Thought the title was clickbaity and would not deliver, but it very much meant what it said:

>“These parents have no idea that lurking behind their kids’ screens and phones are a multitude of psychologists, neuroscientists, and social science experts who use their knowledge of psychological vulnerabilities to devise products that capture kids’ attention for the sake of industry profit. What these parents and most of the world have yet to grasp is that psychology — a discipline that we associate with healing — is now being used as a weapon against children.”

While the article raises some valid and disturbing points, I feel like it’s missing the fact that kids have always been subjected to psychological warfare. “Be good and do what you’re told, or He’ll awaits!” The problem now is that the war is automated and online, but I feel like the solution is the same! Teach critical thinking skills. Prepare young people for the complexity of the world, the ads, the religion, the appeals to emotion. We’re not getting rid of phones and the internet, so prepare them for it.

Limit screen time, limit access as best you can, but think in terms of what you can add and not just take away. Give them the tools to fight the war. Yes, it means they’re going to be less likely to believe in your brand of god or political ideology just on your say-so, and that’s probably hard for some to swallow. It also means that some manicured and coiffed shill can’t do the same through a screen.