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Looking at an ad is not the same as paying for something. It is not a productive action.

The market doesn't perfectly distinguish this. If someone if willing to pay for your looking at an ad, then it is productive according to the market. Hence, someone is paid. Does this reflect reality? Nothing is perfect, even markets.



I'd argue that a lot of information asymmetric enters into that. If the market knew that the ad makes me hate the company, they would not pay for it.


There's always some asymmetric information. If there weren't markets wouldn't exist.




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