Introduction
In the article Weed in Your Feed, the author discusses Twitter’s decision to revise its advertising policy. First, these rules should address content that demonstrates or is related to cannabis. This move caused controversy among the public, as some people found the content illegal, while others had nothing against it. However, the event is essential for the cannabis business, as well as for advertising platforms and social media in general.
Inherent Interest and Framing
Author T.L. Stanley has no direct interest in how the advertising question will be formulated. His article mainly represented his critical view, which was neutral and balanced. The work reported mixed responses from the public and stakeholders in the cannabis industry (Stanley, 2023). Stanley’s unbiased approach allows the reader to form an opinion about the situation based on the information he provides.
Legal, Regulatory, and Ethical Elements
The article focuses on the legal and ethical aspects of expanding Twitter’s policy on cannabis advertising. The bottom line is that in the United States, the distribution and possession of cannabis are illegal at the federal level, so the release of this content caused a wave of misunderstanding (Stanley, 2023). The article introduces the Federal Communications Commission’s regulations, which address drug advertising restrictions but do not address cannabis.
The work also mentions that traditional advertising channels are cautious about such advertising due to the restrictions. Nevertheless, by May 2022, 19 states and the District of Columbia had recognized the use of recreational cannabis markets as legal, indicating changes in state laws (Pacula et al., 2022). This fact again underlines the extent to which the publications with this substance are contradictory.
Regarding ethics, the article states that Twitter has sought to revise its advertising policy since the incident. This step demonstrates the social network’s desire to consider all users’ interests and to create a balance between legal and illegal content (Stanley, 2023). Social network management recognizes that cannabis-related content may be of interest to specific groups of users. At the same time, it understands that the platform is also used by minors and people who do not want to see such advertising in their news feeds.
The Best Course of Action
Given ethical and legal difficulties, a balanced approach was needed about the legality of the advertisement of cannabis. For US regulators, it is necessary to develop regulations that address this issue. These steps would provide the cannabis industry with a legal basis for promotional efforts. Social networks such as Twitter should continue to improve their advertising policies. The best solution is to balance responsible advertising practices and user interests. First, social network management must understand that advertising issues can be delicate and illegal in some localities, so the product should move within certain boundaries. Social networks can create self-regulatory bodies to implement legitimate advertising and meet media standards by working with stakeholders.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the article reveals the ambiguous situation with the publication of cannabis advertising on Twitter. The paper highlights this situation’s normative, legal, and ethical aspects, explaining why this action could be considered illegal. Social media should follow clear legal rules to address sensitive content effectively, and regulators should be responsible for clarifying state advertising policies. These actions will ensure a balance between safe advertising for all population categories, the interests of social platforms, and producers of controversial products.
References
Pacula, R., Pessar, S., Zhu, J., Kritikos, A., & Smart, R. (2022). Federal regulation of cannabis for public health in the United States. USC Schaeffer Center for Health Policy & Economics. Web.
Stanley, T. L. (2023). Weed in your feed: Twitter expands rules for cannabis ads, but industry reaction is mixed. Adweek. Web.