Hacker News Reader

Comment by tilolebo | Hacker News Reader

Right. Let's do the same for drugs.

Irony aside, these platforms are addictive and polarizing by design. I doubt a little test will change anything.

You're being facetious but I genuinely think it's a good idea to normalise drugs. I believe that part of the problem with drugs is that they're considered forbidden, so if you share my viewpoint then it's not too dissimilar to the problems with social media or other addictive-but-bad-for-you products.

Opioids weren't forbidden for those with prescriptions and we all know how that turned out.

You realize HN here is social media, too?

And HN even recognizes it can be addictive to some. See the "noprocrast" setting on your user settings page.

Yes? So ban it all, just like drugs?

I would argue that "social media" requires the social aspect, namely, contacts and direct messaging.

Everyone has a profil and everyone who wants to, leaves contact inside the profil.

We socialize here, just last month I read someone's comment about life in the Canadian country-side and realized he's the brother of a Youtuber I'm watching for years. The same happens on any other social platform be it in the internet or real life.

Yes and I would not demonize it.

The problem I see, are networks that are financed mainly by ads - so they have the incentive to keep engagement artifically high and spy as much as possible.

But "banning social media" does not ask that question.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com