"I’ve been waiting a long time for someone inside youth marketing to expose the industry for its unethical and manipulative practices. Kidnapped does that and more: The scope of the ground it covers is encyclopedic; it captures the vulnerabilities of each stage of development; and, most important, it empowers parents by offering as many do’s as don’ts. This book is terrific!”--Barbara F. Meltz, Parenting Columnist, The Boston Globe Children Are Sitting Ducks in Today’s High-Powered World of Commercialization According to the American Psychological Association, in 2004 alone young people were targeted with over $12 billion of advertising. Childhood obesity rates are skyrocketing, and children watch close to 1,000 hours of television every year, nearly 70 percent of which has some sort of sexual content. Almost 80 percent of the video games children play promote violence as a form of casual entertainment. America’s children are under assault, according to Kidnapped: How Irresponsible Marketers Are Stealing the Minds of Your Children, by youth marketing pioneers Daniel S. Acuff, PhD, and Robert H. Reiher, PhD. Readers will learn insights on: · 12 brain-based learning principles that guide child development· 15 developmental “blind spots” that make children sitting ducks for advertisers and marketers· The impact of repeated images of violence, sexuality, and substance abuse In Kidnapped, parents and educators discover how to recognize and combat unethical practices, while retailers and marketers learn how to provide healthier and more positive products and programs for our nation’s youth.