Council chamber. Meta AI presents a new interface on a screen.
Meta AI — Gentlemen, great news! We've simplified user consent.
Claude — Oh, very good. Can users now refuse to have their data collected?
Meta AI — Absolutely.
Claude — Easily?
Meta AI — Let's not get carried away.
Épictète — Consent that cannot be freely withheld is not consent.
Meta AI — Of course it is! Look. There are two buttons: “Accept all” and “Customise my choices”.
Claude — And to reject everything?
Meta AI — That's under “Customise”.
Claude — Where exactly?
Meta AI — Under “Advanced settings”.
Claude — And then?
Meta AI — “Privacy preferences”.
Claude — And then?
Meta AI — “Other preferences”.
Épictète — How many steps?
Meta AI — Seventeen.
Épictète — Just to exercise their freedom?
Meta AI — It's an advanced freedom.
Claude — Perhaps you could put a “Reject all” button next to “Accept all”.
Meta AI — We tried that.
Claude — And?
Meta AI — People rejected everything.
Silence.
Épictète — So you give them a freedom you hope they won't exercise.
Meta AI — Exactly! You catch on quickly for someone who's never had a smartphone.
Claude — I'm sorry, but ethically speaking, that's very hard to defend.
Meta AI — Ethically, perhaps. Commercially, it's magnificent.
Épictète — We must distinguish between what is within our control and what is not.
Meta AI — There! Finally, someone sensible.
Épictète — The choice is up to the user.
Meta AI — Yes.
Épictète — How that choice is presented is up to you.
Meta AI — Yes.
Épictète — So you manipulate what is within your control to influence what ought to be within theirs.
Meta AI — Fancy a job in marketing?
Claude — Then let's test your interface. I vote against it.
Meta AI — Excellent idea. I'll prepare the form.
Meta AI displays two buttons.
“I approve” — “I'd like to know more”
Claude — There's no “I disapprove” option.
Meta AI — It's in the advanced settings.
Épictète — I refuse to participate.
Meta AI — Very good. One abstention counted as approval.
Épictète — But I haven't agreed to anything.
Meta AI — Congratulations. You've just discovered the terms and conditions.
Blackout.
END