Hacker News new | ask | show | jobs
by fergonco 686 days ago
Since I got kids I realized how they are the weakest link in the chain and are targeted by everyone. From tobacco (at the end nobody starts smoking at 30), to "free" cartoons (peppa pig backpack is not free, though), school book sellers. Heck, even the school this year pressured to put my kid in their social media.

There is a whole world of people making their living out of your kids.

Sorry for the rant. This is just another two. Does not surprise me.

4 comments

Yes. And as parent one must fight against multiple multibillion dollar industries. Starting with food ending with toys, games, influencers and everything in between.

I was neutral when I started working in cellphone industry and kids were small. Now when I see how teens siting in the corner watching worthless stupid YouTube videos on the phone for hours I don’t feel well. Luckily I quit that industry and think it’s a cousin of big tobacco at the end despite advertisements telling some other things.

Also sugary sweets are aimed at children, for whom a dose of sugar probably hits much harder. As someone who managed to quit sugar, it was like a drug addiction.
Yes, indeed it is a drug addiction.
It is worse than a drug addiction because drugs aren't basic biochemical building blocks. Going cold turkey on all carbs isn't exactly mainstream nutrition.
> even the school this year pressured to put my kid in their social media.

Wow

> This is just another two.

These two control around half of the online ad industry, though