Junk Cell Phone Ads

What with all the furor over junk food ads on Nickelodeon ("the lawsuit assumes that parents can't turn off televisions, have no control over the food they buy and can't make their kids go outside to play" - so sue the companies so that I don't have to actually parent anymore) you'd think there'd be some outrage over cell-phone services marketing themsleves to kids.

First of all, these joke and game services on cell phones cost the parents money. And if mom & dad have given their kids cell phones, I've got to think these parents are getting some big phone bills. I see nothing on these ads that says get your parent's permission or must be over 18 to order. I've seen some awfully young kids (elementary school) using cell phones.

Was in a cell phone store recently with a prosperous young black family. They were getting a new phone for their darling daughter. Apparently, she'd dropped her cell phone in the toilet. The cashier hadn't even finished ringing up the order and the lil princess was already making phone calls to her friends, stopping to interrupt the purchase to ask, "Is my phone number the same?" and asking if 'she' could buy all the snazzy accessories.

It was sad to see such a cell-crack addiction in person. I'm sorry, but if my kid dropped the phone in the toilet, you'd find me taking the battery out and phone apart so that I could dry the compenents with a hair dryer. That or my spoiled brat could do without the phone.

At least when I buy and let my kids eat Choco Fruity Pops, they're getting vitamins and minerals too.

** UPDATE **
I do see that lawyer speak in -10 pt font at the bottom of the TV screen, but what kid is going to read that? "You must be 18+ to order. Get permission from bill payer before ordering. To unsubscribe, text 'stop'..."

This stuff has got to be a bigger headache than junk food.