Who’s Raising the Kids?: Big Tech, Big Business, and the Lives of Children

by Susan Linn

From a world-renowned expert on creative play and the impact of commercial marketing on children, a timely investigation into how big tech is hijacking childhood—and what we can do about it

“Engrossing and insightful . . . rich with details that paint a full portrait of contemporary child-corporate relations.” —Zephyr Teachout, The New York Times Book Review

Even before COVID-19, digital technologies had become deeply embedded in children’s lives, despite a growing body of research detailing the harms of excessive immersion in the unregulated, powerfully seductive world of the “kid-tech” industry. In the “must read” ( Library Journal , starred review) Who’s Raising the Kids? , Susan Linn—one of the world’s leading experts on the impact of Big Tech and big business on children—weaves an “eye-opening and disturbing exploration of how marketing tech to children is creating a passive, dysfunctional generation” ( Kirkus Reviews , starred review). From birth, kids have become lucrative fodder for tech, media, and toy companies, from producers of exploitative games and social media platforms to “educational” technology and branded school curricula of dubious efficacy. Written with humor and compassion, Who’s Raising the Kids? is a unique and highly readable social critique and guide to protecting kids from exploitation by the tech, toy, and entertainment industries. Two hopeful chapters—“Resistance Parenting” and “Making a Difference for Everybody’s Kids”—chart a path to allowing kids to be the children they need to be.

Genres: Parenting, Nonfiction, Technology, Psychology, Self Help, Sociology, Health

320 pages, Hardcover

First published September 13, 2022

About the author

Susan Linn is a psychologist, award-winning ventriloquist, and a world-renowned expert on creative play and the impact of media and commercial marketing on children. She was the Founding Director of Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood (now called Fairplay) and is currently research associate at Boston Children’s Hospital and lecturer on psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. The author of Consuming Kids, The Case for Make Believe, and Who’s Raising the Kids? (all published by The New Press), she lives in Brookline, Massachusetts.

Reviews

[Ciara · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is good. Not because it's telling us something we don't already know but because it's telling us that thing with more certainty than most people will be able to deny or do mental gymnastics around.

Why the book is good
The problems with big tech + raising kids are way deeper than too much screen time, and I felt some of my personal gripes vindicated when it comes to things like licensed character clothing. I've always felt resistance to giving my kids branded clothing and toys but didn't have the words to explain to anyone why I felt this way.

I think that when you work in marketing or ads, even in a limited way, it helps you understand that so much of what we sell each other is not actually for our benefit; it's just about the money. The author has connections within the marketing/ad industry and strengthens its arguments through concrete illustrations of these companies knowingly and intentionally damaging children's brains for profit.

It doesn't matter if what's being sold actively hurts people in multiple ways. Because of that, you've gotta deconstruct your beliefs about everything. What's normal? Why is it normal? Should it be normal? Is this beneficial for my kid? For me? For anyone?

It's very easy to write a book about parenting based on your opinions, your worldview, and anecdotal evidence. There are tons of those books out there. It's a lot more involved to write a book about parenting that is solidly backed up by verifiable stats and evidence. I appreciate that the author took the time to insert so many references from different sources across the spectrum of media and experts.

Personal rant
I've got a lot to say about stuff like this, and I'm defensive about it because I've been on the receiving end of being called a grinch or someone implying that I don't believe in letting my kids have fun when I get weird about clothes with princesses or superheroes on them. Or when I don't love the fact that they're aware of so many characters' names and what show they're from or what powers they have and that they want that toy/thing for Xmas.

There are plenty of ways to let your kids have fun. Painting. Baking. Go outside. Dig in some dirt. Read together. Ask them if they have a question and answer it for them with words, drawings, videos, and pictures. Play with the toys they already have. Watch something that wasn't created to sell you toys or merch.

I'm excited to dig into some of the sources mentioned by the author and further build out my own ideas and arguments against what we're doing to our kids (priming them for a life of mindless consumerism) and why just limiting screen time isn't a solution. Yes, that's probably part of it, but there's really so much more to it than that.

On kids' apps/games: "When we immerse kids in experience after experience built on a system of external rewards, we not only prime them to be motivated only, or by mostly, by material gains, we also deprive them of opportunities to experience the deep fulfillment of doing something - anything - because they deeply care about it."

