It was just a short phrase, but was meant to refer to conversations here in HN (or anywhere ads are discussed) where it's easy to see claims about how ads are a cancer and companies "should not" use them and find a different business model.

Which I agree, but as long as society doesn't consider it harmful enough to ban it on Law (like the other activities you mentioned are), there's no reason (save the moral one) for a company to change practices. The incentives are just not there.

I definitely agree we should keep complaining. But at the same time, until things have changed radically, it would be foolish to expect that these complaints will achieve anything at all. Votes and such, that works much better!