What if we banned all advertising? Not regulate it—abolish it. This proposal would transform manipulation machines, and maybe save democracy itself. A thought experiment worth considering.

The idea feels like sci-fi because you’re so used to it, imagining ads gone feels like asking to outlaw gravity. But humanity had been free of current forms of advertising for 99.9% of its existence. Word-of-mouth and community networks worked just fine. First-party websites and online communities would now improve on that.

The traditional argument pro-advertising—that it provides consumers with necessary information—hasn’t been valid for decades.

  • Lka1988@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
    91·
    3 days ago

    I would like meaningful regulation on advertising. Something to the effect of “STOP BLASTING MY FACE WITH ADS EVERY CHANCE YOU GET YOU SCUMFUCKERS”

    There is a gas station nearby who runs non-stop unmutable (there is no mute button) ads. I don’t go to that gas station anymore.

    • sfu@lemm.eeEnglish
      91·
      4 days ago

      I HATE when I am forced to watch commercials, in front of my face on the gas pump, while I am pumping gas into my vehicle. I should really get a discount on my gas for that.

          • MisanthropiCynic@lemm.eeEnglish
            1·
            2 days ago

            Idk

            I only remember because there were two gas stations by my house and one of them you could not get gas at all because it was an all electronic system but the other one still had the manual handles you could flip up and the pumps still worked when they turned it on inside even without the screen

            • sfu@lemm.eeEnglish
              1·
              1 day ago

              Many of them I see have video cameras next to them. And most I’ve encountered have a separate video screen above the touch screen. You know, that way you don’t have to miss your favorite ads while you fiddle with your card and put into your info and select if you want a receipt and if you want a carwash to go with your ad.

              Just 200 in one night is a lot, I would think there’d be some carelessness leading to getting caught. Did most of the gas stations fix them and continue showing ads? Just curious.

    • swelter_spark@reddthat.comEnglish
      1·
      3 days ago

      If you push the second button down on the right-hand side, it’ll usually mute them, even if it isn’t labelled to indicate that.

      • Lka1988@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
        1·
        3 days ago

        Nope.

        When I said “unmutable”, I meant it. I tried all of the buttons, the screen itself, and even looked for a hidden control or something. Nothing. It was playing ads when I arrived, it played ads while I filled up, and it continued playing ads when I left.

        The only reason I didn’t just outright leave in the first place was because I was running on fumes.