The circle of retail life: "Child demands product, parent learns about product through child, household begins using product, child ideally grows up to encourage his or her own household to use said product - at least until their own kids start making requests." - A research director at a market research firm. These quotes from people in marketing/ad agencies are particularly powerful in the context of this book because they continually highlight the fact that these products are not at all created for the benefit of our children. I think it was a great choice on the author's part to add them throughout the book.

On parents giving in to children's requests for toys/fast food:"I don't absolve parents of responsibility for their children's behavior in a commercially-driven world, but the possibility that parents aren't coping well doesn't justify marketer's efforts to get children to nag. Most of the parents I do talk to do their best in what can feel like an unending and overwhelming struggle. In the face of well-funded, brilliantly strategized, and ubiquitous commercial assaults on their children, it's unfair to expect parents to be both gatekeepers and children's sole protectors."

Who should be responsible for protecting kids from marketing?
I haven't reached the point in my parenting journey where my kids are asking me for a lot of specific things. So far, they ask me to go to the park, to do crafts, or to play with/read to them. But I think this is more because they're super young and don't even go to school yet and less because of anything I've done correctly. They haven't been marketed to as much as older kids have. I'm saying this because I feel like I should make it clear that I don't have direct experience with this specific part of parenting before commenting on it.

I've seen lots of arguments about why the government shouldn't be the answer here, but what should be, then? As a parent, I believe I have a responsibility to limit the advertising my kids are exposed to, and I've been able to do a lot of that because my kids are in my care most of the time. But not everyone has the ability to take care of their children all of the time. Many parents have to work to make ends meet and don't have control over the media their kids have access to.

I don't work outside the home because I cannot afford childcare, so I'm not necessarily coming from a privileged standpoint on this, but I do have privilege when it comes to being able to parent my kids "my" way. Still, I don't think it's fair for people to make the argument that parents are the only ones responsible for what media their kids are exposed to.

Should corporations be able to advertise to kids? Should we support the idea of having shows that only exist to sell toys? Is that a right that companies have? Is access to our kids' brains their right simply because they have the capital to make it happen? Is allowing marketing to children something we feel the need to protect and uphold? Why?

I don't think they should be allowed to do that. 🤷‍♀️

And if a parent requires help raising their kids so they can put food on their table, that parent shouldn't be deemed less responsible because they couldn't afford to shield their kid from media that relentlessly seeks to imbue them with materialistic values.

This whole neoliberal "I got mine, who cares about everyone else" mindset is not helping us improve conditions for anyone other than people who already have money, already have access, and who already have support in some tangible way, shape, or form.

At some point, I think we have to get real about the fact that the ruling class doesn't need us to uphold their destructive systems of extraction. They already own everything, including a lot of what we buy for our kids, whether we are watching lots of ads or not. But it sure makes it a lot easier for them to rule when we're down here telling poor people that it's an individual responsibility to protect their kids from the propaganda that the people who own these companies spend millions on to put in front of our kids by any means necessary. It's not a fair fight, and it's not the parent's fault.

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book thesis that I can get behind, there is too much tech and advertising to young children, in order to create life long loyal consumers to brands.

I disagree with the author's decision to place most of the ability to solve the problem on government. The author praises various groups for standing up to big tech, but then is annoyed to learn that most of these groups won't, go all the way, because big tech funds them. The author also pushes for government to do more, yet is annoyed that big tech keeps government from doing much, through lobbying. How will more government and more groups, funded by big tech, stop the problem?

And it seems anytime the author hints at maybe parents need to do more, there is always the caveat, which reads something to the effect of, "but I know parents are sometimes just to busy and give in, I understand."

And of course with all books within the last two years, shots are taken at Trump, because we have to virtue signal. sigh, shrug

All of that aside, the author arrives at a conclusion I totally agree with. Big tech and marketing needs to step away from children.

Interested to see the author's reaction when they discover all the big tech and marketing money dumped into covid marketing. It worked on the author.

[Caroline Sturman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aside from some of the political jabs that just didn't seem necessary, I gained serious insight into the tech world and its marketing to children.

