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They have literally run “native ads” for a decade which are ads specifically designed to appear to be content from New Yorker writers.

Also not good, but also not at all like freelancing. Freelancers are paid. Advertisers pay for placement.

You mentioned what is or isn’t an ad, my point is the distinction is a lot less clear than you think, and it always has been.

While it’s good more people understand the business of news, this is all out in the open and has been for years.