[eveningcoffee]

Dangers coming from usage of systems like this by a private corporation is not a cliche. It is a real danger.

If it has not clicked for you then advertising network is a behaviour control mechanism.

[witty_username]

HN is a behaviour control mechanism. _Other people_ upvote articles and downvote anything they don't like. Therefore ensuring you are forced fed with only articles _they_ like. Your behavior is controlled by all these other people.

/s

[eveningcoffee]

Sure it is and without sarcasm. Even when you do not post anything here then reading what is posted influences you toward certain target. Perhaps you get more interested in Javascript for example or most probably, startups.

The question is not in this. The question is in the scale of the operation and actual spread of the influence.

[witty_username]

HN is big and people spend a decent amount of time on it.

[eveningcoffee]

Still it is minuscule compared to some real large scale operations.