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I don't think you're way off the mark, or being a "grumps" on the subject. Young minds can be heavily influenced which is why many societies regulate experienc

by icu 5y ago

I don't think you're way off the mark, or being a "grumps" on the subject. Young minds can be heavily influenced which is why many societies regulate experiences that may cause harm. I'm sure there are children who aren't impacted by EA lootboxes, as I'm sure there are children who are. It's the ones that are I'm concerned about, and the families that will end up dealing with the fallout. I don't see why it's not possible to gate it behind a proof of age... however it's obvious that there is no incentive for EA to do so.

barbazoo 5y ago
This is all really sad and I wonder how I'll ever protect my child from what these cooperations will come up with 10 years from now. I know probably every generation has lamented about this but I wonder if childhood these days is as fun as it used to be. Yesterday we overheard two kids, maybe 9 years old, discuss the local real estate market and how one house across the street went for a million bucks to which the other kid responded that it was probably because of their finished basement. WTH.
- moltke 5y ago
  Just have a rule against closed software in the house. It works very well.
- lotsofpulp 5y ago
  Could be a sign of good parenting if they are aware of their future costs and that they should start investing their allowance in index funds to afford a house, as opposed to wasting it by gambling on lootboxes or yu gi oh cards.
- icu 5y ago
  I hear what you're saying but my conclusion was that I'm never going to be able to protect my son and all I can do was prepare him in stages as best as possible. Change is inevitable... and in the past I used nostalgia as a mental point of origin to judge situations today. However I've come to see that change creates both negative and positive opportunity but it's just a matter of perspective. I'm sure there are positive aspects to those 9 year olds discussing real estate, like an opportunity to discuss sustainable development or homelessness and charities like Habitat for Humanity. Who knows where those seeds will lead a 9 year old?
  - barbazoo 5y ago
    Interesting perspective, thank you for sharing!
Gigachad 5y ago
I'm of a mixed opinion. I think lootboxes for kids could actually be good. Kids are in a position where they can spend every dollar they have on useless boxes and still have a place to live, food to eat, and resources for school. And I think that these games eventually give them a realization about how much of a waste of money it was. I saw people I went to school with spend all of their after school job money on loot crates and then realize they got very little from it in the end so they stop. On the other hand, if it turns out they don't cause many kids to have this realization and it instead turns it in to a habit they don't grow out of, then yeah it could be pretty bad. But without knowing that, it seems like kids are the only ones able to safely gamble since they can't truly lose.

by icu 5y ago

barbazoo 5y ago

This is all really sad and I wonder how I'll ever protect my child from what these cooperations will come up with 10 years from now. I know probably every generation has lamented about this but I wonder if childhood these days is as fun as it used to be. Yesterday we overheard two kids, maybe 9 years old, discuss the local real estate market and how one house across the street went for a million bucks to which the other kid responded that it was probably because of their finished basement. WTH.

moltke 5y ago
Just have a rule against closed software in the house. It works very well.
lotsofpulp 5y ago
Could be a sign of good parenting if they are aware of their future costs and that they should start investing their allowance in index funds to afford a house, as opposed to wasting it by gambling on lootboxes or yu gi oh cards.
icu 5y ago
I hear what you're saying but my conclusion was that I'm never going to be able to protect my son and all I can do was prepare him in stages as best as possible. Change is inevitable... and in the past I used nostalgia as a mental point of origin to judge situations today. However I've come to see that change creates both negative and positive opportunity but it's just a matter of perspective. I'm sure there are positive aspects to those 9 year olds discussing real estate, like an opportunity to discuss sustainable development or homelessness and charities like Habitat for Humanity. Who knows where those seeds will lead a 9 year old?
- barbazoo 5y ago
  Interesting perspective, thank you for sharing!

Gigachad 5y ago

I'm of a mixed opinion. I think lootboxes for kids could actually be good. Kids are in a position where they can spend every dollar they have on useless boxes and still have a place to live, food to eat, and resources for school. And I think that these games eventually give them a realization about how much of a waste of money it was. I saw people I went to school with spend all of their after school job money on loot crates and then realize they got very little from it in the end so they stop. On the other hand, if it turns out they don't cause many kids to have this realization and it instead turns it in to a habit they don't grow out of, then yeah it could be pretty bad. But without knowing that, it seems like kids are the only ones able to safely gamble since they can't truly lose.