I think as a child I got viruses from one of the ads, you know, the ones would put on the side of the site. We had to call in a guy, to clean parents’ computer. I felt really guilty and never touched those ads again.

So Google’s and Meta’s main business are ads. And recently I felt confused. Do people click on ads? Don’t these ads feel phishy to them?

  • OpenStars@startrek.websiteEnglish
    61·
    10 months ago

    You mean like… oh purpose!?

    There was a time long ago I did that to help them with their business. I’ve learned a lot since then and now I don’t do that anymore.

    • 200ok@lemmy.world
      4·
      10 months ago

      Did you stop because it affects your algorithm, it costs them money, or another reason?

      • OpenStars@startrek.websiteEnglish
        12·
        10 months ago

        Companies need money to survive. Not every company should survive though.

        It is like mosquitos - I bear them no malice, and they are part of the food web too. I still swat them if then bite me. I am also okay with mosquito-cide on a mass scale.

        Symbiosis and Mutualism are great, but advertising as it is practiced 99.99999% of the time today is Parasitic, and I don’t want to encourage it any further.