Freedom to be a Child:Commercial Pressures on Children

Children’s lives have been transformed over the past century. Family incomes haveincreased, children lead more solitary lives, attitudes to childhood have changed, newproducts have been developed and commercial pressures on children have increased.The importance of these commercial pressures is analysed. Do children understandadvertising? How is child poverty affected? How does increased materialism affectpsychological well-being? The issues raised for public policy are discussed in terms ofchildren’s freedom, the rights of children and the protection of children. Finally, thefuture of childhood is considered and choices between constraining commercialpressures or not are considered.[...]