Re:Why I Work on Ads
by burkaman on Thursday May 06, 2021 @12:31PM
(#27065707)
I understand, and I'm glad you're thinking about it, but you could not have been more clear: "I don't think my work in advertising is something harmful to offset." Did you misspeak? Do you think it is harmful but turtledove might reduce the harm?
[ Parent
| on HN ]
My work on advertising is on Turtledove
Oh, that was not clear from the essay, and honestly might change my opinion a little. Is your position "targeted ads cause harmful privacy violations, but my work is exclusively devoted to reducing the privacy impact, so I don't believe my work is harmful"? If so I would encourage you to edit the essay, because that's not at all how it comes across right now, at least to readers who aren't familiar with your work. I had assumed turtledove was one of many projects you're involved with.
IMHO, that work is still actively harmful since it seeks to provide political cover for a fundementally harmful activity.
If privacy is not being violated, how is the activity fundamentally harmful?