The tech industry's use of persuasive techniques on children
&gt; I also see far too many boys whose gaming obsessions lead them to forgo interest in school, extracurricular activities, and anything else productive. Some of these boys, as they reach their later teens, use their large bodies to terrorize parents who attempt to set gaming limits. A common thread running through many of these cases is parent guilt, as so many are certain they did something to put their kids on a destructive path.<p>This was me.  I was 14, my parents just divorced and I got hooked on Starcraft in 1999.  I would play until the sun came up, go to school and sleep through class.  I did it for 3 years straight, with varying levels of addiction.<p>At some point, my mom wanted me to see a pyschologist but I tried to show her I wasn&#x27;t addicted.  I took the cd out of the computer, cut it up and glued it to a piece of paper.  I hung that paper on the corkboard for all to see, then, not 5 days later I bought another cd and started the cycle again.<p>I don&#x27;t know if I was reeling with teenager angst or overloaded emotions because of the divorce but I needed help and my parents didn&#x27;t know what to do.  I nearly didn&#x27;t finish high school because of it.<p>Now, with a son of my own - I am constantly thinking about how in the world do I expose my son to technology but also teach him moderation.  I don&#x27;t want to have a fight about how much time is too much, I simply want the technology to be useful to solve a problem and not something my son feels compelled to use all day long.