The horrible reality is that even if the web had effective and popular micropayments infrastructure it would have micropayments and adverts on top.
Just look at how advertising is creeping into premium streaming services.
Just look at how advertising is creeping into premium streaming services.
If you subscribe to The New York Times or Cosmopolitan you have qualified yourself as being interested in the subject, attached to the brand, and not hopelessly penurious. An advertiser would rather pay to get a message in front of a paid subscriber rather than anyone else.