Do you realize how much bullshit people buy that they do not need because of ads? People end up with much less money because of that. And the environment suffers too.
And no, without apps people would be able to discover new things. Current ads are not about facts but connecting feelings with products.
It's not exactly like people weren't buying things before the internet. Hell, there's advertising on the walls of Pompeii. If anything, better advertising gets us to buy stupid shit people are actually more interested in than before.
Psychology and a normalization of false promises (thus far will make you a real man, this product will make you desired) only started around 1900.
The benign ads can still be seen in China when people write their service and a phone number on the wall, basically the only graffiti you will see there.
This has to be one of the most uninformed comments I have ever read on HN.
Are we seriously going to blame ads for people buying stuff they need? I mean come on, this seems like a South Park episode, the Ads are self-aware and made us do it.
Current ads are not about facts? Please do tell when was a time ads were not about trying to awake emotions inside prospective customers? Check out The 22 Irrefutable Laws of Marketing by Jack Trout and Al Ries, a book old almost 30 years yet still holds today. Marketing (offline or online ads, it's all the same basis) has and always will be part psychological.
I don't know for you, but I would rather appreciate an ad about something which I found useful (a sponsored job posting in my field of work on Instagram) than get a random ad like the early 2000s ("This russian young lady can't wait to meet you").
While we might not like or appreciate ads from a technical perspective, it is beneath a developer's pride we must come to terms that ads are what puts bread to our tables.
Innovation and progress, especially in the internet age has occured thanks to the business potential of marketing and ads.
If ads would not make people buy things there would not be so much money in that business.
Ads started using psychology and emotions around 1900.
I would prefer a world without those ads. Here in Germany I even still have to endure ads for tobacco.
Ads would be completely unnecessary where I work, we have solely customers that pay a recurring fee.
The only innovation in advertising is about lying better to people and spy more on them. Ads have wasted so much potential of talented developers and creative people.
> Do you realize how much bullshit people buy that they do not need because of ads? People end up with much less money because of that.
Other people's issues with financial self-control isn't a solid basis for being against something. By that logic, alcohol, clothing stores, videogames, literally anything that might influence people to buy things they don't really need is bad.
There's a line where what you call "people's issues with financial self-control" becomes a societal/systemic problem. Alcohol and gambling are the classic examples where extra taxation and regulation like age restrictions come into play. Where is that line for general advertising? I don't know. But it's out there.
P.S. Speaking of videogames, I'm of the opinion that many mobile "gatcha" games should be regulated like gambling products. Hoping legislation catches up in this regard.
And no, without apps people would be able to discover new things. Current ads are not about facts but connecting feelings with products.