What is native advertising and why is it controversial?

What is native advertising?

Native advertising is a form of online advertising that is designed to blend in with the surrounding content on a website or app. Native ads are usually less intrusive than other forms of online advertising, and can even appear to be a part of the user interface itself.

Why is native advertising controversial?

Some critics argue that native advertising is deceptive, because it is not always clearly marked as an advertisement. This can cause users to mistake native ads for organic content, which can lead to them clicking on the ad and being redirected to the advertiser's website.

Others argue that native advertising is an effective way to reach consumers, because the ads are less intrusive and more likely to be seen by users who are actually interested in the product or service.

What do you think? Is native advertising a good or bad thing?