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Social media companies are cigarette companies. They should be taxed and frowned upon accordingly. Remember way back when when cigarettes were cool? Well fast-

Social media companies are cigarette companies. They should be taxed and frowned upon accordingly. Remember way back when when cigarettes were cool? Well fast-forward 70 years and that’s social media now.

mbrock 9y ago
An interesting dual to that is "cigarettes are a social network."
dbmikus 9y ago
That's a very hyperbolic statement. Facebook still has merit as a way to organize and communicate with your social group, even if there are some negatives. For cigarettes, I don't know what positives people can claim with a straight face. That you get to go outside at work for a smoke break?
- riot504 9y ago
  70 years ago no one viewed cigarettes in the negative.
- pdkl95 9y ago
  The analogy works surprisingly well. I really wish I didn't have to breath the Facebook's (and Google's) secondhand smoke every time when I interact with other people (or websites). Just like smoking, putting a "like" button on your website or using any of their services to chat with someone inflicts causes "secondhand" damage on people that choose to people that chose not to "inhale". > I don't know what positives Nicotine is a drug. It should be obvious that some people enjoy its effects and/or find it useful. The tolerance effect may reduce those benefits for some (most?) people, but that doesn't change that it had (or continues to have) positive effects. > claim with a straight face Maybe you should ask the doctors at the Harvard Medical School[1] et al about the benefits nicotine seems to have for several mental health issues? Now that we are finally moving oast the taboos on any nicotine-related research, these discoveries might lead to entirely new types of medication. [1] https://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/Nicotine_It_may_have_a_good_side https://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/Nicotine_I... (paywall - google cache bypass: https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:t8ekKUjkJosJ:https://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/Nicotine_It_may_have_a_good_side+&cd=26&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:t8ekKU... )
ravenstine 9y ago
In some ways they are, though I'd mostly attribute that quality to Facebook. Taxing wouldn't do a thing, but creating more awareness around how destructive Facebook is might help more people think twice about using it. Then again, that might not even be necessary. I think Facebook is going to be in serious trouble within the next 3 to 5 years. Instagram might be fine, but Facebook as a platform is definitely not forever, and it doesn't seem like anyone is really trying to replicate it.
nofilter 9y ago
I don't think cigarettes are cool. I also don't think cigarettes are uncool. They way it seems to be generally thought of in northern europe is that it's just something some people do and others don't. Sure, I don't smoke near to a non-smoker, because that's a nice thing to do, but a non-smoker also doesn't tell me I should quit smoking, because that's also a nice thing to do. Cigarettes are nothing, but taking a walk when you're standing still, albeit an unhealthy walk.
- bklaasen 9y ago
  Think of it as a reverse insurance policy: investing in your future ill-health.

mbrock 9y ago

An interesting dual to that is "cigarettes are a social network."

dbmikus 9y ago

That's a very hyperbolic statement. Facebook still has merit as a way to organize and communicate with your social group, even if there are some negatives. For cigarettes, I don't know what positives people can claim with a straight face. That you get to go outside at work for a smoke break?

riot504 9y ago
70 years ago no one viewed cigarettes in the negative.
pdkl95 9y ago
The analogy works surprisingly well. I really wish I didn't have to breath the Facebook's (and Google's) secondhand smoke every time when I interact with other people (or websites). Just like smoking, putting a "like" button on your website or using any of their services to chat with someone inflicts causes "secondhand" damage on people that choose to people that chose not to "inhale". > I don't know what positives Nicotine is a drug. It should be obvious that some people enjoy its effects and/or find it useful. The tolerance effect may reduce those benefits for some (most?) people, but that doesn't change that it had (or continues to have) positive effects. > claim with a straight face Maybe you should ask the doctors at the Harvard Medical School[1] et al about the benefits nicotine seems to have for several mental health issues? Now that we are finally moving oast the taboos on any nicotine-related research, these discoveries might lead to entirely new types of medication. [1] https://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/Nicotine_It_may_have_a_good_side https://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/Nicotine_I... (paywall - google cache bypass: https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:t8ekKUjkJosJ:https://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/Nicotine_It_may_have_a_good_side+&cd=26&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:t8ekKU... )

ravenstine 9y ago

In some ways they are, though I'd mostly attribute that quality to Facebook. Taxing wouldn't do a thing, but creating more awareness around how destructive Facebook is might help more people think twice about using it. Then again, that might not even be necessary. I think Facebook is going to be in serious trouble within the next 3 to 5 years. Instagram might be fine, but Facebook as a platform is definitely not forever, and it doesn't seem like anyone is really trying to replicate it.

nofilter 9y ago

I don't think cigarettes are cool. I also don't think cigarettes are uncool. They way it seems to be generally thought of in northern europe is that it's just something some people do and others don't. Sure, I don't smoke near to a non-smoker, because that's a nice thing to do, but a non-smoker also doesn't tell me I should quit smoking, because that's also a nice thing to do. Cigarettes are nothing, but taking a walk when you're standing still, albeit an unhealthy walk.

bklaasen 9y ago
Think of it as a reverse insurance policy: investing in your future ill-health.