Stack Overflow’s leadership emphasizes that this isn’t merely about monetization but about enhancing user experience.
As soon as I see someone says that ads "enhance" the user experience, I know they are full of shit.
this post was submitted on 13 Dec 2025
133 points (95.9% liked)
Technology
77096 readers
2493 users here now
This is a most excellent place for technology news and articles.
Our Rules
- Follow the lemmy.world rules.
- Only tech related news or articles.
- Be excellent to each other!
- Mod approved content bots can post up to 10 articles per day.
- Threads asking for personal tech support may be deleted.
- Politics threads may be removed.
- No memes allowed as posts, OK to post as comments.
- Only approved bots from the list below, this includes using AI responses and summaries. To ask if your bot can be added please contact a mod.
- Check for duplicates before posting, duplicates may be removed
- Accounts 7 days and younger will have their posts automatically removed.
Approved Bots
founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
Ads that pretend to be normal content are literally the fucking worst kind of ad and anyone who suggests implementing them should be dragged out back and shot.
Not surprised that stack exchange is doing this, given that they seem determined to drive away their entire userbase.
It's the only way to cheat ad blockers
Plus, if you don't give a shit about your userbase and or long term goals, then who cares, right?
No, it's not a way to cheat ad blockers. It's just to trick you.
And AI is not the cause, just one of the last nails of that coffin. I’m still pissed at the gatekeeping moderators, actively eliminating participation of new users. I tried to be part of it two times, got burned two times, turned away and just used it as an info source, rather than “wasting” time trying to help others.
It's not uncommon on sites where a high proportion of the userbase uses an adblocker, as making ads look like and render using the same code as organic content (same CSS classes, etc) makes them harder to block.
while maintaining transparency and user value
Yeah, that you'll lose.
I really hate the term native ad. It makes it sound like it isn't the worst thing ever invented.
It should instead be called invasive ads or undercover ads.
Impostor ads
sus amogus
“Native ads“ literally means trying to trick your users into accidentally clicking an ad. Like unread email in Gmail that’s actually just an ad (spam).
Funding boost? Didn't they make a big deal with OpenAI or some other LLM provider like 6 months ago?
Edit: I looked it up and it was both Google and OpenAI, but more than a year ago. I guess that's what you get as LLM users use those instead of visiting your website, and non-LLM users stop contributing
Line must go up.
I'm imagining code snippets that would actually download ads into applications people are writing. This would target those that copy/paste'd code without having any concept of what the code in question does.
Integrated into vibe now
Genius
Any "article" starting with the words "in the ever evolving world of"... Lost its credibility before it was even published.
God what an awful, awful time to be alive.
Yeah “changing”, sure. But “evolving” implies things are changing for the ”better”, which they are not.
aiming to fund enhancements while maintaining transparency and user value. Critics fear erosion of trust and misinformation. This move reflects efforts to balance revenue with community integrity amid AI-driven industry shifts.
Pure business bullshit bingo.
By weaving ads into the natural flow of content, the platform hopes to deliver relevant promotions—think coding tools or job listings—directly to developers in their moment of need. This approach could foster a more symbiotic relationship between advertisers and the community, where sponsored content provides genuine value rather than interruption.
Mh, as usual ads will provide genuine value
That's embarrassing.
Wow fuck these clowns
What's the point, don't ads pay per impression? Are there actually more than 5 people still using stackoverflow? I can't see how this would make them any money.