[virmundi]

I wonder how effective ads are getting on the web anyway. I'm techy, and I filter them mentally. My wife is consumer literate technical and filters them mentally too. And I have Ad Block.

[digi_owl]

I seem to recall a recent article claiming that companies has started to ask themselves the same thing.

[TheOtherHobbes]

There's always been something cargo culty about online advertising.

If that market implodes, it's going to be... interesting.

[ghaff]

I thought that a while ago. It hasn't happened yet but that doesn't mean it won't. And even if it doesn't implode, it could certainly decline significantly.

A HUGE amount of the "free" services and content that pretty much all of us take so much for granted around the web are directly or indirectly supported by online advertising. Take that away and, as you say, it will be interesting.

[toomuchtodo]

Gmail? I'd pay for. Netflix? I already pay for. Online content? Sure, I'll pay a few bucks a month for the Economist or the NY Times. I already pay for Evernote, Flickr, etc.

What free services am I going to miss?

[ghaff]

Search? Pretty much all content provided beyond the individual level (and even some of that)?