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The ethics of dietary apps: Technology, health, and the capability approach

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  • Ryan, Mark

Abstract

Dietary apps are said to promote better eating habits, improve dietary knowledge, and awareness about nutrition. However, their use has also raised a number of ethical and social issues related to their impact on individual freedoms, for creating power asymmetries, restricting end-users from expanding their knowledge of health, nudging individuals, and even having harmful effects on people's health. This paper will use the capability approach methodology to explore some of the most common criticisms directed against dietary apps to identify what steps need to be taken to ensure individuals' freedoms are protected, and their health is ensured.

Suggested Citation

  • Ryan, Mark, 2022. "The ethics of dietary apps: Technology, health, and the capability approach," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:teinso:v:68:y:2022:i:c:s0160791x22000148
    DOI: 10.1016/j.techsoc.2022.101873
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Behera, Rajat Kumar & Bala, Pradip Kumar & Rana, Nripendra P. & Irani, Zahir, 2023. "Responsible natural language processing: A principlist framework for social benefits," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 188(C).
    2. Esmonde, Katelyn & Roth, Stephen & Walker, Alexis, 2023. "A social and ethical framework for providing health information obtained from combining genetics and fitness tracking data," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 74(C).

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