The absolute most insidious thing about this isn't the technology at use here. It's the complete and utter normalization of ads. Google doesn't even consider a world where ads don't exist, they're pushing the narrative that they are a normal aspect of life, and they're offering to help make that more relevant to everyday users. They're normalizing ads in front of your eyeballs 24 hours a day 7 days a week.
Heading towards a very enjoyable and economically sustainable future where the advertising industry is somehow bigger than the goods and services industries that supposedly need its services. But before I get into that, speaking of goods and services, this comment is sponsored by OpeRaid Shadow VPN, the only energy drink/razor blade delivery service for Pro Gamers…
For real though, we must have reached Peak Ad at some point, or at least we're deep into the realm of diminishing returns. This can't go on forever, right? I mean there's a finite number of things that need to be advertised and a finite number of people with a finite amount of time and patience to look at ads. How long until it all collapses?
As long as companies can post chum ads that look like news articles but are completely false or imply nasty false things about a celebrity, there will be ads.
I’m always astounded by how shit internet ads are. Stuff that wouldn’t have passed muster in the Weekly World News.