Why I Work on Ads
I find it interesting how ethics seems to play a large part in the discussion about ads and big tech in general on HN.<p><i>Putting aside the privacy and PII concerns</i>, it seems like there is a large contingent of HN&#x27;ers who are uncomfortable with the idea that websites&#x2F;apps are addictive or manipulative or otherwise take advantage of flaws in human nature. For instance: we like shiny things with lots of colors&#x2F;movement, we generally leave things on default, we engage with hate&#x2F;dissent more readily than other things, etc.<p>Many HN&#x27;ers seem to be uncomfortable with this even if the people using these websites&#x2F;apps are adults.<p>This seems to fly directly in the face of another seemingly wide-held opinion: that the rights of an individual to make their own choices should not be abridged, regardless of what those choices are, who they are, what they believe in, etc. as long as they are adults.<p>I wonder how these two beliefs coexist although perhaps I&#x27;ve misread the room.