I came up with this a couple minutes ago. I think its funny and maybe helpful? Please be gentle. Have a good one.

  1. You shall not join corporate social media
  2. You shall not subject your children to predatory marketing techniques
  3. You shall spend up to 10% extra to shop locally or with small companies, more if you can
  4. You shall voice your support for fairness, equality and against bullying wherever you go
  5. You shall not think of living things in hierarchical order (x is better than y)
  6. You shall not compromise freedom and privacy for comfort or “sAfEtY”
  7. You shall pay techy friends for their help - at least in food
  8. You shall install an ad blocker
  9. You shall not praise big tech, proprietary products or IP law.
  10. You shall not use proprietary software if a good FOSS alternative exists
  • HandlesEnglish
    2•9 months ago

    Yeah, I get the logic and I thank you for the example (shudder!). Again, those techniques are so pervasive, so normalised that no amount of parental guidance and handholding can really safeguard a kid.

    I’m not arguing against you at all, it’s just a chilling realisation that I can’t realistically co-sign and live by a statement that I would hope to be basic decency…

    • hauiOPEnglish
      2•9 months ago

      I get you. The idea of having to raise a child in this situation is distressing.

      To make another example: watching countless hours of tv is normalized for some people. This doesnt mean it has to apply to your kids as well. You can guide the kids to play only things that fulfill a minimal requirement. You wouldn’t let them play porn games as well I suppose so just because „the others“ are allowed doesnt mean you need to allow it. Its a slippery slope for sure but our society is very dangerous for kids. The alternative is to make games be totally sanitized (minecraft bedrock for example which bans people from the game they bought if they get reported in chat and it still has microtransactions) which rids them of all originality imo.

      But I digress. I can imagine how daunting this all must be. Maybe you can find other techy parents that will work on a guidance plan with you. You could even propose that on parents night (if that is a thing where you live).