Exploiting Children Via Databases (Database Nation Discussion)

In Chapter 7 "Buy Now!: Selling It To Our Youngest Consumers", Simson Garfinkel talks about this exploitative practice of collecting data from children while they use the Internet to be stored in databases for marketing purposes. I was unaware for some odd reason that sites that I once deemed child-friendly because of the age-appropriate content, were equally as harmful to my children. I now know why I have received all types of marketing offers in the mail for various children's magazines, toys, and other products for which I did not personally seek.

It is not enough that we have to deal with all of the commercials marketing to kids and other child predators. Now, we have to start screening the sites that our children frequent on the Internet that appear harmless. Who preys on children's ignorance of data gathering methods anyway? Are companies so concerned with increased profits that they will stop at nothing to entice a child to provide personal information about themselves and sometimes other members of their families?
I wonder if they realize that in their attempts to gain information for marketing campaigns geared toward children that they might be putting children in harms way. There is no way to guarantee that some malicious individuals are not intercepting the same personal data that they see as harmless.


Where is the social responsibility in all of these ploys to collect information? Who will protect the information that they are gathering about children? I do not want to even think about what type of malicious individuals could be working for the companies who collect address information from children via mandatory product or site registrations. I think that we really need tougher regulations in place to sanction any company who attempts to collect information from children without their parents' consent despite disclaimers and acceptance agreements. There needs to be some way to protect our kids from further exploitation.

I read that some regulatory efforts have been made toward minimizing how data can be gathered, but not prohibiting or completely outlawing data collection from minors. We as parents will simply continue to regulate this practice. Such a task will require continuous monitoring and trying to control what information is allowed into our homes and what is allowed to go out of them. A Database Nation is definitely where we reside today, but you would think they would take a little easier on the parents---the decision and purchase makers. It's like our jobs as parents are not difficult enough now we must learn to navigate around this intricate mess.