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Comment by nirav72 | Hacker News Reader

But the fact that you prefer McDonald’s will not forgotten and will be part of some data profile on you , sold and resold by data brokers.

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and saved into weights.

Sorry, but who cares?

This is the fascinating question, because people who would normally respond on 'who cares' question, are also the ones, who know full well that even participation in an online forum is effectively builds up their profile. I am beyond redemption so I am their avatar.

> I am beyond redemption so I am their avatar.

I have no idea what that sentence means.

I also have no idea why I should care that someone knows I like to go to McDonald’s.

Well, when the transplant committee uses it (your data) to triage your new heart or whatever

I’d be more worried if that was how it worked. But it isn’t — at least not where I live.

Yet. All signs point to its inevitability.

I waited a while to reply to see if anyone else had anything to say about this. What jurisdiction doesn't triage heart transplants? Someone who eats $3,000/yr at mcdonalds vs someone who eats $50/yr at mcdonalds would be information pertinent to triage, wouldn't it? Even if you suppose that all human life is equal, then the amount of time a life is extended with a transplant matters, and the $50/yr person will probably (in the statistical sense) live longer than the other, all other things equal.

Maybe the committees don't "action" on this information because they don't have it, but it would be very silly to not use this information. I'd be curious what sort of triage wouldn't use this information. First-come first-serve?

if your goal is to maximize the length of human lives, that is, to put donor hearts to the maximum use for value, you'd have to use information like this!

What jurisdiction does? Seriously, can you name one? Is that how it works in the US?

I am not a doctor, but if the test is whether your diet could become a factor then you do not have to look further than heart transplant waiting list criteria[1][2]. For example, please note that 'morbid obesity' is noted as a relative contraindication. McD enjoyers are not known for being fit ( I should know ).

I personally think you are asking the wrong question here.

[1]https://www.upmc.com/services/transplant/heart/process/waiti... [2]https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/transplant/referring-physici...

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