The reason things have changed is because of the rule, not despite it.

I expect the Altcoin section to reach a new low of depravity should the rule be rescinded: it enables scammers to simply advertise their token/coin/flubbogastor-extractinator for the low low cost of zero (minus development costs of a few dollars). That's why bounties are still rampant - it's the airdrop that topics can use for easy traffic, minus the ban.