5 ms·

I’m hopeful that people will realize they’re being (almost literally) milked, emotionally manipulated/gaslit, and unconsensually experimented on by psychologist

I’m hopeful that people will realize they’re being (almost literally) milked, emotionally manipulated/gaslit, and unconsensually experimented on by psychologists in these video games as a service. It’s amoral, unethical, and borderline legal.

solardev 4y ago
On one hand, yeah, you're totally right... but on the other hand, isn't that how all periodical/subscription-based entertainment works? TV shows, sporting games, magazines, music, magazines, news, podcasts, gardening, sex... we love our little doses of emotional manipulation, and will pay good money for it :D I don't know that it's immoral unless it's pushed to the extreme with like pay-to-win gambling (and targeting kids, at that). And heavy-handed censorship (like how China limits game time) isn't great either. Sometimes these artificial communities are the only meaningful social interactions for some of their players, and having them cooperate on challenges as a team can be good social training (compared to total isolation)...
- Red_Leaves_Flyy 4y ago
  >pay-to-win gambling Gacha games have entered chat. >(and targeting kids, at that) Same. Also see the subscription scams rampant on walled gardens. >And heavy-handed censorship I’m not arguing for censorship, money isn’t speech nor are psychological studies. I think the line is crossed when video game companies bring phd psychologists in house to help design and study game design to drive sales. While I think fomo is a shitty tactic it shouldn’t be illegal. However, if psychologists are collecting data about users and drawing conclusions then not only do the companies need to acquire informed consent the results and data should be required to be published. Again, video games have been great for socially marginalized people. Lately, these people have become piggy banks for the roaches designing systems with the explicit purpose of maximizing profit, ethics and externalities can be blame shifted elsewhere and guilt can be stifled with extravagant lifestyles.

solardev 4y ago

On one hand, yeah, you're totally right... but on the other hand, isn't that how all periodical/subscription-based entertainment works? TV shows, sporting games, magazines, music, magazines, news, podcasts, gardening, sex... we love our little doses of emotional manipulation, and will pay good money for it :D I don't know that it's immoral unless it's pushed to the extreme with like pay-to-win gambling (and targeting kids, at that). And heavy-handed censorship (like how China limits game time) isn't great either. Sometimes these artificial communities are the only meaningful social interactions for some of their players, and having them cooperate on challenges as a team can be good social training (compared to total isolation)...

Red_Leaves_Flyy 4y ago
>pay-to-win gambling Gacha games have entered chat. >(and targeting kids, at that) Same. Also see the subscription scams rampant on walled gardens. >And heavy-handed censorship I’m not arguing for censorship, money isn’t speech nor are psychological studies. I think the line is crossed when video game companies bring phd psychologists in house to help design and study game design to drive sales. While I think fomo is a shitty tactic it shouldn’t be illegal. However, if psychologists are collecting data about users and drawing conclusions then not only do the companies need to acquire informed consent the results and data should be required to be published. Again, video games have been great for socially marginalized people. Lately, these people have become piggy banks for the roaches designing systems with the explicit purpose of maximizing profit, ethics and externalities can be blame shifted elsewhere and guilt can be stifled with extravagant lifestyles.