1% off something you don't need

> Oh wow, messages for me

Who does this?

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[–] rockettaco37@lemmy.world 33 points 1 week ago (2 children)

If you don't support ad blockers, you're an asshole..

It's my computer, I'll run whatever software I want on it. Your server costs aren't my responsibility.

[–] InternetCitizen2@lemmy.world 6 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Your server costs aren't my responsibility.

Its amusing that people who mostly say "but those companies need to make money" often have these pro capitalism/free market ideals, but find that reply to be rude. Its a very subservient mindset.

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[–] absGeekNZ@lemmy.nz 24 points 1 week ago

I agree with Anon.....using a computer with no blockers etc....it is just shit.

[–] M137@lemmy.world 24 points 1 week ago

Pretty sure it's part of why "normies" don't use computers and the web as much. If that is their only experience it just makes them use it only when absolutely needed.

[–] ICastFist@programming.dev 23 points 1 week ago

I've had that a few times on family and gf's computers. It was worse than my pirate shenanigans before adblocks were a thing - you know, dealing with sites that had 3 redirects with a dozen DOWNLOAD buttons that were all ads before getting to the real link.

[–] OctopusNemeses@lemmy.world 23 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Probably a reason why people brains have turned to mush. We're in ad tech hell.

[–] reddifuge@lemmy.world 8 points 1 week ago (1 children)
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[–] NeedyPlatter@lemmy.ca 21 points 1 week ago

I'm still in awe at how much of this bs I managed to tolerate since I installed U-block over a year ago.

[–] GalacticGrapefruit@lemmy.world 20 points 1 week ago (2 children)

My god, the rare moments when 4Chan is relatable. 💀💀💀 People wonder why I'm so meticulous about my blockers and my VPN. And then I show them something on my computer, just casually, and they do a double take when they notice just how CLEAN my space is.

They then continue to scold you for not inhaling the slop like theu do the moment you bring up thst you won't be doing something stupid they ask you to.

[–] lb_o@lemmy.world 5 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

Yes, exactly. And sometimes you have to look at someone's screen and it has so much visual garbage from ads - it is unbelievable that someone lives like that.

[–] tino@lemmy.world 19 points 1 week ago (2 children)

Is there a reader viewer button on Chrome? I don't remember. This feature is vastly ignored, but it's simply the perfect way to read content. No consent pop-up, no design, no ad, just a beautiful simple page with text and images.

[–] Fizz@lemmy.nz 5 points 1 week ago

Yes I love the page reader mode on Firefox even as an adblock user. For me its the tan theme, such an upgrade over the white page most websites have.

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[–] ArsonButCute@lemmy.dbzer0.com 12 points 1 week ago (1 children)

All the PCs at my school have Firefox installed and I'm so grateful. I've got my ublock, decentraleyes, all the good stuff. Its quite nice.

[–] GalacticGrapefruit@lemmy.world 4 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Oh! Decentraleyes isn't maintained regularly, the last Github commit was almost a year ago. Give LocalCDN a try.

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[–] Fleur_@aussie.zone 9 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (1 children)

Huh. Strange how I can now date memes to pre and post ai mass market adoption

Wait nevermind saw the date lol

[–] AppleTea@lemmy.zip 8 points 1 week ago

That image is at least a decade old, note that it says "wi-fi" and not "5G".

[–] Snowclone@lemmy.world 9 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

were just back to the quality of black and white ad space internet service dial up.

[–] NigelFrobisher@aussie.zone 9 points 1 week ago

I think pretty much people just stay within their social media apps and just don’t bother to browse the web anymore. Also why people ask LLMs even though they know it’ll just make stuff up.

[–] tetris11@feddit.uk 8 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (2 children)

slower than molasses

Bit of an obscure reference, but for those who do not know, mole's have notorious indigestion problems meaning they're shy poopers, and hence giving them the nickname "slow asses"

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[–] MystikIncarnate@lemmy.ca 6 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Reminds me of a black mirror episode.

[–] slaneesh_is_right@lemmy.org 19 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Every time i'm at someone's house and they use "normal" tv, internet and radio i really do feel like i'm in a black mirror episode. I haven't seen ads in over 10 years and other people just got slowely used to it. It's honestly kinda disturbing.

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