It might actually be users that are clueless. With me and my friends we have a policy of never buying anything from pushed ads. If we are interested in something we will look it up ourselves. Then if we want it we buy it and that’s that. Don’t bother trying to sell me what I’ve already bought.
Trying to make me buy something from large ads that have changing content which is annoying as heck, is a surefire thing to stop us from using them.
Now I do recognize that it’s a clear minority viewpoint as they would not do ads unless some, I’ll try to be nice here, people did not respond to them. Same with spam, if it was a waste of time it would not be so prevalent.
Then you always end up with ads that are based on some browsing somebody did on your internal network. Of someone not the same sex as you, which you might never be able to use, or look funny wearing… What happened to cookies that should keep track of that?
In the end I’m cutting out, or moving to the bottom of the bookmarks, sites with 3rd party ads. I rarely have to go to sites like that so no big loss.
This whole scene is motivated by making money. Everything is justified by the need to make money. Things people to each other to make, or take, money. Amazing, you’d think there was some kind of scarcity. There are so many ways of earning an honest buck without throwing away your self respect.
These online ads are not the why, just a symptom. An annoying symptom at times, but still only an indicator of where society is at. I don’t have an issue with advertising your products and services, but I get annoyed enough that I avoid ones that are forced upon me. Never mind ones that thinks it cool to play audio when you arrive without asking first.
Both Netflix and Amazon does the same with their shows and movies. You cannot casually try to find something of interest without being forced into something that starts playing because letting me choose is not effective or something. Makes me treat them the same way, find someone who does not. Not very easy at this late point in the game.