[unethical_ban]

Person creates website with some content. Person verifiably has 25k people looking at it at least sometimes. Restaurants give him a meal in exchange for ad space(sponsored review).

Other than further polluting the new web with fake bullshit content, there doesn't seem to be anything immoral about it. It just "feels" a bit scummy. But hey, a man's gotta eat.

[LegitShady]

This person steals content from others. They don't add anything. They didn't create a website either - they're just scraping content to steal. And they steal that content for actual financial benefit of free food rather so it isn't innocent.

This is totally scummy.

[unethical_ban]

I won't argue the "steal content" component. Indeed it's unsavory, though I guess I'm desensitized because that's what 70% of social media and reddit is these days.

In the context of this discussion, though, I think the "website" analogy fits just fine.

[vietthan]

We say that but people who follow the account or like his posts must have found some value.

[LegitShady]

That value is stolen from the original source so he can proposition restaurants for financial benefit.

[tengbretson]

> But hey, a man's gotta eat.

Yes, ideally by providing value to others in their community.