[kelseyfrog]

It's better that kids be harmed than the government starts intervening with regulation.

Either kids aren't actually being harmed, government regulation will cause more harm, or parents should parent their kids. Either way, nothing about the solution should involve me.

[JumpCrisscross]

> or parents should parent their kids

Parents are voters. One of the way they parent is by being civically active in their kids’ interest.

[kelseyfrog]

Parents should:

Throw away their TVs and minimize screen time at home[1].

Be responsible for the upbringing of their own children[2].

Learn how to be parents; the government shouldn't force companies to do parenting instead[3].

Not have had children in the first place[4].

Be the ones responsible for parenting their own children[5].

Actually parent their kids and not rely on the government to nanny them[6].

Get to decide what content their children, then like me, you would oppose any kind of legislation with this goal in mind[7].

I could go on. My point is that HN has a long tradition of distrusting regulation especially when it comes to parenting. I have no problem acting as a lightning rod for that arugment.

1. https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48182101

2. https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48074072

3. https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48072708

4. https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48069884

5. https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47818303

6. https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47635531

7. https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47382754

[JumpCrisscross]

> HN has a long tradition of distrusting regulation especially when it comes to parenting

Sure. HN is also filled with folks who don’t vote or believe in calling their electeds. Parenting has collective-responsibility elements. I’m not saying I support this instance of it. But in general, the argument that parenting has to be a solely individual responsibility while tech companies pillage our youth is a flawed pitch. (My personal view on this balance flipped with social media.)

[kelseyfrog]

Oh for sure. In general, I file them in the PDA[1] bucket.

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pathological_demand_avoidance

[frozenseven]

Bonus: And we should recognize that kids have responsibilities too. If they do something bad, it's silly trying to throw the blame on whatever the current moral panic is. Video games, D&D, rock/rap music, AI (!), etc.

[kelseyfrog]

I kinda feel like the people inciting moral panics should be held responsible for doing so. It's the social equivalent of dumping toxic chemicals.

[Planktonne]

> It's better that kids be harmed than the government starts intervening with regulation

No it isn't. The idea that no amount of actual harm outweighs the possibility of any amount of potential economic harm is not a reasonable one.

[lazyasciiart]

If you will never interact with or rely on people who are currently children, then that's plausible. Unfortunately, it is not possible to live that way, so your suggestion is not really under consideration.