Meta Designed Products to Capitalize on Teen Vulnerabilities, States Allege
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Re: Meta Designed Products to Capitalize on Teen Vulnerabilities, States Allege
#2Re: Meta Designed Products to Capitalize on Teen Vulnerabilities, States Allege
#3Should come as no surprise, honestly.
Above all else since turning public, Meta is in the business of making money. It's not illegal to target user's vulnerabilities in order to get the user to spend more time or money on their platform. It's unethical as hell, but it's business 101 - the shareholders would revolt if Zuck came out and said "here's this opportunity to make you all a ton of money, but we're placing our personal ethics above doing this, so we're not". He'd get sued for breach of fiduciary duty.
Now, are Meta's product strategies unethical (or questionably ethical), harmful to society, and setting bad precedent? Yeah, I'd agree with that. But the market and shareholders like money.
Re: Meta Designed Products to Capitalize on Teen Vulnerabilities, States Allege
#4Do grocery stores “capitalize on vulnerability” when they place name-brand products at eye level?
Do carmakers “capitalize on vulnerability” when they advertise pickup trucks as big tough vehicles for tough, outdoorsy men?
Do providers of health insurance for pets “capitalize on vulnerability” when they say you need to buy their product if you love your pet?
At some point people need to be responsible for their own decisions. And I can’t get that worked up about Meta’s free product.
Re: Meta Designed Products to Capitalize on Teen Vulnerabilities, States Allege
#5Do grocery stores “capitalize on vulnerability” when they place name-brand products at eye level? Do carmakers “capitalize on vulnerability” when they advertise pickup trucks as big tough vehicles for tough, outdoorsy men? Do providers of health insurance for pets “capitalize on vulnerability” when they say you need to buy their product if you love your pet? At some point people need to be responsible for their own d…
> At some point people need to be responsible for their own decisions
This is like saying “everything in moderation” in a discussion about nutrition. No shit. We’re trying to find that delineation.
Re: Meta Designed Products to Capitalize on Teen Vulnerabilities, States Allege
#6Should come as no surprise, honestly. Above all else since turning public, Meta is in the business of making money. It's not illegal to target user's vulnerabilities in order to get the user to spend more time or money on their platform. It's unethical as hell, but it's business 101 - the shareholders would revolt if Zuck came out and said "here's this opportunity to make you all a ton of money, but we're placing our…
Many of those shareholders are themselves Meta users or have kids who use Meta products. Crazy what kind of masochism "the system" encourages.
Re: Meta Designed Products to Capitalize on Teen Vulnerabilities, States Allege
#7Do grocery stores “capitalize on vulnerability” when they place name-brand products at eye level? Do carmakers “capitalize on vulnerability” when they advertise pickup trucks as big tough vehicles for tough, outdoorsy men? Do providers of health insurance for pets “capitalize on vulnerability” when they say you need to buy their product if you love your pet? At some point people need to be responsible for their own d…
Yes, yes, and yes. However, the three situations you named are targeting adults. Children and teenagers are worth insulating from the full might of advertisers, propagandists, and always-on virtual social circles.
Re: Meta Designed Products to Capitalize on Teen Vulnerabilities, States Allege
#8Should come as no surprise, honestly. Above all else since turning public, Meta is in the business of making money. It's not illegal to target user's vulnerabilities in order to get the user to spend more time or money on their platform. It's unethical as hell, but it's business 101 - the shareholders would revolt if Zuck came out and said "here's this opportunity to make you all a ton of money, but we're placing our…
> shareholders would revolt if Zuck came out and said
Zuckerberg has super-voting shares that give him control over Facebook [1].
[1] https://www.reuters.com/breakingviews/zuckerberg-motivates-s...
Re: Meta Designed Products to Capitalize on Teen Vulnerabilities, States Allege
#9Do grocery stores “capitalize on vulnerability” when they place name-brand products at eye level? Do carmakers “capitalize on vulnerability” when they advertise pickup trucks as big tough vehicles for tough, outdoorsy men? Do providers of health insurance for pets “capitalize on vulnerability” when they say you need to buy their product if you love your pet? At some point people need to be responsible for their own d…
> At some point people need to be responsible for their own decisions.
You're asking this of a group that largely can't vote, sign contracts, and which America doesn't trust to drink.
I can get worked up about Meta targeting children in ways which they don't have the experience, or knowledge to know about let alone to avoid. Children should be protected from bad actors like Meta and let me be clear, any company taking advantage of kids is a bad actor.
Re: Meta Designed Products to Capitalize on Teen Vulnerabilities, States Allege
#10Do grocery stores “capitalize on vulnerability” when they place name-brand products at eye level? Do carmakers “capitalize on vulnerability” when they advertise pickup trucks as big tough vehicles for tough, outdoorsy men? Do providers of health insurance for pets “capitalize on vulnerability” when they say you need to buy their product if you love your pet? At some point people need to be responsible for their own d…
Yes to all of the above? Advertising is a nasty industry and should be tightly controlled.