Super effective!
It’s not so much that ads can only sell you something anymore. They’re able to sell your personal details and identity when abused.
I believe the issue has been written on even prior to the 2025 article from Wired.
Data brokers are basically form centralized American platforms which carry immense databases about its users. These demographics can essentially be used to target high value targets. These can include government employees, members of military, and other persons of interest.
These brokers use Mobile IDs to allow advertisers to micro-target people with their habits, browsing fingerprint, and purchase habits. Even if these companies say they don’t associate identities with these Mobile IDs, the brokers can cross-reference enough information to basically de-anonymize a target.
Plus with influencers these days, many don’t disclose if what they do is sponsored or part of a greater outreach campaign. You’re basically stuck wondering if you’re getting targeted or astroturfed.
https://www.wired.com/story/google-dv360-banned-audience-segments-national-security/
I’d say you are confusing critical thinking with anxiety. Critical thinking is a deliberate exercise that I choose to engage in, and I might be able to do for a certain period of time. I’d suggest that critical thinking is an investment of time and energy to really understand an issue, how it’s framed, how to re-frame it. At the highest levels, critical thinking will eventually lead to where you stand on an issue, and what scenarios change your standing.
But anxiety is something I don’t mean to engage in, and might not be able to stop. I’d agree it’s a disruption of critical thinking. It’s either a response to stress, or perhaps a force is pushing you to anxiety to break down your OODA loop (Observe, Orient, Decide, Act) and render you less effective on the field you’re playing in.