If so: how do you think people will find out about new things? Even, like, a new movie or productivity product?
However, the majority of ads I’m discussing don’t adhere to that. Overall, people are pretty good about finding out about things! If it’s really desired, some will seek it out. Others will learn via word of mouth. Steam is a good example I think where people find games without having to see ads on TV, online, or other areas.
IMHO, something like "Show HN" is not much different than an ad. In some sense, neither is your resume. They are all about letting people know about options. But I can understand that those can be more contextual than other ads.
HN can obviously be gamed, but I think when people ask or share tools they use to solve certain problems, that demonstrates a desire to discover something new showing that there are ways to discover valuable tools without ads. That type of discovery is a lot different from an ad on Instagram for a drop ship company advertising its US roots while repackaging cheap Chinese manufactured products. In the latter example, I feel the ad exists entirely to sell something that is completely unneeded rather than to inform about something the person genuinely could find valuable.
> In the latter example, I feel the ad exists entirely to sell something that is completely unneeded rather than to inform about something the person genuinely could find valuable.
Ironically, this is why "targeted ads" are (in theory) beneficial to both sides. Companies certainly would love to sell you their product -- whether you want it or not. But advertisers would rather show ads to people who will want their product (versus those that don't). This is why Instagram is a powerful platform: it knows a lot about you.
The common privacy concern (which is real, but sometimes overstated) is that the more the advertisers know about you, the worse it is. But "Show HN" is kinda the opposite. That's why you like it more.
In any case, I'm not trying to convince you of anything. I personally see ads as a component of commerce. I'm willing to pay to see fewer ads (like Youtube premium) because I value my time. But I accept that websites that earn money from ads deserve to have them seen.