[Jennifer Sveda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was very excited to dig into this book - as soon as I read a blurb about it in one of my many library magazines (might have been Library Journal), I put our pre-ordered copy on hold.

I won't lie - it was a little difficult to get through. I work with children, and after school, it's common to walk into the children's department and see all 12 of our computers occupied by kids playing Roblox. This group includes kids as young as first grade or kindergarten, and they often stay on the computer until their parents come to pick them up, which can range from 1.5 to 4.5 hours. Some kids also have smartphones or tablets, and it's not strange to see kids using more than one screen at a time and splitting their attention between games, music, and videos (usually Tik Tok). After reading the first few chapters, I had to repress the urge to walk into work and smash all of our computers with a baseball bat.

When defending the amount of computer use that happens in our department, we often fall into the same traps that Linn so eloquently debunked in this book: Roblox is collaborative, so at least they're building teamwork and social skills; ABC Mouse and other educational sites help improve reading, writing, and math skills; Minecraft encourages creativity and spatial awareness, like using Legos. Linn notes that some computer programs can be used sparingly to supplement skills attained through real-life play; however, most "creative" or "educational" games actually detract from such skills by forcing children to choose from pre-selected options that limit kids' imagination, and the games often bombard children with ads for branded merchandise or premium play. Another issue that we have encountered at the library that Linn did not really touch on was the prevalence of cyberbullying. We often have children banning each other from their private servers, hacking each other's accounts to steal their Robux, and using the chat function to tease and insult each other.

One issue Linn raised that I had not considered before was the attachment kids form to popular media characters and how this acts as de facto advertising for the corporations that own these characters' rights. At the library, if we have reluctant readers, I often suggest parents pick up books about popular movie or tv characters, especially those from Marvel or Disney, as a "gateway book" that might appeal to young fans of these franchises. However, as Linn mentioned, this encourages children to form parasocial relationships with these branded characters, which translates into a heightened desire to consume products associated with them. We can often tell what children's tv shows or movies are trendy at the moment based on the book requests we get from patrons - recently, the Australian show Bluey has been in high demand. I now worry that, in trying to meet the needs and wants of the community, we are unintentionally funneling kids towards more materialistic habits that will ultimately do them harm.

I enjoyed the tips that Linn included at the end of the book, though I wish some had been more general instead of aimed exclusively at parents. There are lots of adults who influence children's lives - librarians, teachers, babysitters, troop leaders, etc. - that could reduce the amount of technology children are exposed to on a daily basis but do not have the decision-making power of a parent. We will always have a thriving after-school crowd at the library, and we do not have the parental authority to tell kids they aren't allowed to play Roblox at all. How can we encourage children to leave the screens behind for hours every day when the temptation is so great, and the computer habit is so ingrained at home?

Overall, this is a book I will be sitting with for a while. I am glad I picked it up, and I think it will encourage me to be more thoughtful in my job and in my role as a steward of children's wellbeing.

[Nadja · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was already put off by the first two pages titled “a note to the reader”, when the author brought up George Floyd, Trump, and the “false information” around covid vaccines and masks. This unnecessary information made me wonder if the bulk of the book was going to be political or if she was going to put blame on white men because apparently, nowadays it’s cool to hate on men, extra points for hating on white ones.
At some point I went straight to the suggestions section of the book. Although the author mentions she knows parents are doing their best and she doesn’t mean to make anyone feel guilty, I think it is quite impossible not to feel guilty when reading this book. Unless you care to know the nitty gritty of marketing, it all comes down to keeping kids’ screen time to a minimal, being a role model, and avoiding playing on your phone in front of your kids.

[Portia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this book was incredibly enlightening as both a mom and a teacher. Susan Linn does an excellent job of breaking down what’s at stake when we falsely believe that apps (both social & educational) are free. Hint, hint: they’re not. What’s being bought is our time, attention, & life-time brand loyalty which results in millions & billions of dollars for these big companies. I found it particularly convicting when she highlighted the “free” learning app Prodigy. As a teacher who regularly used the app, it’s alarming how little math is actually incorporated into it. I highly recommend this book for parents & educators alike.

