Unreal you have to go through this in the richest country in the world.
Family members have been in ambulances a few dozen times over the decades. There is no concept of a bill or paperwork for it. Like borrowing a book from the library.
Forcing alcoholic drinks to have a less addictive product is a much better way to protect young people’s brains than an alcohol age limit is (and frankly adults need help there too).
> To require a safety study for anything someone might "unleash" as a public product would be bonkers
Let’s examine that and see if it holds up.
To sell food, it is regulated and must be approved. And drugs. And cars. And anything that plugs into power. Anything that makes noise. Anything with an engine. Any kids toy. Any structural or safety item.
In fact, I would say the very vast majority of “public products” that a person wants to sell must be certified and meet regulations for that category of one kind or another.
Now you may say software is different. Often yes, but some software (gambling, health stuff, credit card stuff) must be certified and meet regulations. There are hefty penalties for breaking the rules.
And finally you might say this is different because social media is free. Plenty of things in the world that are free must meet regulations and pass tests (free drinking water, free power, etc). Just because I offer a free shuttle to my venue doesn’t mean the bus or driver are not regulated. Even if you give away free food you must have a food safe certification so you don’t make people sick with half-cooked chicken.
So you see, “unleashing” public products into the world with no approval or testing or regulations or evidence that it doesn’t cause harm is actually the exception, not the rule.
Social media was unleashed onto the world with no harm studies or thought for the long term impact.
Now we’re catching up and realizing how bad it is.
For a similar case, see tasers in Canada after a handcuffed immigrant was killed by one. The question came up “how were tasers certified safe for humans?”.
The answer was “they weren’t. A private company just started selling them to police forces who just started using them.”
> Watterson has a recurring dream about his old college where he doesn’t know what class he’s taking or where he’s meant to be. He roams the grounds, growing more flustered with each confused step. Right before he wakes, he thinks, “How many more years until I graduate…? Wait, didn’t I graduate already? How old am I?”
I’m 44 and I have this dream every few months about high school and university. Something deep inside.
I’ve seen it in the Canadian Arctic, remote Australia, right around Africa.
Before starlink these places had dialup, or nothing.