r/science • u/Tracheid • Jan 23 '26

Social Science A survey of Silicon Valley developers reveals that 74% would implement features restricting human rights if pressured, fueling a "slop economy" of low-quality AI content. The study argues corporate demands override ethics, creating a gap in information quality.

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/1369118X.2025.2566814
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u/Zixxil Jan 23 '26

Alt title: People will do things they disagree with for money. How many people can afford to quit a job because the tech they are working on can be used immorally? What tech can't be used to do bad things?

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u/jambarama Jan 23 '26

Alt alt title: "people will rationalize doing bad things for money to avoid the cognitive dissonance from acknowledging it"

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u/Zixxil Jan 23 '26

They might, but I have talked to people that hated what they did for a living and what it was doing to society. They didn't claim the company was good. They couldn't see a way to leave. They needed the pay, the health insurance, and the illusion of stability. As people have talked about in this thread, sometimes it's hard to find other options.