[Will Denny · Rating 4 out of 5]

It really seems that me/my generation barely missed the worst of techs effect on childhood. I feel like it has definitely shaped me and I’m more prone to big tech than my sister who is only 3 years older, but I never had to worry about having an iPad shoved in my hands as a toddler. I think that this book can be summed up to when Linn says that “the more a toy does for a child, the less the child has to do for themselves”.

Technology is supposed to be a tool, and I think the imbalance of how much we use that tool still needs to be fleshed out.

Ultimately I enjoyed this, a little repetitive at times but very interesting even as someone without kids
3.8/5

[Marcella Chatham · Rating 3 out of 5]

4 stars for the first half (excluding the very beginning lol). I liked her takes on the fact we have been duped to think that anything that is not electronic, or screen-based, entertainment is still good for our children. But the truth is that big companies have been vying for our children's business long before screens were ever a thing.
We shouldn't just stop at no screens but should press on to teach our children true contentment.
Her diagnosis on a few things were correct but her solutions fell short. Would make sense considering this book is from a secular worldview.
The second half of the book was bleh. A lot of bad takes chock-full of CRT stuff. Was disappointed that it went that direction.

"Only one in four moms in the United States describes herself as the family decision maker, down from 85 percent seven years ago. More than half of moms with children ages six to seventeen, 56 percent, say that family decision-making is now led by kids, with parental guidance. He continued, 'People have a sense of families as hierarchies, but I’m here to tell you that it’s over. It’s not a hierarchy—it’s a web. And how you market to, and entertain, a family web is different from how you market to a hierarchy. It’s a different kettle of fish.' In other words, marketing to children is as important, or more important, than marketing to adults."

[Melanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book is listed as having 320 pages, but the acknowledgments begin on page 243, so not quite the formidable tome it appears.

Author's bias is clear from the first few paragraphs of the "note to the reader," in that she is as mentally captive to big media and disinformation as anyone. She does care about the plight of children, but and also, she's a virtue-signaling Boomer.

The book is, admittedly, a bit of a slog and parts of it feel repetitive. Children are being marketed to by companies at an earlier and earlier age, and it's difficult to find products that aren't slapped with advertising or branding. The idea is to teach children to consume and to encourage their parents to consume. Many aspects of children's lives are curated in full or in part, by large corporations, and those corporations' decisions impact children's futures. And naturally, these are in ways that are designed to be beneficial to the corporation itself. Lots and lots of specific examples/products/marketing channels.

Issues of tech immersion aside, there are a couple of heavy virtue-signally chapters about racial bias (algorithms apparently aren't sufficiently color-blind... for example, typing "three black teenagers" into Google yields mugshots, while typing "three white teenagers" into Google yields stock photos. I tried this experiment and didn't get the same results, so YMMV) and climate change.

One thing missing was a chapter on fear as a mechanism for marketing, especially in light of covid. There was a lot of institutional terror directed towards children (and everyone else, but adults should have more discernment capabilities than children) about how "we need to stay home to keep people safe," "we need to avoid the playground to keep people safe," "summer is canceled to keep people safe," "if you go out without a mask, someone will probably die," "it's ok if you aren't doing well in virtual school; at least your grandma isn't dead." "Allowing an entire cohort of babies to grow up without seeing facial expressions is a fair tradeoff for possibly/not actually reducing covid deaths." Now, there have certainly been other childhood terrors over the decades, but none that have been so pervasively disruptive and inescapable for the modern child. And, with respect to this book, none that required such an undermining of interpersonal relationships in order to double down on technological solutions. Schools were suddenly able to provide loads of tablets or laptops for their student bodies and put children onto learning platforms that they could shirk or ignore, with scant opportunity for effective personalized instruction or interventions. [I had two children in the educational system in March 2020; the one with an IEP was absolutely neglected on that front for more than a full calendar year, the other child could not handle the virtual environment and spent the next academic year being homeschooled.] Virtual school was such a pain for everyone and the learning loss from that timeframe will prove to be the most harmful "long covid" in our society. But I'm off-topic. That wasn't in the book.

