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Comment by DDR0 | Hacker News Reader

So, let's say you didn't want to buy my cheap TV. Market's full of TVs. Hardly a trouble to pick another brand, eh? I just give the consumer what they want, and what they want is a cheap TV. We show ads, that's why the TV's cheap. Best way we've found to cheapen a TV. Don't want ads? Don't buy the cheap TV. And yet, people buy the cheap TV and complain about the ads. We're not responsible for your choice, we just gave you what you voted for with your wallet.

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> We're not responsible for your choice, we just gave you what you voted for with your wallet.

you are assuming people make their TV-buying choice with complete information

does the cheap TV have a big "NEW! SHOWS EXTRA ADS!" announcement on the outside of the box, or in any of its promotional material? no, of course not.

also: "Vizio TVs are now showing banner ads over live TV" means they didn't use to do this. people bought these TVs not knowing they would receive an update to show ads at some point in the future.

this free-market "consumers made an informed decision about the trade-offs of a cheaper TV" argument is absolute hogwash.

This is kind of unfair given TVs are usually kept for a very long time. You buy the TV, didn’t understand why the price was cheaper than competitors, and a year later regret your decision. It’s not really feasible for most consumers to get a new TV at that point.

I mean in this case the TV didn't start with ads, the feature got patched in via firmware updates. That's pretty crappy.

Expensive TVs have the same bullshit.

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