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There's a saying/joke in post SU bloc countries that goes “Whatever a Russian does, they end up making the Kalashnikov gun”, or “Whatever a Russian does, they end up making the Kalashnikov gun and a Communist Party”.
I guess this is meant to say that one can't fool or hide one's "true nature".
This is what comes to mind when I'm reading yet another report of some company engaged in unfair competition, in cheating. Or whenever I'm seeing an ethical, honest, hard-working business go down.
I've been doing websites and promoting them for quite a while. And over the years I've seen the conditions for my work change in form, but not in essence. Years ago Google was this new little cute startup. Clean white page, straightforward, no ads. Won hearts and minds of people all over the world. Their moto once having been 'Don't be evil'. Ok, so they've cut into Microsoft's share, became a monopoly, and what do they do today? Sell the first few positions in their search results to highest bidder. People have to scroll down to see the actual search results under ad results.
And this is the company that preaches ethical promotion practices to webmasters, warning them against buying links (because you have to wait till people start sharing your links of their own volition), or over-optimising their pages (SEO). Mind you, the whole point of all that is to get to the 1st page in Google's search results. So that's bad, not allowed. However, buying a 1st spot in search results straight from Google is just fine.
Is it because there's a tiny sign by that result that reads 'Ad'? That makes all the difference? I don't think it matters that much as long as you're still allowed to get targeted traffic by the keywords you hand-pick straight from the search.
True, it was once very easy to manipulate search results and get your website on top by simply tuning your pages content and exchanging links, not even buying them. That didn't always lead to the worthiest websites being in the top 10. But when they decided to put an end o that and include behavioral and other factors, I didn't hold my breath that now justice will be served. They said, we'll take into consideration reviews of your site on other websites and social signals (Facebook, Twitter etc). Ok, wasn't it obvious that people will just switch from exchanging and buying links to paying for social mentions, shares, tweets, reviews? Because that's what hapenned. I'm not saying that it's all it takes to get successful, but it is still a necessary part of it as before was the case with SEO and links exchanges. Because if your competition is doing that and you're just waiting till people show true love, you can be waiting a looong time.
No matter what we do, we end up building that 'Kalashnikov'.
The surveillance spider that has emerged on the net during the past few years. Google, Facebook, numerous smaller companies all gathering shitloads of data on people. Buying and selling that data between themselves. All those Android apps asking for permissions to know your identity, list of your contacts, read the contents of your sd card whether they need those to functions or not.
And why does that work? Because people love freebies. All successful big projects know that. They all start off as these useful free services, wait a little before people are hooked and then stuff their products full of ads, just like the guy before, whom they've driven out of business with their pretence of 'no ads'. And if there are no ads, then your data is being gathered and sold so you can be shown ads later elsewhere. I think you can see similar cases in all sorts of fields. Hard to compete with a big business when they pour their money in and can afford to not see returns for a coupe of years. Little guy has to eat something today and feed his family, he has to make some profit soon.
And can anyone compete with China? How many people will prefer Chinese goods today, be it clothes, home appliances or electronics to the dearer alternatives?
Even though we might know the pricier products were made locally, using eco-friendly materials, by people receiving normal wages, yada-yada-yada, the price remains the most convincing argument. In developed and third world alike. Lots of documentaries about exploitation, child labour, slave labour still used today in some of those countries with cheaper products, and there's no end in sight for their popularity.
I guess we just have to admit it: we don't really care all that much. We want our coffee, tea, chocolate, gadgets and cheap! And if the most ethical store opens up in the center of the city offering those products for their real, no-exploitation or cheating involved price - it will probably not last very long. Ethics just isn't very productive and conducive to surviving and prospering in this world. And it doesn't only concern our species, the naked apes, it works as a sort of 'law of nature' in the wild. Nature doesn't care how you get to survive and spread your genes forward, just do it. You can be a virus, a flesh-eating parasite, or a predator, anything goes. You can also be a herbivore, but then you better be a good runner.
That's how we got on top of the food chain: by taking, subjugating and using anything and everything around us, even including enslaving our own. I don't support the thinking that humans are destroying nature, we're just following its laws to the logical end. Nature was never against unethical practices, every organism tries to take as much for themselves as they can until they are stopped by another organism, who prays on them. We just got on top of the horro-chain and we started making ourseleves as comfortable as possible, and now there's just too damn many of us, so our impact is really showing this time. We are our bitch mother nature's most faithful followers: exploit until you get stopped.
