..advertising is evil
After watching the video posted by Linda Yaccarino of Twitter on X, I was inspired to write about advertisements.
Here are some initial thoughts.
Ads have always been a part of our daily lives, it made me struggle almost every single day of my life. But in recent years, there’s been a significant shift in how they are presented to us. This change is largely due to the integration of advanced algorithms/AI into the advertising industry. In the past, advertisements were universal. Everyone would experience the same diffusion of content, provided they were in the same place (virtually or in real life). The content was designed to appeal to the broadest possible audience. In the 20th century, due to massive industrialization, industry needed to increase consumer spending so they started to use psychological techniques like sublimation, scarcity, positive reinforcement, authority, sex sells and so on.. Noticed that content was designed to appeal to the broadest possible audience.
All these psychological tricks make it nearly impossible for us to escape ads. Even if you think you’re strong and immune to them, nope, it doesn’t work that way.
without transition, I liked this book
Wow ads changed
With the integration of sophisticated (though not yet perfect) algorithms into ads, the ads displayed to us have changed. Companies like Google, Netflix or Facebook have developed systems that analyze our data to deliver personalized advertisements. These algorithms consider our browsing history, search queries, online purchases, and even our social media activity to determine which ads are most likely to resonate with us.
This personalization extends beyond the virtual world. In sports games, for example, we now see ads that vary depending on the country or even the region within a country. This localization is made possible through data analysis and AI, allowing advertisers to tailor their messages more precisely than ever before. One can imagine an amplification of this effect in the real world, hyperpersonalization, on an individual level.
Another significant change is the number of actors involved in advertising. Today, even individuals can participate in the advertising landscape. Social media influencers and content creators can reach large audiences and promote products directly to their followers. This democratization of advertising has its positive and negative aspects. On the positive side, it allows for more diverse voices and innovative content. On the negative side, it can lead to misinformation and a lack of regulation.
This shift raises several important questions. Knowing that ads are psychological tricks deployed on humans, what can be the consequences of this recent change?
Two main problems
One concern is the impact on mental health. Thinking about the psychological impact of personalized ads brings me to mind the concept of madness. IMO, madness is characterized by the ability to perceive things that others cannot. I think this idea came from a philosophy book I read before, pls lmk if you have the reference. (thanks to Jonas, it might came from Madness and Civilization, Foucault) Anyway, this heightened perception might be akin to how personalized ads create a unique reality for each individual. If everyone is seeing different ads based on their data, are we each living in our own tailored bubble of reality? Personalized ads can create echo chambers, reinforcing our existing beliefs and preferences. This could limit our exposure to diverse perspectives and contribute to a more fragmented society. I think that playing with the line between our genuine interest and manufactured desire can lead to a perpetual feeling that we’re missing out on something, and dissatisfaction.
Another concern is the potential for increased manipulation. If advertisers can target us based on our specific interests and vulnerabilities, they might influence our decisions more effectively, leading to overconsumption or prioritizing wants over needs. Wow, this ad that I just saw! I never thought I needed that before, but it totally got me! It can also lead to disinformation.
In the last years, we have seen ads represent a lot of minorities (Black people, LGBTQ+ communities, etc.). I’m not making a statement here, just noting that it’s similar to the representation during the emancipation of women, post-war periods, etc. Why am I talking about this? Here, I want to draw a parallel between ads and politics. Both share a symbiotic relationship with public opinion. In politics, laws can be formulated based on public opinion or the initiatives of politicians. Similarly, societies influence ads just as they influence politics. However, the reverse is also true. Ads can affects public opinion. By proposing specific content, ads can subtly lead us to adopt certain ideologies without our conscious awareness. This is particularly dangerous because it shifts power from politicians to advertisers. We can see that recently, many people can loose their jobs if they don’t follow a certain ideology and even being cancel. While politicians, despite their flaws, are primarily concerned with human welfare, the advertising industry’s main focus is profit.
Intentionally, I didn’t mention that ads can be destructive because it’s obvious, and I didn’t want to sound pessimistic. However, it’s crucial to acknowledge that they can be particularly dangerous when it comes to targeting children.
I remain optimistic about ads. I think that the recent diversity of diferents actors in the advertising landscape is positive. It can allow to the user to “choose” a type of content he want to see. On platform like X, many people complain about a shitty feed experience, but this is often because they follow the wrong people. By following the right accounts, one can have a feed filled with arts or ml or porn? At a certain point, this ads system will might crash. We can already see the consequences with platforms like Tiktok and doomscrolling, which may push us to structure content regulation.
