It's also worth pointing out that a company doesn't have to hold a meeting where they vote to deliberately target and exploit vulnerable members of the public, instead they just use an algorithm that constantly optimizes for making them money and which eventually figures out exploiting people is easy and effective.
Those companies generally know it's happening, and often do set out to make it happen just like they've always targeted ads at young children and teenagers whose brains aren't developed yet, but the algorithm gives them plausible deniability.
https://gizmodo.com/depression-anxiety-brokers-sell-mental-h...
The study: https://techpolicy.sanford.duke.edu/data-brokers-and-the-sal...
https://www.healthyads.com/targeting/medical-conditions-targ...
https://mobilemarketingmagazine.com/psychological-targeting-...
It's also worth pointing out that a company doesn't have to hold a meeting where they vote to deliberately target and exploit vulnerable members of the public, instead they just use an algorithm that constantly optimizes for making them money and which eventually figures out exploiting people is easy and effective.
Those companies generally know it's happening, and often do set out to make it happen just like they've always targeted ads at young children and teenagers whose brains aren't developed yet, but the algorithm gives them plausible deniability.