Why it has to be a single ethical problem? The industry is quite capable of having multiple ethical problems in parallel.
Because everybody is complaining to everybody else that they aren't discussing the real ethical problem. This is being pointed at OP as well as commenters. It makes conversations difficult to have because as soon as people start talking about one thing, somebody jumps in and says "but you aren't talking about the real problem".
I have also noticed this in other HN discussions. Everyone seems to assume everyone else agrees with their view on the topic and there is never any open discussion about it. Usually people just talk past each other and it's never pointed out.
Re:Why I Work on Ads
by summerlight on Thursday May 06, 2021 @01:37PM
(#27066641)
Because it's much easier to have constructive outputs when you focus on a single problem with a clear definition. But people usually conflate multiple topics into single and take advantages from this intentional ambiguity, irrespective of whether you're a proponent or a critic.
Yes there is, because none of what you mentioned is “the problem”, the problem is that all these practices are deliberately put into practice without users consent, or by trying to trick users into inadvertently give consent.
I'll add that one to the list.
1. All ads in general.
2. Targeted advertisement, regardless of the privacy implications.
3. Data collection for targeted advertisement.
4. Data collection for anything.
5. Whether or not users consent to all of the above.
So I don't really think it is fair for anybody to insist that there is a single agreed upon actual ethical problem in web advertising.