Author suggests that government can fix this problem! Campaign finance reform would help, as would updating whatever minimal legislation is in place to protect children (COPPA is the original-and-woefully-outdated law that currently exists) and other general legislation to protect privacy. Honestly, no. Nope. When the government is clearly in bed with every single big business, it will not pass effective legislation to rein in big business, nor will it provide any enforcement for whatever laws are passed (the text of which will be overseen if not explicitly written by members of the industry). She also supports grassroots movements and finding like-minded advocates to affect changes at the school district level, for example.

Last of all, she does have a chapter on how parents can reduce their own and their children's exposure to relentless brand exposure and technology. Most of it is pretty boilerplate (keep kids away from screens as long as reasonable) but with some annoying disclaimers (but yeah, if you give them unlimited screentime they might be okay anyway. Probably. Some English study said they would be).

[Reading_ Tamishly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just reading the introduction impressed me so much!

The issues brought up when it comes to kids and today's tech world, the good and the bad surrounding them have been well discussed. I really appreciate the contents. It feels like the author and I just have had a wholesome discussion on this topic. I feel you'd feel the same when you read this book!

Easy to read and follow, and most importantly a book which brings up a topic which everyone is concerned about will never be an old topic for discussion. And rightly so, the book in its thirteen short chapters focuses on small to big issues regarding"clickbaits", marketing agendas, the "rewards" we get hooked to, consumerism issues, and most of all how to make the difference we want to make when it comes to our kids.

I appreciate the extra parts for further reading/references and also the checklist which I find really helpful.

Thank you, The New Press, for the advance reading copy.

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is another exceedingly depressing book about the negative effects of big tech on our society.
Susan Linn knows what children need to thrive and gives us the lowdown on how big tech and big business have contrived to manipulate children and their parents into thinking that devices that aim to capture children's attention and sell them products they don't need are somehow educational and beneficial. What I didn't know was the extent to which these types of devices have been marketed to schools and are undermining public education. Thankfully, Linn and the organization she founded are pushing back but what a battle they have and how little the public is aware of what is happening.

[Jeff Colston · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quote I enjoyed! “In my experience, occasionally offering a material reward can help some kids overcome specific hurdles and navigate challenging terrain…It’s problematic, however, when adults continually rely primarily on the promise of material rewards or punishments to manage or to change children’s behavior in the long term. A significant body of research shows that material rewards aren’t particularly effective for permanently changing or shaping behavior over time and that a steady diet of them may ultimately undermine children’s healthy development. Consistently paying children or buying them treats for helping out, for sharing, or for being kind, for instance, deprives them of opportunities to experience the satisfactions inherent in assuming the responsibilities, as well as the benefits, of being an integral member of a family, organization, or society.”

I liked it! Helpful thoughts heading in to the school year, getting my mind back in to that zone. Lots of sad statistics about the dangers of materialism and advertising. Good reminder to be mindful of those things. I thought that the practical suggestions at the end were helpful too.

This is random but it was really annoying not having any subtitles in the chapters. Just felt like a stream of consciousness.

[Jenny Mac · Rating 4 out of 5]

Susan Linn focuses on how big tech and big corporations are constantly marketing to our children. Digit marketing increased during COVID as more and more kids were on screens and tablets. Linn goes through how kids are marketed not only in their homes, but also in school settings. In the end she focuses on ways we as a society can fight back against corporations who are specifically marketing our children at young ages.

I felt that the book was laid out well and drove home the importance of limiting tech and marketing to our children. I also appreciated that she declared several times that the onus of this problem shouldn’t just be on parents. She provided helpful tips to parents and even gave suggestions on bigger ways to combat the problem.

I will say that at times the author could be a bit, “gloom and doom,” (I mean, lay off Barbie 😂) but overall the book was an important message on how we all need to limit tech in our lives and focus more on actual human connection.

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

A must read for parents. So many eye-opening reality checks that made me go “that makes so much logical sense”

Technology, commercialized culture, and big tech greed are not going anywhere, we need to figure out how to raise kids well in this digitized and monetized world.

[Yassi · Rating 4 out of 5]

The concept of "brand tribes" has stuck with me. Also wondering whether all corporations making products for children are inherently exploitative.

