[cinericius]

>Citing his perspective as a parent, Mr. Zuckerberg pledged in his Facebook post his commitment to continuing to research and prioritize the welfare of children, framing their exposure to his products as inevitable. “The reality is that young people use technology,” he wrote. “Rather than ignoring this, technology companies should build experiences that meet their needs while also keeping them safe.”

Without a commitment to screening advertisements and paid partnerships (which are arguably more damaging) for selling ridiculous psuedo-science like 'detox tea' to young women and girls this rings empty. While social media companies remain in the business of selling advertisement space, they can't be trusted to not tell anyone of any age that they aren't good enough in some way; there's simply too much money in it.

[maybelsyrup]

Not saying anything about real world feasibility, but honestly, if I'm emperor? Advertising to minors outlawed.

[locallost]

Ads for minors are incredible trash. Basically the point of all tv channels that are for kids is to show ads for toys. Even a lot of shows are themselves nothing else than ads for toys. Let a child watch TV for an hour and the only thing that will happen is that they will come with a huge list of things they want. It's really sad. I watched a lot of TV when I was a child but it wasn't all made for you to buy licensed merchandise.

[rileymat2]

I must be a different age, 39, but outside of PBS, I don’t recall too much programming that was not funded by licensed merchandising and unhealthy foods. Of course many of those unhealthy foods were licensed too.

[locallost]

You're probably right, but I'm not from the US.

[kaladin-jasnah]

It seems like these days PBS Kids is the only kids' network that doesn't have ads and toys and trash like that.

[jeffwass]

in the USA.

Here in the UK we have CBeebies and CBBC.

[mixmastamyk]

It's true, I remember Life cereal commercials, Saturday morning, and later He-Man. Adverts have only gotten more sophisticated.

Luckily, I had a parent that mostly said "no," and that was the end of it.

[yawaworht1978]

It's true that platforms and advertisers can build early brand recognition on young people, but it was always there, it used to be tv mainly,but now with mobile devices, how can this possibly be controlled or regulated?

If I was your vice emperor, I would agree btw.

[alasdair_]

This happens in some Scandinavian countries already and seems to work well.

[rayiner]

> Without a commitment to screening advertisements and paid partnerships (which are arguably more damaging) for selling ridiculous psuedo-science like 'detox tea' to young women and girls this rings empty.

Unfortunately. a huge swath of all products marketed to young girls—many from blue chip companies—is stuff like this.

[sportslife]

I think the advertisers issues are actually not the biggest issue, and it would actually be in FB's interest for people and government to focus on them.

The summaries of the research on social media and teens that I've heard suggest the largest burden on their mental health is from the way the platforms channel interactions with their peers into feelings of social-exclusion and inadequacy, rather than exploitation by advertisers.

The ads are easy to spot as a problem, because there is a lot of shelling of garbage, but they are just funders. For FB, it's probably easier to change who pays Instagram for engagement, than how they get engagement at all.

[vmception]

With our existing laws there is likely an interpretation of wire fraud that could reach the desired results. Just need a Justice Department with that wants to prioritize that interpretation.

I pretty much like every outcome.

Outcome A) A couple indictments to some small/large advertisers freaks all the other advertisers out and they stop pursuing that kind of platform or offering that kind of service. This outcome exists whether the wire fraud or conspiracy to wire fraud charges are successfully challenged and restricted in appeals court or not.

Outcome B) Massive indictments to advertisers of all sizes as well as the ad platforms effectively stamp out this kind of business as a concept. The criminal nature of the indictment allows for seizure and leaking of all kinds of information supporting the need for greater disruption and reform.

Outcome C) The wire fraud and wire fraud conspiracy statutes are challenged and invalidated. Reducing the role of the government in every day life.

I like every outcome here.

[amelius]

Advertisers are complicit. Those who click the ads are too.

[cinericius]

I would have a hard time telling an impressionable young person that it's their fault, though certainly buying any product through an advertisement encourages further advertisement.

In an ideal world we would all have the mental fortitude to dismiss such things but who hasn't had a moment where they felt inferior to others, especially at a young age?