Prediction market platform Polymarket issued an apology for allowing users to place bets on the fate of American pilots aboard a U.S. fighter jet downed over Iran.

A two-seater F-15E Strike Eagle was shot down on Friday, according to a U.S. official. One crew member was rescued, but the other remains missing.

In a since-deleted market, users were able to wager on when the pilots might be rescued, with the majority predicting a Saturday rescue.

“US confirms pilots rescued by...?” the market read.

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[–] 32 points 7 months ago (2 children)

Polymarket is inherently unethical and should be banned. There’s no sense trying to draw a line anywhere. The whole endeavor is a perverse mockery of the human experience.

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  • [–] 30 points 7 months ago (2 children)

    I don't see how that's any different from letting people bet on other stuff that they allow

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  • [–] 2 points 7 months ago

    It can influence political events, and any coverage of those events. Reporters have already received death threats for writing news that didn't support an outcome that'd cause someone's bet to pay off.

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  • [+] 54 points 7 months ago (3 children)
  • [–] 13 points 7 months ago (2 children)

    Note that none of these (that I saw) included anything about the number of casualties, fatalities, the fate of any specific individual, etc.

    Not saying I agree, but I imagine that’s their “line in the sand”

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  • [–] 15 points 7 months ago

    oh, this is where the line is?

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  • [–] 10 points 7 months ago (1 child)

    Polymarket creates a dangerous feedback loop, financially incentivizing certain political outcomes. It should be shut down.

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    [–] 16 points 7 months ago

    Wages on how many children will die in a genocide? All fine

    A (possible) single US military death?

    Oohhh, I'm so sorry

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  • [–] 8 points 7 months ago

    Betting on someone's escape or capture is how we get Bachman's The Running Man. 

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  • [–] 14 points 7 months ago
    [–] 6 points 7 months ago

    "It's cool."

    - Republicans

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  • [–] 4 points 7 months ago

    They're sorry someone complained

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  • [–] 4 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

    It's clear gambling is destructive to peoples lives, why put on airs? This is the insincere time warner two finger nipple rub.

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  • [–] 3 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

    I wonder if anyone's "Trump converts to Islam on Easter Sunday" bet has paid out...

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  • [–] 3 points 7 months ago

    Trump's boys. Criminal shit bags just like their daddy.

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  • [–] 0 points 7 months ago

    Stock market doesn't like competition.

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  • [–] -2 points 7 months ago

    So we can't bet on the odds of a terrorist being captured?

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  • 11 comments in c/aboringdystopia@lemmy.world view that post
    [–] 68 points 7 months ago

    Oh, for this they apologize? …okay

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  • [–] 51 points 7 months ago
    [–] 31 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

    And here I thought it was all about the prediction. Wasn't it supposed to be real-time news proliferation by watching for "whistleblowers" betting on certain outcomes? Would they really just lie to us?

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  • [–] 13 points 7 months ago

    This means nothing. They're enabling it (and worse).

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  • [–] 12 points 7 months ago (1 child)

    Please only allow wagers on Peter Thiel's death.

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  • [–] 10 points 7 months ago (2 children)

    Can we wage when the trump government will collapse?

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  • [–] 2 points 7 months ago

    "They could be your neighbor, a friend, a family member," the Democrat from Massachusetts wrote. "And people are betting on whether or not they’ll be saved."

    I wonder if this person complained about the bets on missile strikes and such

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  • 2 comments in c/usa@midwest.social view that post
    [–] 7 points 7 months ago

    Why the hell is this the line? What?

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  • [–] 4 points 7 months ago

    Betting on wars though is cool. Okay fuck right off polymarket.

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  • 1 comment in c/usa@lemmy.ml view that post
    [–] 13 points 7 months ago

    But betting on the Iranian leader getting killed was fine

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