|  eheller | Feb 27, 1:10pm | I've always been turned off by commercial TV but as a father of young girls I've started to really become concerned. Advertisers are targeting kids specifically because they know that young minds can't tell the difference between truth and marketing. When you manipulate minors for your own benefit and at their expense, well, that's called molestation under any other situation and I think that's what commercial TV is doing to kids. We have laws in the US against this kind of thing; why should it be OK when it comes in the form of cartoony characters?
I think if the debate is framed in this manner the "moral" folks in the US may be willing to take another look at how they "see" TV. Really, I think parents ought to be embarrassed about exposing their kids to this kind of exploitation. Maybe using embarrassment is a way to get them to turn off the tube as well.
As most people in this group know there are other countries with laws against targeting kids (like Sweden, for instance) but it's hard to imagine this in America given the "freedom of speech" concerns. (I don't think it's a question of free speech when it comes to hurting kids!). Still, maybe if more people understood the danger to kids from TV they would simply turn it off. Imagine if 25 million - 50 million - just millions and millions of Americans unplugged themselves from corporate entertainment as a protest. What a message that would send!
I'm brand new to this group - I'm really glad to know it's here - and curious what others think. |
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Turn Off Your Television → Discussion