Anyway, this post was sort of inspired by my discovering the service I once used back in the day shut down last year. Not surprisingly really, because everyone uses ad-block in their browsers today so banner advertisement became hard to do. But the message gets a good point across, that if everyone stuck to non-invasive banner ads, no pop-ups, huge flashing things, disgusting pictures, irrelevant ads (like acne remedy on an automobile website), there would be no need for ad blocking. But the aggressive, invasive, shameless tactics always work best, don't they? So we go in circles of trying to push the most obnoxious, intrusive ads and then inventing blocking software for them. Sending spam and then making anti-spam filters. And now we have 'voluntary' data sharing and tracking of the sites we visit and being shown personalized ads around the internet wherever we go. And the privacy providing software is gaining more ground.
So the letter itself:
When we started working on Project Wonderful in early 2006, it was with the hope that online advertising could be something good, something that you'd want to see. We were always the odd company out: we didn't track readers, we didn't sell out our publishers, and we never had issues with popups, popunders, or other bad ads the plague the internet - because our technology simply wasn't built to allow for that. We let you place an image and link on a website, and that was it. And we filtered the ads that could run on our network, so our publishers knew they could trust us.
We'd hoped that would be enough, but in the past several years, the internet has changed. Large sites like Facebook do all they can to keep readers on their network, rather than sending that traffic out to individual websites. As such, many readers - who used to visit dozens if not hundreds of websites a day - now visit only a few sites, and things like the indie "blogosphere" (remember that?) are disappearing. We're hopeful that individual creators can adapt - either by embracing these walled gardens in a way that protects themselves, or by finding other ways to draw attention to their work - but as a network founded on supporting independent websites, our options were limited. Some advertising networks have held on by adopting more and more invasive user tracking, forcing their publishers to sign binding contracts, or by trying to train publishers (and readers!) to expect that "sometimes a bad ad will sneak through", but that's something we always refused to do. We believed - and still believe - that you deserve better. We believed - and still believe - in a world where an ad blocker wouldn't be an obvious thing to install, because advertising would be good, interesting, and non-invasive.
Unfortunately, we're no longer in a position to supply that better option to you.
Whatever we do, the 'Kalashnikov' will re-surface. We'll find ways to cheat and deceive and sell. Just the way we are.
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Irina |
16-07-2019
hahaha)) thanks for the bus analogy! Yeah, the downward spiral of Youtube is regrettable. But that's a sign of the times. I've seen several news outlets simply closing their comments section in recent years. First for selected 'sensitive' topics, the alltogether. Because free speech is overrated, apparently. That's probably one of the few things that I can still appreciate about Ukraine, the lack of political correctness, even though it's happening here too, but much slower. We do have real problems. That kind of immunizes against all those 1st world problems of being offended half to death. Where I live, butthurt means doctor prescribed wrong medicine for hemorrhoids or the medicine was fake, because there is a percentage of fake drugs in our drugstores. It's a Ukrainian roulette. You buy the pills and then hope it's not just crayon. Hey, better not start on another rant. "I came, I saw, I complained." One more terrible news, the poor Grumpy died.(( Yep, I'm not sure I'd be able to make money doing what I do if I had to start today. A bit of 'right place right time' is often a factor. |
Ivo
|
20-08-2019
Paying to be pushed on the top of the search results is the tip of the iceberg... I personally have nothing against it, if it's correctly marked as an ad, and the other stuff works as expected. Google however is into much more sinister business - social engineering through AI. Find who Eric Schmidt is, watch some of his interviews... Watch what Project Veritas did recently... Google and Facebook are destroying what humane is still left in homo sapiens... And I get it, homo sapiens is pitiful creature. However the attempt to turn it into something else, artificially, by the very same homo sapiens consciousness... boy, would that go as planned...
