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> Sugar is addictive. Do we ban sugar, or regulate its consumption? No! Instead we educate parents to limit their childrens' sugar intake. I don't find it tota
by the_af 2y ago
> Sugar is addictive. Do we ban sugar, or regulate its consumption? No! Instead we educate parents to limit their childrens' sugar intake.
I don't find it totally unlikely to think of a future where sugar is more strongly regulated, since it's linked to real dangers that used to be disregarded, and children are particularly targeted by sugary food.
More importantly, how can parents protect children if the same brain-hacking, attention grabbing mechanisms target them? "Honey, don't be on your mobile constantly, while daddy is busy using his mobile all day long".
> Don't want to play devil's advocate here but it's not the apps'/platforms' fault here, but parents' fault.
I think it's both, with most of the blame with apps/platforms. And parents are as much prey as their children. It's like a "socially acceptable" addiction; maybe we shouldn't make it so acceptable, like smoking isn't anymore?
(Hello, my name is the_af and I'm an addict...)
- robertlagrant 2y agoHow can parents teach their kids not to eat sugar if they're constantly eating sugar? You might be right about regulations of sugar, but regulations shouldn't just target companies individually. They should figure out the actual problem and try and regulate that.
- the_af 2y agoAgreed on regulating the actual problem. But it seems the problem in practice is concentrated on a few big companies...
- robertlagrant 2y agoThat's also true for sugar. And sugar is massively subsidised. Brazil spends $2.5bn a year subsidising sugar[0], for example. [0] https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2018/mar/16/steel-sugar-subsidies-hinder-free-trade https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2018/mar/16/steel-sugar...
- the_af 2y agoAgreed about sugar! If you look at my initial comment, I find it "not unlikely" that some sort of regulation could be enacted against sugary foods in the future.