Going one step further on:

The grow first, monetize later playbook is what causes louder disapproval of ads.

I think personalized advertising quiets these objections back down.

#TikTokMadeMeBuyIt is the extreme end of this.

Ads feel less like ads if they are perceived to provide value (by getting you to purchase, subscribe, etc).

This is also where the uncanny valley of “they’re listening to me to target ads!” arises.

If privacy advocates and regulators keep pushing, we’ll soon see if I’m right or wrong on this hypothesis.