[xKuni]

> Open ended question, is there a solution?

Regulation. It's a harsh measure, but I doubt there is another one. The last 20 years people tried to find alternative solutions. We have pay-walls, we have crowdfounding, we have various subscription models, I fail to see a solution that hasn't been tried, but yet every single year we get exposed to more ads. It seems extremly unlikely that there is something that could replace ads.

But what is the logical solution when there is a damaging thing in society that can't be replaced by healthy alternatives? It's regulation.

Now I know that a ban on ads seems unlikely. But I honestly don't think we have a choice. Because the alternative is that the ad-industry keeps creeping into every single aspect of our lifes, like they have done ever since their emergence. And with the advance of AR, smart homes and AI assistants this seems like a bad idea.

[cartesius13]

If any regulation about ads ever comes into existence it will be against adblockers, making them illegal or something. Or do you happen to have billions and power and influence to lobby like crazy?

[foxfluff]

That could happen, but it is a nightmare scenario. It would essentially attack the agency you and your browser has; in effect, it would obligate your browser -- and your computer -- to do as a server tells. Having full control over your own computer would be illegal. It also raises questions about whether such restrictions would cover your network. For example, would it also become illegal to null-route ad servers' IP addresses on your local network?

Of course, I wouldn't put it past regulators. In fact, copyright in EU comes close to doing exactly what the above would require.

[Quigglez]

Yea I have to agree. Although it'd be interesting to see some sort of regulation against advertisers, it's hard to imagine a situation where that actually comes to fruition. In all honesty although I don't like ads, sites are well within their rights to try as hard as they can to show them to me, so long as that doesn't extend past their website.