Remember when FLASHY banners were hot? I used to have a pack of post-its that I'd tape over the banner so I could read without distraction. Time to buy 3M stock.

About.com recently announced it will use Brightcove to stream online videos on its site. Here's what you can expect: "Nearly all of these video clips will include standard pre-roll ads… Included will be player-integrated expandable billboards, a full player takeover unit, an interactive overlay unit which lands above the video window, as well as live-read promotional announcements from the expert guides themselves."

It's somewhat true that About.com sees its visitors as a revenue stream and desperate advertisers as its primary customers. But the dawn of online video… embedded everywhere you go online… raises frightening prospects of how commercial things may become… even on sites that try to balance visitor needs with advertising goals.