[oarsinsync]

> I guess I just don’t understand the argument. For decades everyone knew commercial breaks were just that, no one was being influenced by 30 second ads on TV. The stuff that influenced people back then is the same stuff that influences people today, social pressure and desire to fit in/attain status.

TV programming in the past was optimised for engagement as well. There were extremely limited slots, so each slot had to appeal to the maximal number of people. This resulted in content that was generally relatively bland and inoffensive.

Fast forward to today, and digital 'slots' are limitless. Each user gets their own personalised view. No longer do you need to optimise for what appeals to the maximal number of people as a group. Instead, you optimise for what results in continued engagement by each individual.

It turns out the vast majority of us are stupid (myself included) and are easily manipulated through negative / divisive / controversial content.

The revenue model hasn't changed. It's the content delivery that has.

So to your point, I agree, ads aren't the problem. To my point, Facebook as it exists today is the problem.