Reply #154: Kids 5 and younger do not have the cognitive development to distiguish between

[Luminous Animal]

the fantasy of advertising and reality. Between the ages of 6-7 is the stage that leads to the "age of reason". Most child psychologists put that at 7 (and the reason why Catholics participate in the rite of 1st communion around age 7. Through observation, they concluded that that is the age when a child understands the consequences of their actions.)

Psychologists are hired by corporations and advertisers to devise strategies to manipulate consumers. To target children younger than 7-8 with such sophisticated manipulation is, in my book, child abuse.

And to address your "likewise" (and has been stated over and over and over and over again, in this thread)... no one is advocating that people be barred from taking their children to McDonald's.

The issue is predatory advertising.