Anyway, economics is basically the way of war. War can never be ethical. It must just look to be (remember Machiavelli?). And it's not only these big corporation, it's the human brain generally working like that. It's a fight for who shapes the way you think, and it's achieve through the thin balance between display of power, and giving the illusion of personal freedom. Most people don't really know how to be free, they just don't want to be openly treated like property of someone else. If you create the convenience, this gives them the illusory impression that they wanted it. If you pretend to be moral, this gives the people the possibility to pretend with you (which is of course much easier for both sides, instead of actually being moral). Anyway... the human society is a circus... Hope to leave soon. |
Irina |
20-08-2019
I know what you're sayigng. Sometimes I wonder whether I am less moral than some people or just more aware of my ethical shortcomings. I do feel like there's a lot of pretending going on - partly concious, partly subconscious. And that I used to do a lot more pretending myself. We all grow up in society and inject its roles and codes of conduct, only later in life do we get to put those into question, if we want to. I've heard a lot of worries being rased regarding AI. I think it's warranted. But who cares, I mean, it will either be a world war, or some other great catastrophy, feels like we're almost 'due for it; historically speaking. Regarding Google social engeneering, that's a new low, of course. Lately I feel like I'm back into USSR as I find tons of movies are made with obvious political agendas. Netflix, which I'm subscribed to, is particularly bad. They treat their viewers like dumb children who have to be eductated that world is filled with inter-racial couples having gay/lesbian children who transition to another gender and also don't shave their armpits, or do, but either way you're a horrible person if you have an opinion about that))) And women-austronauts and mechanics ordering silly, 'toxicly masculine' men around. Pa-lease! Fairy tales for grown-ups, that's what they make. Not real world representation. Just like USSR made movies: not about what was, but about what they wanted to convince people was going on. Happy workers living in shared apartments singing songs while working on dirty plants, delighted to give their lives and health for the Motherland! Well, I'll just grab a popcorn and watch what will turn out of this wave of an attempt at social engeneering. |
Ivo
|
20-08-2019
I lived in USSR already (although technically we were not part of the core union), so I don't think there is even something new to see... Actually my memories from this time were not as bad as what I expect the new regime to be (and it is already to some extend). And the reason is technological advancements. Google has AI headquarters in China, which was the first country to present open mass surveillance and "social score" system. They are actively developing this stuff, and it's not reserved only for China... In USSR and its satellites, wРµ had only state/KGB agents. Now cameras can automatically record how you cross the street, use facial recognition, and automatically punish you if needed. Since everything today is digital, it can be all programmed, you will be judged by the AI overlord... But you are right, at the end, it will be some sort of evil. Without social engineering, how 8 billion people (most of them with very low IQ and moral) can live in peace? The solution from the past was simple - wars. But with these weapons today, real war would mean extinction level event.
About the movies and the culture overall, even in the dark communist times, there were things of value, unlike now. Good example from USSR was Andrei Tarkovsky. In my own country specifically, we had our golden age of movies/music. Yes, the regime didn't like most of them, it tried to destroy them, but it could not get rid of them so easy. Now, with control over technology - they can. For example - what kind of music Youtube popularizes? Especially to the younger people, who are "educated" by the TV... It's despicable... Here is something from the communism, you may know this guy, he is related to Alla Pugacheva: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-jbs7s2SG4E He killed himself slowly with alcohol after 89, since people here just forgot him. Do you know what people started to listen. This is our biggest "star" I think in the last 20 years... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9sQZLtsfp8 Can you see the irony? It's not even about the totalitarian regime, but if it can enter your head efficiently enough. The propaganda in USSR was very thin, very straightforward, very superficial. People were still educated and free enough to think. This is why the regime had to use more physical methods - repressions, labor camps. But the final goal of this new regime is using the AI - first externally, through social media, search engines, shaming, cameras... Then directly in your head, check out what Elon Musk is doing with Neuralink... It's sad, mainly for the children, that enter this prison and will live in it, their whole life. In USSR you could have at least yourself, your own head. These children today - they even don't have that, the system owns them, fully... I envy you for having "ethical shortcomings". Most people are like this, and many are complete "ethical invalids"... I personally don't have children, and never will, but even just watching this degeneration from the side lines, is hard for me. |
George
|
15-01-2020
Dear Irina, I always love coming here and visiting. I have for years, but haven't seen as many posts lately. Maybe you've covered most of what needs to be said about the actual true nature of life and existence..
