[brikym]

Maybe it could be what prescribed Methadone is to Heroin addicts.

[intothemild]

Watching all these open source, federated versions of social media platforms is like if you found out your favourite drug was actually manufactured by some really bad people and made people around the world suffer. So you make an open source version of the drug. Similar formula, just this time the people can own it.

Sure you cut out the bad people, but is the situation improved now?

[groestl]

There are projects where long term addicts are given pure medical heroin (Diamorphin) in a controlled environment, and they do considerably better than their control group who does not receive their drugs like that.

E.g. https://patrida.de/

[dbdr]

The harm from social media is at least in part caused by the feed suggestion algorithm being optimized for screen time (aka addiction). Potentially open social media where the suggestion algorithm is not that could be a big improvement.

[pjc50]

That's no way to talk about Open-Cola.

[raincole]

Heroin is illegal, so the first step to make this analogy work is to criminalize TikTok.

[larodi]

Long overdue in fact. But then perhaps heroin wouldn’t be illegal if it was big pharma was producing it in large quantities. It just got barred early enough. Besides why we always forget how addictive and damaging is the well available alcohol?

[brikym]

That would be great, also I'd like to make advertising in public spaces with LED billboards illegal. But once politicians start using the form of media to get votes it's basically game over.

[MilanTodorovic]

I don't think that's a good analogy. You can't "hospitalize" someone into Loops for rehabilitation. Don't fight the symptoms, fight the cause.