Thread: Virgin Media Phorm Webwise Adverts [Updated: See Post No. 1, 77, 102 & 797]
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Old 27-03-2008, 13:02   #1806
AlexanderHanff
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Re: Virgin Media Phorm Webwise Adverts [Updated: See Post No. 1, 77, 102 & 797]
Quote:
Originally Posted by kt88man View Post
Thanks. Interesting, I only raised the point because it may have been another line of "attack" - don't spend more time on this unless you think it may help.
Well Gillick competence is generally used as a test where children wish to make an informed decision independently of their legal guardians (parents mostly). Generally when it comes to minors it is considered that informed consent from their guardians is enough.

I don't agree with this as I stand by the Statement of Ethical Practice for the British Sociological Association (http://www.britsoc.co.uk/equality/St...l+Practice.htm). I don't agree that any decisions should be made for anyone by another person (unless they are not mentally competent) without an attempt to explain the implications of that consent to the person for whom the consent is being given.

It is easy to slide into a groove where we assume we know what our children want despite having never discussed the issue with them, which is dangerous given how many adults in the world rarely understand the implications of giving their consent in the first place. The danger of giving consent as a guardian is that we could potentially be making a decision which has a long term effect on our children that as an adult they might not have consented to in the first place.

Other issues surrounding normalisation of politically or socially dubious issues could lead to a situation where civil rights and liberties are automatically waved by the next generation simply because they have been raised in an environment where this is normal (such as clicking EULAs without reading, agreeing to credit contracts which don't conform with Consumer Credit Act without reading them, Privacy Issues (how many times have you heard the comment 'If you have nothing to hide what are you worried about' in response to privacy issues?)).

So yes informed consent is very important speaking as a sociologist (well hopefully given I graduate in 2 months) but unfortunately guardians are often seen as the legal authority with regards to consent in matters of law.

Alexander Hanff
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