Band 6+: In many countries, advertising aimed at children has become increasingly common through social media, video platforms, and online games. Do the advantages of this development outweigh the disadvantages?

In contemporary society, advertising targeted at young individuals has become ubiquitous using social networks , online games and video platforms. Numerous individuals perceive this trend as advantageous, while others think that it has only drawbacks for children. This essay will discuss both merits and demerits. I wholeheartedly believe that advantages outweigh disadvantages

Admittedly , there are some cons to consider. The swift growth in advertising intended for the younger generation has visible consequences for them. Persistent targeted advertising in social networks can influence young people’s mindset. Due to their lack of maturity, they don’t realise that this ad can be clickbait or even fraud. Therefore, they can face deception that can be perilous for personal data. Effortlessly, their individual information can be used in inappropriate ways such as fraud and blackmail. For instance, sites on the Internet with stolen films often can be unsafe for the user and computer. These types of sites can demonstrate a lot of advertisements with fake information.

Furthermore, the advantages delivered by ads from social networks are more paramount for the children. Although there is a lot of unnecessary information on the Internet, young users are able to acquire useful data they need. Information can be implemented in different ways such as academic pursuits, entertainment or relaxation. To demonstrate, while visiting or watching video platforms, without intention they can discover ads about applications such as “Duolingo”. This is an international app that helps billions of people learn a foreign language. After seeing this, they are encouraged to learn something new, especially a new language. Thus, it is not only beneficial for the consumer, but also for the creator of the app. In addition, young people after finding surprising information are inclined to share this information with other people.These positive implications as a broadening child’s horizon rejects drawbacks by ads influence.

To conclude, although it is evident that negative aspects of advertisement such as the risk of fraud and lack of data privacy exists, I undoubtedly believe that merits such as opportunity for learning something new and sharing knowledge via word-of-mouth are more crucial and outweigh the former.