A paper which examines how consumers are targeted by advertisers on the Internet, with a focus on the affect of consumerism on children.
The paper shows that by analyzing the kinds of ideas, values and ethics contemporary Internet advertising attempts to promote toward children, one only has to realize how strong an influential hold capitalism has upon people. It should come as no surprise that many children are persuaded to ask for items they either do not need or have little interest in, all because they were swayed by slick marketing campaigns targeted at cultivating just such a programmed purchase response. The paper discusses the fact that through the years, a distinctive trend has been established with regard to the various methods advertisers employ in order to outshine the competition. Some of these practices are looked upon as being instrumental within such a cutthroat environment; others, however, are viewed as inappropriate and unacceptable. It examines how critics contend that this type of deceptive Internet advertising is inappropriate in light of the fact that children are not equipped to discern the difference between clever marketing ploys and reality.
“The vicious cycle that exists within the framework of consumerism — the perpetual wanting of more and more materialistic tangibles until there is nothing left to appreciate — resides within each and every person; it is a social ill that grows worse with each passing generation. Consumerism’s negative influence upon modernity exemplifies the ongoing quest for betterment through change that often does not occur. One of the most obvious and damaging influences of contemporary consumerism is the overwhelming impact that the Internet has had upon children.”