NationStates Jolt Archive

We, Grand Authority Henrik Unity I of the Kingdom of Darksphere would like to invite the nations of the world to endorse the following resolution, that we introduced earlier today:

Honesty in advertising - A resolution to restrict civil freedoms in the interest of moral decency.

Category: Moral Decency
Strength: Strong
Proposed by: Darksphere

Description:

Seeing:
That advertising firms continually lie, deceive and cheat their messages into peoples minds

Seeing:
That bright colours, subtle music, nude women, hot cars and other inconsequential stuff that does not matter to the product at hand are used to, and succeed in, convincing people to buy stuff they dont need

Realizing
That some people lack the presence of mind to filter out these inconsequential signals

We propose:

1) To dissolve all advertising agencies
2) To create national advertising agencies in all nations
3) To outlaw all advertising outside these agencies.
3) To mandate by law that corporations have to turn their PR budgets over to said national agencies
4) That said agency use said funds to conduct research into the product, and the spread of such research results as may come to the fore.

Voting Ends: Wed Nov 19 2003

It seems to me that there are two ways to solve the problem of whether people can deal with false advertisements.

Protect them from the advertisements... or teach them to recognise lies when they see them.

Dendrys prefers the latter, especially since advertisements and films aren't the only venue for lies, and some venues cannot be government-controlled.



Respectfully,
Nialle Sylvan
Speaker for the Trees

Whatever happened to "buyer beware"?

or in full Latin legal terminology:
Caveat Emptor, quia ignorare non debuit quod ius alienum emit.
"Let the purchaser beware, for he ought not to be ignorant of the nature of the property, which he is buying from another party."

It is not the seller's job to do all of the homework. Sellers may only be held liable if they intentionally deceive the purchaser. If you sign a contract you don't read you're an idiot, and deserve the repercussions that result.

-Morgan

We, Grand Authority Henrik Unity I of the Kingdom of Darksphere would like to invite the nations of the world to endorse the following resolution, that we introduced earlier today:

Honesty in advertising - A resolution to restrict civil freedoms in the interest of moral decency.

Category: Moral Decency
Strength: Strong
Proposed by: Darksphere

Description:

Seeing:
That advertising firms continually lie, deceive and cheat their messages into peoples minds

Seeing:
That bright colours, subtle music, nude women, hot cars and other inconsequential stuff that does not matter to the product at hand are used to, and succeed in, convincing people to buy stuff they dont need

Realizing
That some people lack the presence of mind to filter out these inconsequential signals

We propose:

1) To dissolve all advertising agencies
2) To create national advertising agencies in all nations
3) To outlaw all advertising outside these agencies.
3) To mandate by law that corporations have to turn their PR budgets over to said national agencies
4) That said agency use said funds to conduct research into the product, and the spread of such research results as may come to the fore.

Voting Ends: Wed Nov 19 2003

Great idea! Let's give the State a brand-new propaganda machine that people aren't able to defend themselves from!

At least when corporations use propaganda, it's to make money. When states use propaganda, it's usually to kill you.

*cough* Freedom of Speech *cough*

I see no reason to dissolve any corporation that has not broken any law. I see no reason to destroy an entire industry and the jobs that go with it. I see no reason why the government would do a better job than the already established agencies. I see no reason to blatantly violate the speech and property rights of my citizens.

I suppose you probably aren't interested in preserving freedom of speech. Whatever. But if you claim to be, remember that it means freedom of ALL speech -- including racism, bigotry, and lying. Dishonest advertising already falls under a completely different set of laws in my nation: Fraud. I see no reason why this should change, and I especially don't see how or why this could ever be considered a global issue.

At least he's more honest and up front than the other socialist dirtbags that come in here...

This should be an individual nation's policy, not an UN one.

if you really want to pursue this issue, write it up as an issue and submit it, but this should not belong in the UN, as some nations may not even have commercial advertising, therefore it may not be applicable for all.

*cough* Freedom of Speech *cough*

I see no reason to dissolve any corporation that has not broken any law. I see no reason to destroy an entire industry and the jobs that go with it. I see no reason why the government would do a better job than the already established agencies. I see no reason to blatantly violate the speech and property rights of my citizens.

<snip>



Ashley Henson, monarch of the Most Serene Republic of Sarcastic Muppet, agrees with Santin's remarks, and refuses to endorse Darksphere's resolution in its current form.

First off, I see myself as liberal, not socialist. While the two terms may be sunonymous in certain US right-wing circles, they are not where I come from.

Second, I am frankly amazed how people apparently cant read.

The proposal clearly states "national". The word "state" doesnt even appear in the resolution.

For the dim, let me clarify:

This is supposed to be an independent institution outside the influence of both industry and state.

Get it now?

Oh, and about free speach:

That right is to protect criticism of rulers. That it has been broadened to cover lying to the general population is - frankly - a disgrace.

/Darksphere

The problem is real enough but the solution is overkill, like swatting a fly with a sledgehammer.