[lbo-talk] 'Nudge' policies are another name for coercion - New Scientist

[Sean Andrews]

On Wed, Nov 9, 2011 at 11:55, Sean Andrews <cultstud76 at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>>
>>
>>
>> This points to the key problem with "nudge" style paternalism: presuming
>>> that technocrats understand what ordinary people want better than the
>>> people themselves. There is no reason to think technocrats know better,
>>> especially since Thaler and Sunstein offer no means for ordinary people to
>>> comment on, let alone correct, the technocrats' prescriptions. This leaves
>>> the technocrats with no systematic way of detecting their own errors,
>>> correcting them, or learning from them. And technocracy is bound to
>>> blunder, especially when it is not democratically accountable.
>>>
>>
>>
>> The technocrats in question are inevitably GOVERNMENT technocrats.  The
>> CORPORATE technocrats who have far more of a role in shaping the so called
>> democratic system get a free pass because, hey, people get to CHOOSE what
>> brand of poison they are absorbing there.  If it happens that they
>> generally choose the default, the so much better for the oligopoly.
>>
>>
>
Sorry...hit enter too soon.  Was just reminded of an example of this in the
corporate sector.

http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/facebook_to_make_privacy_settings_opt-in_not_opt-o.php

"Today Facebook finalized a settlement with the Federal Trade Commission
over charges that it acted in a deceptive manner when changing privacy
settings. Now all Facebook privacy settings will be opt-in. The settlement
also requires Facebook to obtain "express affirmative consent" if and when
it makes "material retroactive changes." Facebook will also have to submit
to independent privacy audits for the next 20 years."

Now who's nudging who?

s