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Nothing would make me want to buy yogurt less than an ad on my phone while I'm looking at yogurt. I would hope everyone would feel the same way, to disincentivize this.


I would agree. But the skeptic in me thinks that once this behaviour is mainstream enough, people will forget how outraging it is and just accept it.


This is what I'm thinking.

The first time this happens, I'm not going to buy the thing, but I'm going to jump through whatever hoops are necessary to disable this feature on my device. If that doesn't work, I'm going to get another device and then I'm never going to patronize whatever retailer did this.

I suspect eventually this will make people irate and these sorts of things will become opt-in.


The best way to protest surveillance capitalism is to make it ineffective. If you get a pushy or creepy ad, go out of your way to avoid that product or brand. Even if it is appealing to you. Even if it's a good deal. Send the strongest kind of signal against targeted ads: money.


I do whenever I can. For instance, for close to a decade now I maintain a blanket ban on Groupon for that one time they spammed me with retargeted ads a bit too hard (3+ same ugly pink ads simultaneously on a single webpage).


I agree, ads should go to wrist, not to phone.




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