[Miles Burleson-Lesser · Rating 3 out of 5]

Susan Linn's damning indictment of the tech industry and its amoral pursuit of profit by any means necessary. Addictive technology, behavioral psychology and increased surveillance are tools used by tech companies in order to make our kids better consumers.

From Amazon's "Alexa for kids" in nurseries, to corporate "sponsored educational materials" in schools, children are inundated with advertisements and pro-materialistic values which run counter to their best interests. Companies concerned with shaping our kids into unquestioning consumers promote creativity-stifling toys, nag-inducing advertisements, and a false belief that happiness is just one purchase away. The multi billion-dollar advertising industry is a formidable foe, and its beliefs have penetrated almost every facet of society - sometimes an argument over screen time feels like waging a battle against consumerist culture itself.

Here are a few helpful points from this book:
- It's helpful to wait long as possible, ideally until age 13+, before exposing kids to tech. Contrary to popular belief, studies show that exposure to tech at a young age does not increase technical proficiency. Part of this is due to the ever-changing nature of devices and progressively simpler UIs.

- The more autonomy a toy provides, the better. Tech driven toys which operate within parameters limit creativity, toys with sounds discourage kids from vocalizing, and self-moving toys sacrifice an opportunity to develop motor skills during playtime. Some beneficial toys include art supplies, building blocks and die-cast cars.

- We must make an effort as adults to limit our use of tech while in the presence of children, not only to teach by example, but as a way to be fully present in our interactions.

[Maddy Najarian · Rating 1 out of 5]

There are quite a few red flags in this book. Less than 5 minutes in she talks about her opinion on the former president Trump and lockdowns, masks, and vaccines. I say opinion because her ‘facts’ have been proven false and are irrelevant, which automatically makes all her facts in the book something to take with a grain of salt. What made me close the book and return though was her ‘inclusive’ language of Latinx when speaking of the Hispanic and Latin community. It is not inclusive and as someone of Latin origin it is offensive. One star for throwing up all her political beliefs on a book that has nothing to do with politics. Please stick to the real problem, technology and social media and it’s effects on children.

[Rawan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Incredibly transformative, enlightening, well researched book. I could barely put it down. I would have read it in one sitting if my schedule wasn’t (unfortunately) packed.

The text provides a VERY, VERY deep dive into the world of big tech/big business and the ways they aggressively and insidiously market to children. Extremely engaging writing. Around the last third or fourth of the book she begins giving parents/people in general advice about how we can curb the countless harmful impacts of big tech/business on children and on society at large. For parents and caregivers, she suggests a number of useful strategies while reminding the reader to acknowledge the validity and humanity of the child and their aggressive-marketing-induced desires. On a societal level, she notes that social change does not come quickly and easily and that there are ways people can put pressure from as family members, employees, consumers, and citizens to effect positive change. She emphasizes the need for regulatory legislation against big tech and their targeting of children. I saw another reviewer who thought this was a negative, but I think such opinions are idiotic. What’s the point of having a government, then? Just because the tech industry has a strong grip on government affairs or because the status quo may be unpleasant doesn’t mean that citizens can’t or shouldn’t come together to work/pressure against that. Anything is possible in the long run. She very clearly makes this argument. The author also makes it very clear why the responsibility does not and SHOULD not fall under children, parents, or the tech industry to (self) regulate.

Insertion of author’s political views was usually, but not always, relevant. It did, however, sometimes feel random/forced/not critically expressed enough, especially when it’s clearly an ideological jab. This kind of thing is just not my cup of tea. Still, this ONE annoyance did not take anything away from the quality of the research or writing for me, and also did not make me lose any interest. Also, the subject matter of this book IS inherently political, and the author is generally a deeply critical thinker/writer, and should be read as the authority she is.

