Television advertising directed toward young children should not be allowed
Advertising is one of the primary and most well-known marketing tools used by companies to promote their products to customers. As a matter of fact, new inventions such as the television have allowed advertisers to reach out to a crowd, larger than ever before, including very young children. In my view, this can involve a plethora of risks which parents do not seem to understand, hence it is of tremendous importance that television advertising aimed at young children is strictly regulated or altogether banned.
First of all, it has been scientifically proven time and time again that children aged 2-5 cannot process complex information, such as the messages contained in television adverts. Their brain functions have simply not developed up to a point when they would be able to comprehend what is good for them and what is not. Consequently, when they watch an advertisement in the television, they can be easily influenced by it. Fast food advertisements are a great example; They are usually accompanied by colorful and lively images of clowns or fantastic creatures. These pictures attract children who cannot understand or do not know the unhealthy effects of junk food. They stimulate their brain and make them crave even more of this food, leading them to the adoption of an unhealthy lifestyle.
In addition, kids nowadays, even at this young age, are subjected to significant peer pressure. This is the case especially in Western, developed societies. Young children want to have what their peers possess and they feel particularly sad or depressed when their parents are unable to provide a particular toy or service due to financial issues . Advertisements aimed at young children often promote a spirit of consumerism which encourages children to "not be left behind their peers". This, can also cause friction between children and their parents, when the latter cannot afford the advertised product.
To conclude, some people would say that it is not the responsibility of the government to regulate television advertisements but of the parents. However, we should take note that parents are not always able to supervise what their children are watching, mainly due to their many commitments. Therefore, it should be the state, under its responsibility to protect and positively influence the youth, that it should restrict television advertising aimed at young children.
