Advertising is a unique service business. When limited to the Internet, platform operators gather users and allow them to access the platform for free in exchange for viewing advertisements. In reality, users are not accessing the platform for free; instead, the advertiser pays for it. In other words, users do not fulfill any obligations regarding platform use, while the advertiser assumes those obligations and gains profit by notifying and exposing themselves to the user. The platform operator fulfills its obligation by providing the advertising medium to the advertiser, but does not guarantee the advertisement’s success and is not accountable for the outcomes of the business. Advertising represents one of the few unique transaction structures in the world that satisfies the utility of each party without necessarily attributing benefits to the counterparty meant to receive them. Such an unusual transaction structure has been rare throughout human history. Although the advertising indu...
Design ethics is an essential field of study. You may wonder if ethics play a role in design, but they are crucial, particularly in terms of addiction. Slot machines, for example, are four times more addictive than other gambling games. This heightened addiction is mainly due to the variable rewards these games provide. Some designers view this addiction as a means to increase profits. A classic example is a screen with an infinite scroll function, which can lead to excessive time consumption. This occurs because the game’s rewards are unpredictable, and some designers tie this addiction directly to revenue generation. Therefore, ethical considerations are vital across all domains. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”