From their own internal metrics, tech giants have long known what independent research now continuously validates: that the content that is most likely to go viral is that which induces strong feelings such as outrage and disgust, regardless of its underlying veracity. Moreover, they also know that such content is heavily engaged with and most profitable. Far from acting against false, harmful content, they placed profits above its staggering—and damaging—social impact to implicitly encourage it while downplaying the massive costs.
Social media titans embrace essentially the same hypocrisy the tobacco industry embodied when they feigned concern over harm reduction while covertly pushing their product ever more aggressively. With the reelection of Trump, our tech giants now no longer even pretend to care.
Engagement is their business model, and doubt about the harms they cause is their product. Tobacco executives, and their bought-off scientists, once proclaimed uncertainty over links between cigarettes and lung cancer. Zuckerberg has likewise testified to Congress, “The existing body of scientific work has not shown a causal link between using social media and young people having worse mental health, ” even while studies find self-harm, eating disorder and misogynistic material spreads on these platform unimpeded. This equivocation echoes protestations of tobacco companies that there was no causal evidence of smoking harms, even as incontrovertible evidence to the contrary rapidly amassed.
Wait. If tobacco companies do not exist anymore, then who are making cigarettes?
Or do they mean that Meta, X and Google are producing cigarettes like tobacco companies are doing right now, like with filters or that they are putting warning labels on their products? Because I haven’t seen any warning labels or Google cigarettes.
The title is very confusing.
Although I do think Google, X and Meta should have at least 75% of their banner state their platforms are brainrot and spreads misinformation. You know, like modern day tobacco companies have to warn for the risks of using their junk.
considering that tobacco companies are still here, it’s kind of a weird title
I’ve been telling this to family and friends, apparently they didn’t want to agree. At least there is article now. I do think current social media will be looked at in future like tobacco/smoking is currently looked at.
Wait till you find out we still have tobacco companies, and they’ve been getting into the vape and weed game this whole time
I think that, in 10-20 years, the research around social media addiction will bear out this way, yes. It’s wild to me how every time the discussion around regulating social media comes up, most people just kind of ignore its effects on kids’ mental health.
It’s not very wild when you realize you’re talking to addicts. The whole world is addicted.
The evil tobacco company is an outdated narrative. They were already regulated to hell 22 years ago when I started smoking and since then I’ve only ever seen the regulations increase now with the new apparent goal of outlawing nicotine. I can only speculate that people think this time we’re going to get prohibition right.
btw I quit smoking 7 years ago, and nicotine altogether 5 years ago.
If anything the oil companies are the most evil. They knew climate change was going to happen 50+ years ago.
Well, done quitting. Respect
