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Comment by mikemoka | Hacker News Reader

Web companies should know how to write a readable text, it's pity they could just come up with something like that.

This text is not coincise, it doesn't draw the attention of the reader to any specific point and it shows several other shortcomings, if the message ever comes across I am pretty sure this page won't help.

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It might just be that verbose text does more to differentiate this from normal advertising, and perhaps enforce the impression of these companies writing from a position of expertise.

Large image, looks like advertising, easy to overlook.

Dense columns of text, looks like bland content, easy to overlook.

Ogilvy-styled image, headline and text, looks like advertising.

Headline and then text that looks like the letter it is, hey, let me just skim this and see what these guys are upset about. Wow, Facebook and Twitter. And so it goes.

Yes, they could've come up with one or two sentences that appealed to the emotion and pushed the reader to a custom url relating to this issue. Or even an exaggerated screenshot of what could happen if the bill passes.

Ah well. Rational writeups are all fine and good but not when you probably have a split second to capture the attention with an ad.

It's aimed at the committee members, not the average punter, and it is serious because an emotional non-fact-based driven approach would backfire. The NYTimes location hints at the power they have to do more.

Sometimes, longer, more thoughtful text can be more powerful than short, punchy advertising copy.

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