Cerebral, the mental health startup Cerebral pulls ADHD ads from social media.Instagram and TikTok have just banned the latest advertisement, highlighting the slippery slope towards “misinformation” purges. warped waySome have begun to see 2022 as a year of healthy and delicious food.
Both TikTok and Instagram are pulling ads from Cerebral, a mental health company that allegedly violates policies regarding eating disorders and misinformation.
Advertisements suggested that people suffering from attention deficit issues may succumb to impulse-eating disorders. The ads mention a correlation between ADHD, obesity. The researchers suggest Cerebral ADHD treatment could aid in “stopping overeating”
Stephanie Chan (a spokesperson for Meta Instagram parent company) stated that these ads were removed because Meta doesn’t permit “content which promotes misleading health claims or attempts to generate negative self perception in order promote health-related product.” These ads are removed.
However, research shows that ADHD can be linked to obesity. ADHD forum members often talk about impulsive and disordered eating patterns among those with this disorder.
Promoting healthy eating habits is not something that should be considered “generat.”[ing] negative self-perception.” Some people may feel negative about their weight or healthy eating habits. Others might also feel ashamed of any imagery or advice that might help them. But is that really justification for this content—which may actually help some folks—being banned?
Meta and TikTok can make whatever rules they like on their platform. It is not fair to try to make private companies platform objectionable speech.
The ever-increasing list of unanswered questions tech companies are able to offer is not a product of the executives’ personal beliefs, but a response to market pressure. As government officials demand more control over online content, it’s become increasingly common.
These government-sponsored pressures and their support are frequently used to prevent misinformation from spreading or keep teenagers from engaging in dangerous activities. Although these roles aren’t for government, nor tech executives, let us forget their desire or wisdom for a while. This is what the Cerebral advertising ban shows. PracticalProblem with these pushes is that they invariably go beyond what was intended.
People who support misinformation bans believe that they won’t be able to catch obvious lies or grifters like those who push miracle cures for COVID-19, or people ranting about vaccines containing microchips from Bill Gates. But now we’ve got companies pulling content for…lacking context? It’s not as thorough as an academic analysis?
NBC News interviewed Kevin Antshel from Syracuse University, a psychologist who studies ADHD and suggested that Cerebral advertisements were poor because they did not mention any other conditions.
[Antshel]Cerebral’s advertising was not accurate, he said. According to him, research has linked obesity and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) among other diseases.
According to him, ADHD can be associated with almost any other condition than you could imagine, such as depression, schizophrenia, and autism. Cerebral’s advertisements, he stated, appeared to target Americans who are concerned about their weight and being thin.
Antshel is also unhappy that TikTok advertisements from Done claim ADHD medication can cause “a calm mind,” but this could be exaggerated and may leave out information on side effects.
It’s amazing how quickly mental health content has gone from being a cover for lies to being misinformed..
Besides—what’s wrong with concerns about diet and weight loss? Some people might take these too far. But they’re not an end in themselves. InherentlyThis is a bad idea. These topics are not dangerous. They can be used to create negative body images and eating disorders. Pro-anorexia content is not the same as pushing for counseling to assist with ADHD impulse control.
Tasking tech companies to ensure perfect content moderation is essential or they will face legislative hearings and more regulations. This will invariably lead to mischief and mission creep.
FREE MINDS
The Equal Rights Amendment is back.1982 was the last day for passing the act. In 2020, not enough states voted to ratify the Constitution amendment. The congressional Democrats disagree. They introduced a Thursday resolution to recognize the ERA in the Constitution.
This resolution states that the amended “has satisfied the Constitution’s requirements and has become effective to all intents, purposes, and as an integral part of the Constitution.”
Trump’s DOJ declared that the ERA had ended. The DOJ now has an opinion stating that the decision does not prevent the Senate or House from further action concerning ratification.
More information on the revival of ERA can be found here and there.
Free Markets
According to a congressional Republican, marijuana is as American as apple pie. U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace (R–S.C.) Wants to repeal the federal ban on marijuana. Mace said, “It’s American. It is uniting.” Forbes. “There are three things that really bring people together—animals, Britney Spears and cannabis. Those are the three things I’ve found that have struck a chord with the American people and that can bring people together at the dinner table—just like apple pie.” Find out more about her efforts to decriminalize cannabis here.
QUICK HITS
• A new study published in Free Radical Biology and MedicineResearchers found that cannabis cannabinol helps protect neurons against oxidative stress, which are two major causes of Alzheimer’s disease. Cannabinol, a cannabis compound that is less well-known (and less studied) than cannabidiol and tetrahydrocannabinol.
• No, America is not on the brink of a civil war, writes https://reason.com/2022/01/28/instagram-bans-healthy-eating-ads-for-promoting-negative-self-perception/ Musa al-Gharbi in The Guardian. “The impression that we These areIt is almost an artifact that people accept poll results and survey data as true despite all the evidence against them.
• A federal judge has halted enforcement of South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem has issued an executive decree changing the rules to obtain abortion pills.
• Boston’s vaccine mandate for city workers hits a snag. Reports the Associated Press that a state judge “has temporarily suspended Mayor Michelle Wu’s mandate for coronavirus vaccinations, leading the city and its enforcement to be suspended while the city prepares to answer in court.” Boston Herald. “The December policy change by Wu requiring municipal workers to have the jab were ‘temporarily suspended pending review’ from a lower court on three unions’ request for a preliminary order.”
• An Alabama police department is accused of harassing people who criticize it on social media.