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Comment by facethrowaway | Hacker News Reader

Until the richest YouTuber isn’t an adolescent set up to prey on his peers with unboxing videos, these measures are all half-hearted attempts at keeping the cash flowing. More regulation is probably needed.

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Exactly what kind of regulation are you looking for if this is not enough?

> prey on his peers with unboxing videos

How is an unboxing video predatory?

Such videos are themselves ads, presented as if they're not.

you say this like all cartoons growing up weren't giant ads. Almost every cartoon of my generation was created by a toy company. He-Man, GI Joe, Transformers, etc.

That's probably because I didn't watch cartoons growing up! But yes, I am aware of that connection.

Did you know that is how a lot of cartoons started? I recommend you watch https://www.netflix.com/mx-en/title/80224167 . (The Power of GraySkull documentary).

Cartoons like TMNT, Thundercats, Silverhawks, etc where done for the single purpose of selling toys.

>prey on his peers with unboxing videos

What exactly is predatory about it?

They are literally video-length advertisements

I dunno, unboxing videos often satisfy (part of) the urge that made me want to get the thing in the first place. It's like the psychology finding that telling people about your goals makes you less motivated to achieve them. Part of my motivation to buy the thing was to get the experience of unboxing it; now I feel like I've already gotten that.

all cartoons that were aired were ads to sell toys.

How about regulation by the parents over what they allow their children to watch? Or is that too much of an inconvenience these days?

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