@Avram in MD
I am not here to debate whether having a smartphone is suggested or not. I hear your point about addiction but I think its just so the normal and regular. You just can’t live the Amish. Its going to be the new norm like a car. There are teshivas against taking atrain because people will go to the city and become frei. Guess what the arucah hahluchan was spot on. Thats what happened. But when it becomes so widespread and so the new norm fighting it isn’t the answer. Soon you will need that phone for every daily usage like swipping it for credit cards , going on the city bus, signing forms etc.
But I repeat this isn’t what I am looking to debate. lets focus on Tag charging money for filters.
The compasion to hashgachas is a weak one at best. I’d compare it to shul membership maybe. Most shuls don’t “require” membership. They strongly encourage and nudge people. People realize on their own to pay. But noone throws people out if they don’t pay. In our shul we consider them as equal members. This is how I think TAG should work too, Strnomgly encourage paying but don’t offically charge. Its not like a hashgacha that’s a minimum cost and where people are sold to the cause.
Re the non for profit aspect. I get that legally and probably halchalcly they can charge. I just say its not in the spirit of how most frum people view mossod who generally does not charge for services. When they make a TAG shabbos the rav is saying its “tzaedka”. Whats the “tzedka” if they charge? Because they offer “awareness” for free? (don’t get me started on “awareness”. Tag shita is that its all trief to start and only with alot of convincing bdieved is anything kosher. the 24-6 commotion is a prime example. Its the best invention and BH I got my kids off you tube because of that. But mo its all trief)
Let me make my key point though: TAG can do whatever they want. But realize that you or they are leaving behind a whole proportion of klal yisroel by charging. Not everyone is sold on the necessity and/or technology is both a big pull and the way forward. They have the most powerful mike and its up to them to bring those people in too. Or they can be like the tznuis asfias that only those with short shitels attend already while the rest of kall yisroel just ignores the issue. We need to start waking up to the reality that there is whole segment of charedi jews (whether chasdim or litfaks) who look at these things as extra frum but not a necissity. Those that are sold on these things will be aware of the dangers anyhow. in 2024 there is no excuse why they can’t do the right thing, offer free filters and focus on winning over this growing sectorof those not sold on this who are ignored.