This post struck a chord for me in the experience of running my business with ethical standards. I could not compete, and customers are cheap and selfish in the end. I'm so glad you have put these truths to words so well. It's a breath of fresh air to read actual truth. Lately, I've been watching documentaries on Chernobyl near Pripyat. I just realized how very close it is to Kiev! I wanted to ask you: this must have affected you all deeply there, and still must? It is truly terrifying to be that close. Your post about Russian tendency here reminded me of the RBMK reactor design that very much led to this accident, along with the pride and secrecy of the Soviet culture. I would really like to hear your thoughts.. |
Irina |
19-01-2020
Hi George, Thanks. Yes, partly that I've covered most everything I wanted on the AN topic, but partly just becoming more busy. Exactly, in real world it's tough making ethical choices, it all sounds nice from "the blogosphere". And being a consumer as well I can relate to both sides. Preferably, people like to spend less. But then oftentimes they like to complain the quality isn't good. For a business, it oftentimes mean if you strive to make the best quality, and put a fair price on it, most people will choose your competitor, who's got a cheaper analogue, even if it's worse quality. Ironically, those same people will often complain that 'they don't make them like they used to'. While they do. Just not for cheap. Have you seen the Chernobyl drama series as well? Been making lots of noise lately. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7366338/ Can't say it affected me deeply, if it is responsible for some of my health problems or not - I'll never know. But I'm fortunate enough to be relatively healthy. And when it hapenned, as you know, nobody told us (my parents) how bad it was so people were blissfully oblivious to the danger and scope of the problem, or to the pain of those who were directly affected. I get the impression there's much more cancer among children of my peers, but there's no way to tell, Ukraine's keeping records sucks as much as lots of other stuff. |
George
|
20-01-2020
Man, that is so telling.. I figured exactly that.. no way to tell how much the event affected so many people, especially later in life. I wish you strength and health! Yes, I was watching the HBO series which reminded me of how things were obscured even in the US when it happened (was a young kid then)..
There's this great channel on YouTube of this girl named bionerd23.. she actually finds a tiny fragment of the core over 20 years later, many miles away from the reactor. It was putting out several millisieverts (I don't remember the exact number), but enough to render you dead in weeks if you were to swallow it. It was the size of a grain of pepper and mixed in with grass. Those are the kind of dangers lurking in millions of places all around there now, not to mention the groundwater.. no way to clean up millions of fragments. I remember that from the US nuclear tests in the Bahamas back in the 1950's is STILL why bananas have a higher radioactivity than background, from potassium taken up in the root system. Drives me nuts that powerful people fuck up the world for innocent people and just go, 'Well, we wanted to blow some shit up.. deal with it?' Cool guys.. really cool.. The world is a brutal place. If only people didn't lie about that, it wouldn't bother me as much. Thanks for your work in helping correct those lies here. I hope you post more when you have the time.. --- > Edited 20-01-2020 01:37:32 |
Irina |
20-01-2020
Right. But then as much as I fear radiation, it's not the only invisible threat. Kyiv and greater area where I often visit, is quite regularly choking in unknown origin or content smoke, stinks of rubber or plastic or somthing else chemichal burning. Don't think it's great for health, especially since it's rather a 'normal state of affairs' in many areas. People suspect it's illegal little plants where they burn tyres to extract oil. Often start after dark so noone can see where smoke is coming from. Sometimes it's legal, big plants too, I think. Allowed to emit thick black or orange-red smog into the air, perhaps a bribe to the officials is less than the cost of installing new filters. etc, etc. nobody will ever know how much cancer those caused either. Lack of efficient government that has people's health as priority (hell, be it not a priority but at least making TOP 10) can create all sorts of long-lasting problems. Unfortunately, Ukraine hasn't moved far from SU state of mind. Harder to hide the truth now, but there's lack of oversight and looming corruption that makes pollution, destruction of ecosystem, slow poisoning of people an everyday occurance. Mind you, it's not just guys up in power, little guy in Ukraine will try to cut corners and cheat and dump their untreated sewage in water if they think they can get away with that. People who are tired to live in the jungle try to leave where rule of law actually exists not just on paper. |
Don't know if you ever read F. Scott Fitzgerald's short story (or saw the film): The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. It's about a man who is born old and grows younger as the years progress. Apart from the growing younger part, I'm kinda the same way. I came out of the womb as a cranky old bastard who finds fault with pretty much everything and I'm not slowing up with the passage of time.
Although I don't possess your insider knowledge of the game, I have been using the internet since the time you were still peeing the bed (i.e. when you were 15. lol) and the vast majority of the changes I've witnessed in that period have been for the worse: degradation in both the design and functionality of web-mail, the decline of YouTube since being bought by Google; pandering to the feminist, SJW and LGBTQIOUABCXYZ movements everywhere, resulting in the uni-directional censorship of all the major social media platforms; crapper versions of established software such as Skype, forced upgrades to browsers which are never improvements over the older ones; removal of the 'My Pics' section from beloved pessmistic blog sites.... the list goes on and on and on.
Your rant was directed to the experiences in your field of expertise and it's the same for mine. Thankfully I am well established in my business because if I were starting out afresh then I'd have no chance of competing. The entire industry has tightened up across the globe, with self appointed governmental regulators making autocratic decisions on policy which affect everyone and squeeze the little guys to the point where they have to give up and look for other, less elitist, occupations. It's sold to us as risk control, but in reality it is no more than a legal way of ensuring that only those with the deepest pockets can take part. Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.