1. Ads are almost universally distrusted
Many commenters treat every ad as a potential scam, arguing that the sheer volume of malicious or misleading ads makes it safer to assume “all ads are scams.”
“I assume all ads are scams.” – frizlab
“All ads are scams.” – deafpolygon
2. Apple News (and Apple’s services) is “enshittified”
Apple’s decision to partner with ad networks like Taboola has turned its premium‑looking news app into a cluttered, low‑quality experience that feels more like a paid ad‑filled feed than a curated news source.
“Apple News is a paid subscription with ads, but the ads are tasteless scam ads.” – FabHK
“Apple News + is the only one of these that has poor quality.” – lotsofpulp
3. The ad‑tech economy rewards scammers
Ad platforms prioritize revenue over safety, allowing scammers to buy cheap inventory and flood the ecosystem with click‑bait, fake landing pages, and dark‑pattern ads.
“The financial optimum for any ad company is to accommodate scams.” – dev_l1x_be
“The ad industry is flooded with scams… the payment processors are making money on their obscene 1%+ processing markups.” – tart‑lemonade
4. Users rely on blockers and filtering to survive
Because of the prevalence of malicious ads, many users adopt aggressive ad‑blocking, privacy‑preserving tools, or simply avoid platforms that don’t allow blocking.
“I block all ads. The bits that cross the threshold onto your networks and devices are yours to display or not.” – Terretta
“I use PiHole, uBlock Origin, and Safari’s built‑in blocker to keep the web clean.” – warmwash
5. Apple’s shift from hardware excellence to service‑driven revenue is criticized
Long‑time Apple fans lament that the company’s focus on services (Apple News, Apple TV+, Fitness+, etc.) has eroded the quality and user experience that once defined the brand.
“Apple’s services strategy has changed this perception. I question Apple’s competitive advantage when they shift to a Google‑like business model.” – al_borland
“Steve Jobs was all about the customer experience… Tim Cook lost the way, spending too much time on the stock.” – jorvi
These five themes capture the bulk of the discussion: distrust of advertising, Apple’s ad‑filled services, the economics that enable scams, user‑side defenses, and the broader critique of Apple’s strategic pivot.