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by hn_throwaway_99 3002 days ago
I think the "get rich quick" schemes here are just as bad, but I don't think it's a logical inconsistency to argue that it's one thing to target these kinds of articles to adults and quite another to target them to young children.
1 comments

100% agree. And that's my point. There is a level of discernment and skepticism you should have as an adult.

While those skills are not common enough in adults, it's rare that ANY 10 year old anywhere would have the life experience to develop those skills.

Also making this business activity socially acceptable for kids opens the door to parents putting pressure on their kids to make money ("WHY ISN'T MY 12 A VIRAL BEAUTY GURU!?!?!" says some soccer mom). I'm also willing to bet most of these kids have parental involvement, so it opens the door to parents 'pimping out' their kids so they can market some shitty product with an edge of it being sold by a kid.

At that age, kids should be focused on developing fundamental skills instead of focusing on their brand or get rich. What's wrong with saying something is ok for adults but not for kids?

Many of the young people with channels on youtube are focusing on stuff they are already having fun with and in the process of creating videos and promotion are acquiring and learning valuable skills. I expect that most teens reading articles in Teen Boss are going to see through the bullshit pretty quickly. The flip-side is the pimping parent who is trying to brand their kids into a youtube star, those people need to be stopped. Luckily most of the young people active on youtube have parents that are not pressuring them...
I sort of agree with you that some kids are doing it for the love. But I think they are in the minority. No matter how much you love something posting 3 videos a week has got to zap the fun out of it especially for a kid.

Also I don’t believe at all that a 12 year is really passionate about building a line of “eco friendly” skin care products and the botanical mixtures (like one of the girls on the cover of teen bo$$).

Who is talking about ten and 12 year olds? The magazine is literally called Teen Boss.
according to the new yorker:

> The title is aimed at girls aged eight to fifteen, and it has a bright, pink-heavy, clamorously cheerful aesthetic to match.