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Comment by lifeeeeee | Hacker News Reader

Neural networks scan the final rendered image of the page for ads and remove them. You can't dodge that.

Sure you can, the same way TV shows have done it - by subtly incorporating it into the text of the article.

At that point I think most people wouldn't care. Nobody is offended because James Bond wears an Omega watch. When it is doing not so subtly then it becomes weird (e.g.: transformers)

I am. I despise that. It's the worst kind of advertising.

I don't mind it.

In fact, I almost spat out my Coca Cola, I was so surprised that you would think that.

I am torn. On one side it is one of the most effective kind short of a direct referral by a friend. I can understand that if you despise the idea of advertising as a whole then it can be seen as manipulation. (Personally I don't mind)

On the other hand I think that it is the one that blends the best and can even have some value. For example I can imagine that people enjoy a car heist movie more if actual cars that exist are being used as opposed to some made up stuff.

In France there are laws against "accidental" advertising so in news and TV almost any brand will be taped over or blurred. It is actually way more jarring and ugly than just leaving it as it is. It is especially funny when you have the logo of national rail company, which is basically a gradient, blurred.

It will always be a game of cat and mouse. Even with Neural networks involved :D.

[0] https://arxiv.org/abs/1412.1897 [1] https://arxiv.org/abs/1710.08864

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