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The ad-based internet is dying, and it's getting worse in the process [video]

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271–280 of 856 posts

Re: The ad-based internet is dying, and it's getting worse in the process [video]

#271

I'm not going to watch this entire video. I just want to ask, what the fuck is going on with those disgusting body horror ads we see all over the internet? Close ups of pimples and wounds and bizzare diagrams of human anatomy that all appear designed specifically to draw the eye (at any cost) but personally just repulse me. There's a whole cross section of websites I won't visit, including some major news sites, beca…

> what the f is going on with those disgusting ads we see all over the internet?

"we see" ? Who is "we" ? Your feed is not my feed, and I don't know what you're talking about.

What's up is an algorithm is taking a guess at what engages _you_. It may be failing badly. Although, you noticed enough to comment, and that's engagement! Rage clicks are still clicks. Understand that and you're closer to knowing what's wrong with all VC-funded social media.

But it's not what "we" see. Ad-wise, there is no such thing.

Re: The ad-based internet is dying, and it's getting worse in the process [video]

#272
post #5

His two examples are Twitter and Reddit whose ad revenue is dying because those two companies have made huge blunders. Elon seems to almost actively be killing Twitter (which the poster even states). Reddit screwed Apollo and then many of the most popular subreddits protested and did things like show porn on otherwise usually SFW content to prevent Reddit from showing ads and thus killing their profits. Those are big…

Elon is such a good guy. Spending $43B to rid society of the trash fire that is twitter. It's a sacrifice not many could make. I am incredibly thankful to him for that and I hope he succeeds at running it into the ground.

Re: The ad-based internet is dying, and it's getting worse in the process [video]

#273

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Why should we be rooting for his success? Rooting for someone's success is not about personal preferences or endorsing their actions. It's about fostering a positive and supportive environment that encourages growth and achievement. > Why would I want to live in a world where "a superapp" is needed? Super-apps already exist in other markets. Entrepreneurs want to create ones in the US market to foster the diversity…

> It's about fostering a positive and supportive environment that encourages growth and achievement. Not when this "growth" and "achievement" is something that affects part of the society negatively, or when there might be unknown consequences. > Super-apps already exist in other markets. And they are enablers of authoritarian states and continuous centralized power over a handful of corporations. > You don't have to…

> You forgot to capitalize your Lord's name.

Emotions are the enemy of a constructive dialogue. I bail.

Re: The ad-based internet is dying, and it's getting worse in the process [video]

#274

I agree with recent TWiT discussion on this : we've had it good for a while - the promise of free internet but all those services cost money to keep running. I don't have an issue with paying Youtube Premium Lite. Where I have an issue with the subs model is you're pay subs to so many services, YT Netflix Twitch, etc. It adds up pretty quickly, and costs way more than traditional TV used to cost. Then there's the iss…

When people make the comparison to the cost of cable TV and so forth - I feel like people forget: you were paying for TV and still got shown a ton of advertisements. About a quarter of air time was just advertising. That is usually higher than anything you’ll see on the Internet even for content you aren’t paying for. I’m not even including all the weird product placement aspects and other such things.

Paying for these services to not see ads is still a win compared to most cable tv…

Re: The ad-based internet is dying, and it's getting worse in the process [video]

#275
post #9

I think we really need microtransactions. Pay $0.05 to read this article? Sure. Whoever figures out the infrastructure for that (seems like it would be right up Stripe’s alley) is going to make trillions.

Remember flattr?

Re: The ad-based internet is dying, and it's getting worse in the process [video]

#276

I agree with recent TWiT discussion on this : we've had it good for a while - the promise of free internet but all those services cost money to keep running. I don't have an issue with paying Youtube Premium Lite. Where I have an issue with the subs model is you're pay subs to so many services, YT Netflix Twitch, etc. It adds up pretty quickly, and costs way more than traditional TV used to cost. Then there's the iss…

As someone who "grew up" on the internet and was very active in internet forums and places in the early 00s as early as age 10, I struggle to see how kids are going to continue to be a huge part of internet discourse and consumption if everything is behind a paywall. That's, like, literally the only problem I have with this line of thought. Other than that, I completely agree. I'd rather pay than have ads be there in the first place in most cases.

Re: The ad-based internet is dying, and it's getting worse in the process [video]

#277

I agree with recent TWiT discussion on this : we've had it good for a while - the promise of free internet but all those services cost money to keep running. I don't have an issue with paying Youtube Premium Lite. Where I have an issue with the subs model is you're pay subs to so many services, YT Netflix Twitch, etc. It adds up pretty quickly, and costs way more than traditional TV used to cost. Then there's the iss…

"I agree with recent TWiT discussion on this : we've had it good for a while - the promise of free internet but all those services cost money to keep running."

Most internet users pay for internet access. When I first got connected the fees were paid by employers and universities. Later, "ISPs" offered service to the home. The internet was never free. But there has always been free content on the internet, even before there were ISPs. Before the term "monetisation" was ever used to refer to websites, there was plenty of "free" content published on the internet. Will it disappear if advertising fails to suffice for "monetisation". There is no proof of this outcome. It is heavily biased speculation.

There is proof however that free content can exist on an internet even in the absence of such "monetisation".

Re: The ad-based internet is dying, and it's getting worse in the process [video]

#278
post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Your coworker is wise. Economic theory holds that in a truly efficient market, profits approach 0.

That’s economic profits that approach 0. You can still run an accounting profit, it’s just not bigger than it would be if you invested your money somewhere else, like land or mining or coffeeshops or whatever.

Economic profit is still there, it's abnormal profits that would go to zero. With zero EP the opportunity cost of staying in business would be to high.

With 0 AP, the industry is in equilibrium, with no companies dropping out, and no companies entering the market.

Re: The ad-based internet is dying, and it's getting worse in the process [video]

#279
post #9

I think we really need microtransactions. Pay $0.05 to read this article? Sure. Whoever figures out the infrastructure for that (seems like it would be right up Stripe’s alley) is going to make trillions.

This won't work, because it requires the user to build a mental budget each time they go online. That is the exact opposite of how internet use has worked since its inception.

Secondly, if there really was a big opportunity in enabling micro transactions, the main players (PayPal, Visa, etc) would already have some offering available after ~25 years of paying for stuff online.

Re: The ad-based internet is dying, and it's getting worse in the process [video]

#280

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My day job is helping sell ad-free, subscriptions, so I'm a fan of the idea. That said, Elon is driving away the lucrative advertisers and not dropping ads entirely. Even Blue subscribers still get ads, albeit fewer. At their scale and in their market the premium subscriptions model doesn't appear to work, unless their costs can be reduced much, much further. Sharing revenue with creators is great. Not everything bei…

Also, Paul, if you think Elon is doing something completely wrong, I encourage you to jump on Twitter Spaces and explain your concerns directly to him. He is live from time to time and happily chimes into a conversation with mere mortals.

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