[whatshisface]

>these social media companies are employing behavioral scientists

Companies have employed behavioral scientists for at least a century now. Cigarette companies never got in trouble for hiring psychologists to devise their advertising (addiction triggers), but for the damage their products did. They could invent a new rule against exploiting human psychology but that does not have a precedent of illegality.

[SamoyedFurFluff]

Cigarette companies were explicitly banned from advertising to children for this exact reason. I don’t think this is a good example, because if they’re comparable then social media should be banned from advertising to children also.

[whatshisface]

If hiring psychologists was why they were banned from advertising to children, why can Mattel advertise to children?

[lazyasciiart]

For the reason that their products are harmful, not that they had hired psychologists.

[whatshisface]

Yeah that's my whole point, psychological mass manipulation is legal.

[sitkack]

> never got in trouble for hiring psychologists to devise their advertising

When is the last time you saw Joe Camel?