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nextlevelwizardtoday at 2:45 PM1 replyview on HN

Is discount really an ad? Like if I had already made a decision to buy a thing and now I paid less for it was it really a working ad?

Also sponsored content is way different than having ads on a website or in an app or what kind of ads do you think GPT will have?

And you are definitely judging me. When people say “ads” that is pretty specific thing that they mean. If you broaden it to mean everything then I can’t argue as there is no point.

There is two options either ads (as in those things every one blocks with uBlock Origin) do not work on people OR they do work on most people but not on me, if anything they are a deterrent from buying that product.


Replies

yunohntoday at 3:47 PM

Here’s the FTC’s definition of an ad:

> Any message designed to promote or sell a product, service, or brand, where there is a material connection between the speaker and the advertiser.

Yes, a discount is an ad - sometimes by the brand/manufacturer to get you to buy their product instead of a competitor, or by the seller to sell that product over others (for even mundane reasons like stock clearing).

Yes, sponsored content is an ad. The content creator is reimbursed for their output that is used to convince viewers to perform some purchase activity, usually over alternatives.

You’re really severely restricting the definition yourself by claiming an ad is “things that ublock origin” blocks. They can’t block physical banners and billboards or TV commercial breaks - does that now make them not ads? Whether you intended to buy something again doesn’t disqualify something from being an ad. In fact, that’s often when an ad is most effective - to buy the one they show you, instead of one you haven’t heard of or considered.