[Janalyn, the blind reviewer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is so eye-opening and scary. Susan Lynn has a long career looking out for children from commercialism to games apps TV shows ET see this book is not only informative it’s also interesting. From company to look at our twins as on tap cast flow to companies that directly attack our children’s insecurities. There was so much and here and it made me glad that I raise my kids playing board games and only watching TV shows and movies on DVDs OVCR tapes. That’s not to say my kids were commercial free children, they weren’t they saw what their friends had watch TV at their friends homes and today all like any other young adults. They have smart phones a social presence but they still like doing real world things. There’s no escaping brands in commercialism but this book can give you a big Headstart. If you think you know everything there is to know about raising kids I promise you’re missing something always look out for helpful hints when it comes to being a parent. The biggest enemy of intelligence is thinking you have the most and when it comes to our children it is dangerous to be so egotistical to think you know exactly what you’re doing. It this day of commercialism and extreme screen presents is this book is a great tool to help you navigate this new world we live in. This book should be given out to expectant parents and OB/GYN and midwife clinics I was given this book by Ned Galli and the author and I am leaving this review voluntarily please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review but all opinions are definitely my own.

[Niki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everyone needs to read this book. Susan Linn writes a clear and comprehensive guide to understanding how and why Big Tech and Big Business are strategically and successfully targeting and shaping children as consumers first before young people and, more importantly, why it exists as a problem with pervasive impacts at many levels and needs to be stopped. Each chapter focuses on various elements of the marketing strategy and their impacts at different levels of child development.

What I appreciated was Linn's commitment to a holistic review of the situation and even when arguing against the business practices today. She doesn't make cliche generalizations like "all tech is bad" or "businesses are evil": she drives the point home that entities whose motivations are profit cannot be trusted to act in the benefit of children through paid products and advertising when healthy development does not need either.

As someone with only a theoretical awareness having grown up without too much tech, I actually really got into the content with a lot to chew on with Linn's anecdotes personal and second hand, case studies, legal references, and thought experiments amid her arguments. I also liked the resources at the end: this is clearly a book that does not just inform but also empower you to take the next step.

The issue of capitalism and free reign of businesses, especially in the U.S. in 2025, remains at large and with the concern about data privacy considering AI models, I believe everyone has a stake in this topic and what impacts children impacts everyone.

[Jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is the latest motivation to our family screen detox. It has been a big eye opener about the hyper commercialization of our kids world from games, to movies, to even schools. This book dives into the specific harm it causes not only our individual kids but also our family unit and society as a whole. It was incredibly interesting and incredibly informing. Who's Raising the Kids is a wonderful source full of research and studies for anyone who has kids in todays world. I learned so much and was able to not only become more aware but more confident in my choice to be more cautious about our screen time.

I would like to make it clear that this book in no way shames screen time. It doesn't come off as the boomer aunt who criticizes you when your kids are on their iPad at the family function, instead it takes a lot of the blame from consumers to big tech conglomerates that are creating programs and tech so addictive with little to no regulation. It was refreshing to see the blame not put solely on us as parents.

I recommend this book to any parent with neurotypical kids because it is that important.

Thank you NetGalley for a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Natalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Who's Raising the Kids?
By Susan Linn

Ms. Linn, a Child Psychologist, write here about the dangers facing today's parents of children, both the youngest and older ones, coming from technology. Specifically from the combination of big tech and companies who are only out to make a profit.

The author cites many examples of how the algorithms used to determine the market for whatever products these companies produce are not usually in the best interest of a child's social, emotional, or physical health. They are not in adults' best interest either, in fact, but the mature brain at least has more tools to combat these constant bombardments through all of daily electronics we rely on so heavily; the internet, computers, smart phones, tablets – but most especially toys with built in electronics. These toys in particular have severe consequences when they strive to replace the human to human interactions and relationships with human to machine dependencies. A great deal of this harm became apparent during the covid pandemic.

Ms.Linn builds a strong case here. This is a book that parents of children of all ages should read RIGHT NOW for the sake of the health and safety of their children.

[May · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Who’s raising the kids - Big Tech, big business & the lives of children” is a cry for a systemic change in how big businesses use targeted marketing at children to make big profits, despite knowing how detrimental it is to their development.

This book goes beyond the “there’s too much screen time” and dives into how commercialism culture is dominating societies’ values. The book is packed with various sources, the knowledge of screen time it’s affect on children, families, education systems… It provides parents with some tips on how to address screens & commercialism.

I’ve read many reviews that dislike how Susan Linn urges government to take steps. I think that the book serves on an individual level, for people to gain knowledge on the subject and from that be able to research and/or make conscientious decisions around screen use in their families. However, it is true - as long as policies allows companies to continue to take advantage of children, meaningful, impactful changes will not happen. This is a bigger issue than how one person uses technology, but rather a system that is failing from stopping people to prey on children to make big profits for big companies.

