To take a contrarian point of view - I don’t see advertising as *inherently* bad. I think of it a bit like lotteries. Lotteries are said to be a tax for those that are bad at math. If you don’t play the lottery then, in a sense, those that do are paying your way when it comes to certain things. If you watch a TV show that is sponsored by Sham-wow and others buy the Sham-wow but you don’t - they’re in effect, paying your way.
Secondly, there are definitely things like concerts by favorite artists or books by favorite authors that I would really like to know about. Or maybe there’s a new restaurant that you would like to try out that’s nearby to somewhere where you’re going. Or maybe some product you were going to buy anyway is being sold for half-off this weekend. I’d argue that all of these types of info are possibly useful.
Sometimes the ads themselves are just great entertainment. For example today I just watched the Geico Hump Day camel ad several times. I also love the etrade baby ads. And I’ve never used either product. But love their ads. (I can do without their Gecko, however).
Obviously advertising can and does crosses the line and becomes annoying, relentless, in your face, and what’s more uses subterfuge and dubious and devious means to achieve its purpose. And these third party cookies appear to be that.
I’m only saying that advertising *per se* is not evil.
I think advertising, despite not being inherently bad, can become mad
But I need to be in control of it, and not directed away or distracted away from the content I went to the site for in the first place.