That was also my take when I first saw the FBI advice about using an adblocker. Like, yeah, it's good advice, but also why is no one being prosecuted for acting as an accessory if not accomplice to fraud? They're labeling their product as a search tool and then taking money to funnel users away from the thing they're searching for to scammers instead. Surely they are aware of their pure negligence in vetting business partners if the government is issuing warnings to citizens about their behavior?

30% of my YouTube ads are now a large fart sound followed by an AI generated old doctor talking for 15 minutes about some sketchy diet modification

People in general have stopped trying to hold people accountable and have just accepted defeat.

> not blame YouTube/Google for those things

it's because everyone but you have something to gain in that transaction - google got paid ad money, the advertiser presumably got some value in exposure.

Therefore, you, for whom the "harm" has fallen, want to blame someone like google or the advertiser, which google has a form of EULA/TOS to shed all responsibility/liability.

It's just the way the internet is, and the reason for adblocking as a requirement.

The UK has an advertising standards agency, but they're completely unable to cope with online ads.

Of course all the "online safety" nonsense does very little for our safety against misleading advertising.