[Casey · Rating 1 out of 5]

Sorely disappointed. 

Who's Raising The Kids?  

Partial quote from cover,

“-- Linn explores the roots and consequences of this monumental shift toward a digitized, commercialized childhood…” 


No. She. Doesn't. 

I’m enough of the way through this book p. 92 to say she does not explore, nor does she discuss consequences. This is a seriously one-sided book that is one big complaining, griping, discontented blaming everything on big tech. 

I found it extremely negative and unbalanced. 

Not once yet has she talked about the true effects on kids growing up so commercialized, marketed to, and used. There is no discussion, no pros and cons. Everything is just bad, horrible, and. . . all she does is collect quotes and biases AGAINST big tech. 

You find what you look for, so I’m stopping this book and looking for other more informative or entertaining material. 


-1 Star! 

[Summer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book fascinating and utterly terrifying. Every parent should read it. I would label our family as anti-tech for children but this book points out harmful commercial marketing towards children. This book reminded me that even though my children don't use apps, tablets or any type of device that we can do better on the types of toys that are allowed in the house and to limit my own time on my device. I don't think the practical advice at the end of the book was earth shattering but all the statistics and evidence in earlier chapters is enough to make you take a look at your life and evaluate what you can do to improve and ensure that your kids' childhood isn't stolen from them too soon.

[Marinna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book! I would have rated it higher, but I listened to it as an audiobook and I think it would have been a better choice to have a different narrator (not the author). I also don’t think some of the political notions were necessary. I notice a lot of newer books have a tendency to focus on Trump which just feels very unnecessary.

The subject matter is very relevant to parents. Especially in light of the surgeon general saying that children under 13 should not have access to social media. Technology has invaded our children’s lives and we need to protect them. Being an informed parent is important and I would recommend this to anyone trying to be educated on the dangers of tv, marketing, social media, apps, etc.

[Jenn Hooke · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really important (and of course terrifying) book - as the parent of kids 5 and 8, it challenged me to think about steps I can take to limit the influence of tech and specifically corporate interests on their lives. Of course there are a million ways I can’t - ie the apps they use in school that give them stars and avatar accessories for reading or solving math problems, or GOOGLE being printed on so many of their school programs. It also of course challenged me to think about my own technology use and how I demonstrate that to my kids. A little repetitive at times but a worthwhile and important read, and as Linn points out, one that is hard to stay on top of in an ever evolving technological and corporate and profit driven world.

[Alyssa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book took me an incredibly long time to read, not because I wasn’t enjoying it, but because it is immensely difficult for me to get lost in a nonfiction book. A goal of mine this year was to read more nonfiction novels and this was a fantastic contribution to that! I would highly recommend this to other teachers and any expecting or current parents as it’s eye opening about the tech world and advertising. I also really liked this book as it challenged my thinking as a teacher. I already have the view that my future children will not be exposed to certain technologies for quite some time, but I use tech in my classroom constantly. It’s got me thinking about how I can reduce tech without reducing classroom management or increasing behaviors.

[Kaitlyn A. · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I agree wholeheartedly with the message of the book, I found it difficult to overlook the numerous (and unnecessary) political interjections. I noticed Linn often would throw out issues but offered no solutions. She urged parents to remove their kids from as much technology as possible but admits it’s impossible to have parents separate their kids from social media and technology. I listened to the book so it’s possible I missed the actual citations for the studies she cited, but I often felt as though Linn only cited studies that upheld her views and beliefs, which she made abundantly obvious within the first minute of the book.

[Avery Watkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an eye-opening book about a topic that every parent should know more about. Susan Linn may sound like she is being harsh and opinionated, but she backs things up with experts advise and research. I think every parent should read this book! You do not have to agree with her ideas for solutions, but you cannot deny the truths she reveals. I love that she addresses things like tech in school (learn all about Prodigy!), what children really need to thrive (with developmental suggestions for all ages), and what we as parents need to know about how companies are targeting our children during their tech time. Wow, great book!