IMHO this shouldn't [have to] be any of Apple or Google's business. It's a parent's responsibility to parent their child, not some conglomerate's.
It might sounds like a 19th century preacher talking, but it's in everyone's interest that your fellow citizens aren't tempted into vices. It really makes for a shitty society when everyone is gambling and addicted to brain altering substances.
Responsible parents could choose a platform over another based on what they want for their children but that’s only possible if this option exist. It’s a mental health issue versus free market business, and we know what side wins when it’s not regulated.
Most won't. Call it lack of time or attention, ignorance of the problem, apathy... ultimately parents can't be aware of everything. We have shit like micro plastics in the water to contend with.
What's the effect on society?
Policing electronics and internet access is a huge pain in the ass that wasn’t a concern at all, not that long ago, and more-recently was a ton easier than it is now. I don’t even control all the devices in my house, some belong to the kids’ schools that for some reason won’t stop giving them goddamn computers. I can solve these problems but it’s a big pain, and most parents realistically cannot. It doesn’t help that all parental controls are pretty bad, usually for no good reason.
Which is interestingly subverted by "Can't raise my kids if we don't have enough money to eat" leading to both parents working, sometimes multiple jobs, and the kids left to their own devices/daycare
The older I get, the more I'm reminded pat/easy/black and white solutions just flat don't exist.
Which almost makes me reconsider my entire political standpoint. So thanks! I can't answer your question, but I assure you, you have me thinking.
With that said, we as a society do have a responsibility to protect children - free access to heroin (for instance) would be incredibly harmful to children, who have not formed the ability to properly assess risk. Allowing for unfettered access to heroin for adults is much more complicated. Given how easy it is for most adults in America to access the drug, I would argue we are already contending with many of the complicated factors of unrestricted access already. How to deal with those problems is something I don't have many good answers for.
Of course, yeah, I meant it more in the "no rational actor would choose to use heroin" sense :)
If the apps offer gambling real money for in-game progress, they should say that upfront.
I do not agree with the opinion that the only responsibility with child-raising lies with the parent. Schools, businesses, government, random people on the street; my opinion is that it would be best if we all felt an obligation to help young people learn and grow into healthy adults. If not an obligation, then at least a shared value. There are so many people I will never meet, and it still feels right to support their well-being. I could see this perspective still being a selfish one, based on my experiences around the world and feeling enriched by a diversity of cultures and perspectives.
Deregulation is not the answer. Its a bad hack to claim "personal responsibility" on societal systemic issues.
Gambling, and control and regulation of, is one of those societal systemic problems that can kill communities.