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Google, Meta and Microsoft to stop showing political ads in the EU

politico.eu

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Re: Google, Meta and Microsoft to stop showing political ads in the EU

#11

Post by simion314 »

dangus wrote: post #7
fsflover wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I would go even further: banning all ads, https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43595269

Sounds like a good way to trap everyone with incumbent corporations. No quitting your corporate job to start your own business, you’re not allowed to advertise.

There could be an index where you list your product/service, so people can find your stuff when they need it. But yeah will be harder to manipulate people to buy your miracle supplement or other garbage that is 99% of the current ads I see. I do not watch Tv, use ad blockers so after years of not watching TV I watched a bit recently and most ads are supplements/"naturists medicine" and for some reasons on youtube without the ad blocker they always show me the same ad over and over again(it is funny Google is trying to sell me the product from the company I work for, and somehow showing me same ad each day would convince someone to eventually try something they are not interested in)

Re: Google, Meta and Microsoft to stop showing political ads in the EU

#12

Post by mrtksn »

I don’t know how useful or relevant is this. The problem is actually influencers paid by political actors to push an agenda.

it’s hard to detect, but it works like this. Let’s say you want to promote fear of AI, then you just show ads(no association with the topic, it’s just to transfer funds) or do live chat donations on influencers that are into fear mongering against AI. shortly, other start noticing that there is money in this and more and more influencers are doing it.

Re: Google, Meta and Microsoft to stop showing political ads in the EU

#13

Post by NoahZuniga »

morkalork wrote: post #9

Will this be the same situation as the news ban on Facebook where all the legitimate ads disappear and all that remains are the deceptive propaganda paid for by shell companies?

Now you can't select the "This is a political add, extra transparency" button but you might still want to buy ads, so less transparency might be the result.

Re: Google, Meta and Microsoft to stop showing political ads in the EU

#14

Post by thewebguyd »

fsflover wrote: post #3
tdb7893 wrote: post #2

Ignoring political implications here and just on a personal level I wish political ads were banned. Quite possibly my least favorite type of ad to see and I've never felt meaningfully informed by them (generally quite the opposite).

I would go even further: banning all ads, https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43595269

That'd be great. But how would you define what's advertising and what's not?

I've built a relatively successful professional photography side hussle without "advertising" as in, I've never paid for an ad on any of the social platforms or google ads. Most of my business comes from word of mouth, or hits on my website.

But, is the SEO I do advertising? What about when I share my work to my socials, is that advertising? Post a reel of behind the scenes footage of me photographing a wedding so potential clients can see my process, is that advertising?

I do all of those things with the goal to drum up business, but they fall outside of the traditional meaning of the word. Likewise with product placement in films, influencer marketing, etc.

How do we even begin to draw the line at what is an advertisement and whats not?

Re: Google, Meta and Microsoft to stop showing political ads in the EU

#15

Post by thewebguyd »

simion314 wrote: post #11
dangus wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sounds like a good way to trap everyone with incumbent corporations. No quitting your corporate job to start your own business, you’re not allowed to advertise.

There could be an index where you list your product/service, so people can find your stuff when they need it. But yeah will be harder to manipulate people to buy your miracle supplement or other garbage that is 99% of the current ads I see. I do not watch Tv, use ad blockers so after years of not watching TV I watched a bit recently and most ads are supplements/"naturists medicine" and for some reasons on youtube wit…

> showing me same ad each day would convince someone to eventually try something they are not interested in

* not interested in right now.

Showing the same ad to the same person (or cohort of people) works. Eventually, someone in the cohort may be interested in that product/service at some point in their lfie and they are more likely to pick a brand they are familiar with. They are now familiar with that brand after having seen it everywhere all over their internet browsing, sometimes for months or years at a time.

Re: Google, Meta and Microsoft to stop showing political ads in the EU

#16

Post by troupo »

The problem is defining what is political ads. I haven't read the regulation yet (full text here: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/900/oj/eng) so I'm just speculating.

E.g. Russia happily bans organisations that promote AIDS awareness because they a) receive foreign money and b) "work to influence political decisions".

Oh, we all know which political ads we don't want. The problem is that sometimes promoting worthwhile causes or just existing may and will end up political

Re: Google, Meta and Microsoft to stop showing political ads in the EU

#17

Post by Certhas »

thewebguyd wrote: post #14
fsflover wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I would go even further: banning all ads, https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43595269

That'd be great. But how would you define what's advertising and what's not? I've built a relatively successful professional photography side hussle without "advertising" as in, I've never paid for an ad on any of the social platforms or google ads. Most of my business comes from word of mouth, or hits on my website. But, is the SEO I do advertising? What about when I share my work to my socials, is that advertising?…

We have successfully banned Cigarette ads. Not saying there aren't things to sort out, and lines to be drawn, but it's by no means impossible.

Re: Google, Meta and Microsoft to stop showing political ads in the EU

#19

Post by AlecSchueler »

thewebguyd wrote: post #14
fsflover wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I would go even further: banning all ads, https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43595269

That'd be great. But how would you define what's advertising and what's not? I've built a relatively successful professional photography side hussle without "advertising" as in, I've never paid for an ad on any of the social platforms or google ads. Most of my business comes from word of mouth, or hits on my website. But, is the SEO I do advertising? What about when I share my work to my socials, is that advertising?…

> But how would you define what's advertising and what's not?

The same way we define what is and isn't political advertising? Or tobacco advertising, alcohol advertising etc.

> But, is the SEO I do advertising?

No, it's SEO.

> What about when I share my work to my socials, is that advertising? Post a reel

No, this is just sharing your work.

> Likewise with product placement in films, influencer marketing, etc.

Is it really complicated though? We already regulate what can and can't be said in all these forms of advertising.

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