The bioethics of social media
Autonomy being the central theme of contemporary bioethics, shouldn't bioethicists be concerned about the growing presence of social media, especially Facebook, in our lives? As we report below, what Facebook (and other social media) want is to “consume as much of your time and conscious attention as possible.” This involves dulling consumers' willpower with tricks learned from the gambling industry and psychology, ie, making people less autonomous.
The debate about Facebook at the moment revolves around nefarious schemes by Russia to hack American elections. Social media executives are being hauled before Congressional committees to explain why their products should not be considered threats to democracy. But isn't the addictive nature of Facebook an even greater threat?
Michael Cook
With two billion users, surely Facebook deserves closer scrutiny
1509948900
autonomy
bioethics
facebook
social media
- How long can you put off seeing the doctor because of lockdowns? - December 3, 2021
- House of Lords debates assisted suicide—again - October 28, 2021
- Spanish government tries to restrict conscientious objection - October 28, 2021
More Stories
Belgian health care boss says euthanasia is the solution to an ageing population
The president of Belgium's biggest health care fund, Christian Mutualities (CM), has called for a radical solution to the problem...
Guidelines on gender related treatment let children down, says major UK report
A long-anticipated review has delivered a savage blow to guidelines for transgender medicine in the United Kingdom. The final report...
Trump plays it safe on abortion
Former president Donald Trump has finally unveiled his policy on abortion, which promises to be an incendiary issue in the...
Vatican reaffirms critique of surrogacy and transgenderism in new document
Earlier this week the Vatican published a 16,000-word document reaffirming Catholic condemnations of a wide range of moral issues, from...
What’s all the fuss about genetic parenthood?
Some bioethicists question the importance of a genetic relationship between parents and children. What matters, they argue is a supportive...
UK lesbian couple swap embryos and carry each other’s child
Another dispatch from the Reproductive Revolution. A lesbian couple in the United Kingdom have successfully given birth to two boys through...