[wizzwizz4]

If you really want to hide it, you could write a CSS rule with the :has selector. Probably won't be too long 'till that's standardised and implemented. https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/CSS/:has

But, as the only thing really funding Hacker News, I think unobtrusive, easy-to-identify job ads are a worthy price to pay.

[tedivm]

Are these actually funding Hacker News? I just thought since YC owns Hacker News they were giving out free job postings to the companies they fund.

IMO hacker news basically pays for itself with all the publicity it gives YC and the various YC companies. I'm sure other companies would be willing to pay a fortune for that kind of marketing (although it can obviously be a mixed blessing).

[kristianc]

> ‘IMO hacker news basically pays for itself with all the publicity it gives YC and the various YC companies.‘

‘I’ll just take this soda, the grocery store can afford it.’

[tedivm]

No one is stealing anything here, and I didn't even advocate for blocking the job postings (which I also pointed out I'm not sure are even paid). I simply questioned whether the job postings are even paid at all.

[kristianc]

HN says that they are the ads on the platform - they’re a perk for the companies who have been accepted to YC and want to attract talent to their startup.

If blocking them does not financially impact HN, blocking them would certainly make the life of that startup harder than it needs to be. Particularly as none of the arguments that routinely get used against trackers actually seem to apply here.

[tedivm]

Those are really good points, and would have been a much better response than the soda can thing.

[rapnie]

> the only thing really funding Hacker News

Wouldn't YC also get value - maybe enough to fund HN - from analysing usage data (upvotes, downvotes, link clicks, maybe PII even, etc.), e.g. to perceive market trends, other topics of interest for services they provide their startup ecosystem?

[muzani]

I think the only data they're interested in is whether this person makes a good founder. They link HN accounts to the YC application.

[kristianc]

> Wouldn't YC also get value - maybe enough to fund HN - from analysing usage data (upvotes, downvotes, link clicks, maybe PII even, etc.), e.g. to perceive market trends, other topics of interest for services they provide their startup ecosystem?

That kind of thing isn’t so popular around here.

[rapnie]

You are being ironic, I presume. When near everyone who matters in SV / IT / tech is a user on your platform, I gather there is something of interest in the data trail they leave behind.

[kristianc]

I mean, that argument could be used for any kind of data exhaust at all - data mining still has a massively negative reputation, particularly on HN.

[rapnie]

Ah. Yes, sure, I very much share that opinion. Its done everywhere nevertheless.

I don't know the people at YC (other than dang from his comments.. a great mod) and their moral/ethical stance. But they are in the business of trying to raise unicorns though, with potential multi-billion valuation.