undefined | Better HN

0 pointsIncRnd4y ago0 comments

Of course ads exist to increase product sales. That doesn't mean that people are unable to actually look at the product label and make informed choices. Ads don't make you do anything. Thinking that they do is a crutch.

0 comments

3 comments · 1 top-level

NoSorryCannot4y ago· 2 in thread

If advertising works on average, then there is a discussion about ethics that is worth having.

Falling back on individual responsibility might be popular but it is absolutely a cop out. We're playing a numbers game with public health in an adversarial environment. Relying absolutely on what individuals could or should do isn't going to help us win that game.

IncRndOP4y ago

Why do you say that individual responsibility is a cop out? People can read the labels and ingredients on a package of food.

This is true even for those people who never question why they are purchasing food in boxes instead of actual food.

NoSorryCannot4y ago

It's a cop out to defer to individual responsibility and ignore all the other tools that are available to improve public health. We know that there's a rich corpus of psychological research that provides tools that we know can be used to affect behavior and choices. It's being used to sell us things that are bad for us and that same research should be used to inform regulation policy and public health communications.

1 more reply

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse