Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Award-Winning Ad Taken Off Air In Australia

Posted by kdawson on from the nanny-state dept.

bol_kernal writes "An award-winning advertisement on Australian TV for the new Hyundai 4WD has been pulled from being broadcast after stations received 80 complaints from concerned parents. The ad consists of a small child, age around 2 years, cruising down the road, window down, arm out the window, in his new Hyundai 4WD. He sees a girl of the same age standing on the side of the road, pulls over picks her up, and they go to the beach together. All in all it's cute, funny, and very well done. The ad aired late in the evening (8:30 pm or later), but it was pulled due to concern from parents about the copycat risk. What I want to know is, where has the responsibility of parents gone? Is the world becoming so serious — or so frightened — that fantasy is no longer allowed?"

88 of 471 comments (clear)

  1. Simple answer: YES by Teddy+Beartuzzi · · Score: 5, Funny

    Geezus, we even had folks complaining about a *robot* who had a *nightmare* about suicide.

    1. Re:Simple answer: YES by cdrdude · · Score: 5, Informative

      Your link is broken, you've got an extra character in there. This should be right: http://youtube.com/watch?v=6GfdyIZcRH4

      --
      This sig is neither interesting, nor humorous. Including meta-humor.
    2. Re:Simple answer: YES by smaddox · · Score: 5, Insightful

      The way I see it, with the amount of time it took to complain to the network about the commercial, the parents could have easily talked to their children and made sure they understood not to copy it.

      For some reason, these parents think ignorance is better for their children than knowing about and understanding an issue.

    3. Re:Simple answer: YES by teh+kurisu · · Score: 2, Funny

      Even better, they could've maybe kept those small, choking-hazard car keys out of reach of their kids...

    4. Re:Simple answer: YES by Punch-Drunk+Slob · · Score: 3, Funny

      tahks mister i m 2yrs old i wil try too sneek out my dads suv too niyt love,justin

      --
      By the pricking of my thumbs, Something wicked this way comes: Open, locks, whoever knocks!
    5. Re:Simple answer: YES by Anomolous+Cowturd · · Score: 2, Funny

      Bah. My nephew loves playing with keys. And there is no way to choke on a keyring full of keys plus an alarm gadget and logo gadget. I've tried, it's too big for even an adult to choke on. Try again. At worst they might poke themselves in the eye... but really, having acheived the ability to walk, mastering the art of not sticking pointy things in your eye is a cakewalk, unless your kid is a tard.

      --
      Software patents delenda est.
    6. Re:Simple answer: YES by j00r0m4nc3r · · Score: 2, Insightful

      What I don't get is how this is different than any other car commercial where they do crazy shit with the newest hottest sports car. Like driving 100MPH down twisty country roads, or spinning around mercilessly on flat rainy roads, or doing a little fade-skid to stop at the very end of the commercial. Oh yeah, in tiny print at the bottom they say "Professional driver on closed course." like that makes it OK. If there's one thing car makers do NOT advertise it's how to drive safe. So just put a disclaimer at the bottom "This is really a 30-year-old man dressed up like a 2-year-old, on a closed course" and all will be well...

    7. Re:Simple answer: YES by javamann · · Score: 3, Funny

      "unless your kid is a tard." This coming from someone who tried to choke themself with keys.

  2. I for one am glad it's gone... by Alicat1194 · · Score: 3, Funny

    It wasn't sweet, or cute, it was disturbing, and wrong on so many levels... (apparently small, unnaturaly placed children disturb me)

    --
    You can learn a lot about a person if you just take the time to inject them with sodium pentathol
    1. Re:I for one am glad it's gone... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      No. She was hitching a ride. And he was probably going to rape her.

      You've got no fantasy ;)

    2. Re:I for one am glad it's gone... by pembo13 · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Maybe you should see a doctor about that.

      --
      "Thanks for all the money you paid to us. We've used it to buy off ISO among other things" -Microsoft
    3. Re:I for one am glad it's gone... by dont_run · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Maybe. But if the ad should be pulled, then maybe children should be blindfolded to ride on cars, right? Otherwise, they will see a parent driving the car and will get "ideas"...

      Kids regard their parents as models much more than something from the telly. Even bad parents.

    4. Re:I for one am glad it's gone... by AGMW · · Score: 5, Interesting
      What if more people now complained that the Ad had been removed? Would they have to start running it again?

      --
      Eclectic beats from Leeds, UK
      handmadehands.co.uk
  3. Complain! by arlo5724 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Hypothesizing about fantasy amounts to fantasizing! I move to have this story removed from /. Sign below.

    1. Re:Complain! by sulfur_lad · · Score: 2, Informative

      Kids, kids, kids; this commercial, while cute and benign in nature should be taken as a warning. I saw that Monkey (I know it's an ape) drving the Jeep in 'Grandma's boy' and let me tell you, before too long you'll all be looking at this ad with a more reflective mind. Babies and monkeys are silently gonna take the roadways...

  4. From the Only in America dept. by Simon+Garlick · · Score: 5, Insightful

    In case you hadn't noticed, Australia is a de facto state of the USA now.

    --

    -----
    PGP Key ID 0xCB8FF658
  5. Yes by Infonaut · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Is the world becoming so serious -- or so frightened -- that fantasy is no longer allowed?"

    With one caveat. If it involves wealthy actors who play married hitmen trying to kill each other with everything from knives to rocket launchers, it's ok. Same thing with movies depicting armies systematically destroying each other with machine guns, bombs, flamethrowers, etc. Basically, the bigger the magnitude of the killing, destruction, and carnage, the more acceptable. The smaller the scale, the more freaked out people get.

    --
    Read the EFF's Fair Use FAQ
    1. Re:Yes by omeg · · Score: 4, Insightful

      The smaller the scale, the more freaked out people get.

      Well, APPARENTLY! Did you see how many complaints they got? OVER 80!!! That's no less than over 0.000004% of the population!

    2. Re:Yes by catwh0re · · Score: 5, Informative
      In Australia we have a law against advertising which involves displaying driving activity which is technically illegal.

      The law was made because the major "australian" car manufacturer and their primary opposition (ford) were both glamourising speeding, burn outs, doughnuts etc. in car advertisements. I doubt the law was ever meant to cover situations which are technically difficult to reproduce.. afterall hyperbole is permitted in advertising (as long as it's evidently hyperbole and thus not misleading.)

    3. Re:Yes by nkv · · Score: 3, Insightful

      If parents don't want their kids to watch stuff like this, they should stop their kids from watching stuff like this, not call the TV station to take it off the air. They're "parents". That's a title that entails some amount of responsibility.

      There is a better option which is to throw the TV out the window and get it over with. Almost everything that comes on it is not worth watching anyway but that's a suggestion that'll most probably get me branded as a luddite.

    4. Re:Yes by j1m+5n0w · · Score: 3, Insightful

      **OR**, you could explain to your child why it's a bad idea to immitate that ad

      Newsflash: children don't always do as their told, and can't be monitored 24/7 (parents have to sleep sometime).

      so making them do an extremely unpleasant task would stop them

      No, it wouldn't. It would compel them to do it in secret.

      Obviously they can't do it without your permission, since as a good parent you would keep your keys somewhere safe as you would with the poisons, knives, (guns?), electric powertools, exposed electric circuits etc.

      I'm not a parent, myself. What you say is a good idea, but one that not everyone will follow. Children are notorious for finding things that their parents think are well hidden, and it's hard to expect every parent to stick their keys in, say, a combination safe every night before going to sleep.

      What would you think of an ad that depicted small children apparently having fun while playing with poisons, using knifes, shooting firearms, operating power tools, or installing an electrical outlet? Does that sound like a good idea to you? I'm all for personal responsibility in most things, but children don't always have adequate judgment, so I think the world is a safer place if we don't encourage them to do dangerous things.

  6. Youtube link by physicsnick · · Score: 5, Informative

    Here's the ad on Youtube:

    http://youtube.com/watch?v=g37Z8Scbj8E

    1. Re:Youtube link by AnonymousCactus · · Score: 2, Funny

      Darn it! I got beat!
      Mine's way cooler though: http://youtube.com/watch?v=o1LybpnekIo
      Fine, it's actually exactly the same. You'd think I'd have something better to do, but no.

  7. So you're the ones by Infonaut · · Score: 5, Funny

    I always wondered where all the Bush voters came from.

    --
    Read the EFF's Fair Use FAQ
    1. Re:So you're the ones by commodoresloat · · Score: 5, Funny

      I always wondered where all the Bush voters came from.
      Nah; folks in the Bush don't vote much.... it's the ones in the cities you've got to worry about, mate!
  8. Things are way out of hand by El+Cubano · · Score: 4, Insightful

    All in all it's cute, funny, and very well done. The ad aired late in the evening (8:30 pm or later), but it was pulled due to concern from parents about the copycat risk. What I want to know is, where has the responsibility of parents gone? Is the world becoming so serious -- or so frightened -- that fantasy is no longer allowed?"

    Let me preface this by saying that I am a conservative Christian. Now, I have done some research and found out that most electronic devices that emit photons and audio waves have a switch which allows me to turn them off. The effort required to do that is even less than it is for me to get incensed and make a complaint. Why don't other people get this? Don't want to see it? Turn it off. Don't want the kids to see it? Turn it off.

    1. Re:Things are way out of hand by blue.strider · · Score: 4, Insightful

      There are more shades of grey in the world that just completely shutting off the TV. The shade of grey missing here is that ads have no pre-announced schedule. If one sees the War-Of-Worlds in the TV Guide, one may keep his/her kids away of the TV for the duration. But the ads may come our of the nowhere in the middle of any random program, and effectively prevent one from choosing between individual TV programs.

      (Side discussion: This also indicates a certain fundamentally dishonest nature of ads, which is implicitly admitted by the perpetrators as they avoid to be fully open about the ad schedule).

    2. Re:Things are way out of hand by DamnStupidElf · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Let me preface this by saying that I am a conservative Christian. Now, I have done some research and found out that most electronic devices that emit photons and audio waves have a switch which allows me to turn them off. The effort required to do that is even less than it is for me to get incensed and make a complaint. Why don't other people get this? Don't want to see it? Turn it off. Don't want the kids to see it? Turn it off.

      My guess is it's the people who leave their kids with the TV all night and always leave their keys in the car (possibly in the ignition) who are the most irate. "What if junior craws into the garage and starts the car because of what he done seen on teevee?" Turning a free babysitter off or remembering where they put their keys are things that are fundamentally beyond the intelligence of the type of people who are complaining.

      While I don't mind seeing stupid people die, their children shouldn't be doomed to the same fate. Statistically, only 50% of stupid people's children are themselves stupid, so we should at least protect the 25% of smart children with stupid parents, hmm?

    3. Re:Things are way out of hand by the_womble · · Score: 4, Insightful
      Its because the parent are too addicted to the TV themselves to turn it off.


      People are astonished that we do not have a TV. It is good for us, and good for our daughter. However, most people would no more give up their TV, any more than a heroin addict will give up their drug.

    4. Re:Things are way out of hand by Gordonjcp · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Why don't other people get this? Don't want to see it? Turn it off. Don't want the kids to see it? Turn it off.

      That's a very good point, and the line that I take with stuff on TV I find offensive. However, it's not that this is offensive - what we have is the *exact opposite* of all those public safety films that we grew up with saying "Don't get into cars with strangers". You remember this don't you?

    5. Re:Things are way out of hand by nEoN+nOoDlE · · Score: 4, Funny

      but what about all those hundreds or thousands of other kids that might be seeing it? I, as an innocent bystander can be driving around minding my own business and get rear ended by a damn 2 year old going to the beach with his girlfriend, all because that ad was on the air.

      --
      Don't trust a bull's horn, a doberman's tooth, a runaway horse or me.
    6. Re:Things are way out of hand by _KiTA_ · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Let me preface this by saying that I am a conservative Christian. Now, I have done some research and found out that most electronic devices that emit photons and audio waves have a switch which allows me to turn them off. The effort required to do that is even less than it is for me to get incensed and make a complaint. Why don't other people get this? Don't want to see it? Turn it off. Don't want the kids to see it? Turn it off.

      Most of these people complaining are not doing so by their own violation, but rather, they are doing so after being told/commanded to by their social and religious leaders. Simply put, they're told about the ad/book/game/tv show/etc in church, around the coffee table, by their old friends, etc, and the Alpha of the group has them all write letters off to whomever they think might cowtow to them, trying to essentially blackmail the stations into submission.

      The truly sad thing is that it works -- and that the attack drones don't even have to have ever seen the show to begin with. (Or do you really believe a few hundred thousand conservative Christians listen to Howard Stern and got upset about it?) It's rather sad that the Moral Majority has been reduced to trained howler monkeys, ready to fling poo on command, but, well, there ya have it.

      They do the same thing with pretty much anything they don't like. Music, video games, websites, you name it. And it's only going to get worse now that they succeeded once against Howard Stern.

    7. Re:Things are way out of hand by Skraeling2 · · Score: 2, Funny

      So, is this like a DoS attack or what? Put this in terms we can understand!

    8. Re:Things are way out of hand by jez9999 · · Score: 2, Funny

      You'd be surprised how easy it is for people to give up TV once they find something better to do.

      Yeah. That is a tricky one.

      --
      == Jez ==
      Do you miss Firefox? Try Pale Moon.
  9. kids these days... by RelliK · · Score: 3, Funny

    Don't give those crazy 2-year-olds any ideas!

    --
    ___
    If you think big enough, you'll never have to do it.
  10. Re:Irony... by Napoleon+The+Pig · · Score: 2, Informative

    That's actually the very end of the television ad that was pulled.

  11. Obvious flaw by mainform · · Score: 3, Interesting

    How on earth is a toddler going to reach the accelerator and brake pedals in any regular car, let alone a 4WD, whilst being strapped in to the driver's seat, especially given there's no way he could have been able to see over the dash board without sitting on a cushion or something?

    1. Re:Obvious flaw by skelly33 · · Score: 2, Interesting

      All it takes is a toddler with the idea that "releasing the parking brake would be fun" to cause a problem. But paranoia will not make the world "safe" for children. The world, and Universe on whole, is a hostile place and parents need to come to grips with that and, as a previous poster mentioned, take responsibility for teaching common sense themselves. I say down with the easily offended.

  12. A disease by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    It's sad that we're seeing this kind of braindead parental nonaccountability, invented in the US, spread like a disease to other countries. Cultural evolution will officially come to a screeching halt when nominally immune countries like Japan show signs of infection.

  13. This is getting pathetic... by GFree · · Score: 5, Insightful

    People getting scared, frightened about the most innocent things.

    There is a saying I've heard many a time: HARDEN THE FUCK UP. Seriously, if people keep raising hell about such trivial matters, soon there won't be any imagination, any creativity, any fun in the world. People will be afraid to do ANYTHING due to lawsuits.

    It will be a truly dull place to live in.

  14. VERY dangerous to children by ChePibe · · Score: 4, Funny

    Whoa, whoa, whoa! I think we're all missing the point here, folks! It's not the kids driving and picking up kids, but how they're driving.

    Two-year olds driving, yeah, that's cool, but what if they start acting out what they see on TV and driving on the left side of the road? Trying to steer the car from the passenger side? What kind of example is the media setting for our kids?

    Won't someone think of the CHILDREN!

    Crazy foreigners, corrupting our American youth...

    Yes, I realize non-U.S. citizens read /.

    1. Re:VERY dangerous to children by The+One+and+Only · · Score: 2, Funny

      Alright, which one of you moderators thought that would be funny?

      --
      In Repressive Burma, it's not just your connection that dies. slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=314547&cid=20819199
  15. Copy cat? by Motley+Phule · · Score: 3, Funny

    We had the ad screening here for quite a while in NZ. It's a two year old driving a car, for pete's sake. How can they be worried about copycat crimes? Two year old's still think throwing poo is fun... which it is... but that's beside the point.

    1. Re:Copy cat? by astromog · · Score: 2, Informative

      The ad received 60 or so complaints in NZ, and wasn't pulled. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/search/story.cfm?storyid =000019F4-D247-15DE-ADCE83027AF10110

  16. Why defend an advert? by Deb-fanboy · · Score: 2, Insightful
    In general I dont like being subjected to the advertising industries little fantasies anyway. They will use every trick in the book to manipulate us.

    So even though the advert in question is pretty innocuous I am not too disturbed if it has been pulled. As I see it, whats the downside, an advert is pulled. Whats the upside, a very unlikely (IMO) copycat event is prevented. I can live with that.

  17. Re:It seems to be a touchy subject.... but by TubeSteak · · Score: 4, Insightful
    I don't know how you got modded insightful. Maybe 3 sentances in your entire rant discussed the issue in TFA/Summary.

    This happened in Australia, so all your talk about religion, sep of church & state, etc. is so far off base I don't know where to begin.

    Anyways, here's what TFA says

    "But under the Advertising for Motor Vehicles Voluntary Code of Practice, fantasy cannot be used when it contradicts, circumvents or undermines the code.

    "Many of the complaints were from parents concerned that the ad would encourage copy-cat behaviour in young children and might lead to accidents."

    The board also found that the fact the toddlers were wearing seatbelts - instead of approved child restraints - also breached safety recommendations.

    So, if it was just the complaints, it is likely that nothing would have happened.

    BUT, as it turns out, a literal reading of the applicable Code suggests to The Advertising Standards Board that the complaints are legitimate.

    This is exactly why there are government agencies who do such investigations.
    --
    [Fuck Beta]
    o0t!
  18. Re:It seems to be a touchy subject.... but by TodMinuit · · Score: 2, Insightful

    This has nothing to do with religion. This is a bunch of do gooders who think they are smarter than everyone else, and therefore, have the duty to step into the lives of others. It's called "Liberal Fascism" and seems to be growing by the day.

    --
    I wonder if I use bold in my signature, people will notice my posts.
  19. Re:Nothing has changed by TodMinuit · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Responible parenting means taking responability for parenting your child. It does not mean having the Government step in and do it for you.

    Instead of complaining about the ad, it would have been better to talk to their children about it.

    --
    I wonder if I use bold in my signature, people will notice my posts.
  20. I'm impressed. by pecosdave · · Score: 2, Funny

    First I thought the U.S. was becoming the ultimate pussy nanny-state (oh no, we can't see boobs!).

    Now Australia did take their peoples guns away, now they're pulling a commercial we would probably allow in the U.S. Let the race to see who can be the biggest pussy begin! Hey! No running! Somebody might get hurt!

    --
    The preceding post was not a Slashvertisement.
  21. Re:I am deeply concerned about those ads ... by ACDChook · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Personally I think that they should have tracked down every one of those 80 complainants and removed their children from their care. If they feel that they are unable to prevent their kids from copying something like that off tv, then they are obviously not providing a safe environment in the home, and should not be allowed to continue raising their children.

  22. Re:Nothing has changed by no+reason+to+be+here · · Score: 4, Informative

    If you had a child who, after seeing this ad, decided to run out and take off in your SUV, and was able to get away with it, there are problems with your parenting so deep and serious that it doesn't matter how many commercials you manage to have banned; your kids are fucked.

    responsible parenting has gone somewhere; in the process, it also grabbed hold of some of our liberties and took off with them.

    --
    my pet machine
  23. Having actually seen the add.. by node159 · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Having actually seen the add I can tell you that the presentation made me want to go shoot some babies, honestly, I'm glad its off the air, pity it wasn't for the right reasons (Cute enough to want to make me scratch your eyes out obscenity). As for the actual reason, there was something in the presentation that made it not right, and yes I can just see some 4 year old grabbing mumies keys while she is topping up the Prozac, and attempting to have some 4 wheel fun.

    Pity they don't let evolution run its course now days...

    --
    GPLv2: I want my rights, I want my phone call! DRM: What use is a phone call, if you are unable to speak?
  24. Bugger by TapeCutter · · Score: 4, Informative

    As an Aussie may I be the first to say "bugger!".

    Yeah we are like the states, in that we are also continually embarassed by our official representatives. They played the ad on the (after hours) news and talk shows the other night, I doubt it will stay banned for long. Besides, it doesn't really matter now since more or less all 20 million of us have paid some attention to it for free.

    My hunch is all 80 of them belong to the bunch of neo-nazi's that call themselves the "Family first" party.

    It's also interesting to note that this happened on the same weekend that Dick Chenney came to town. Security ground Sydney to a halt while Dick enjoyed a taxpayer funded $2M "beer with the PM", and (with not a little irony), pontificated about "violence and disruption".

    "We want David Hicks back.": Our PM and AG will "do everything they can" except utter those five words since well they would...ummm....hand him over, as they have for every other nation after the US supreme court desicion was made a few years ago. This and several other issues has now made the PM's own seat in parliment very vunerable in the next election, (4% swing is required to unseat him). BTW: Please don't use the above information to infer the opposition are in any way more competent than the current crop.

    --
    And did you exchange a walk on part in the war for a lead role in a cage? - Pink Floyd.
    1. Re:Bugger by evilgrug · · Score: 4, Informative

      Despite what the link says that commercial was not banned in Australia or New Zealand.

      In Australia it received a very small number of complaints. It did get upgraded to a PG rating meaning it could not be aired until 7:30pm, however. New Zealanders appeared to be a little more upset about it, but it wasn't banned.

      Toyota voluntarily restricted the airing of the commercial until after 8:30pm in both countries.

    2. Re:Bugger by Hikaru79 · · Score: 2, Funny

      Toyota voluntarily restricted the airing of the commercial until after 8:30pm in both countries.

      Wow! That's very generous of them! Especially since the ad is for Hyundai's product. I wonder why no other company has thought of this before? "In other news, McDonalds has voluntarily restricted the airing of the latest Burger King commercial, citing concerns that people may actually go and eat there."

      ;) Sorry, just being an ass.

  25. Re:Nothing has changed by Ant+P. · · Score: 4, Funny

    To be honest, if you've got kids that age who know how to get into your 4WD, start it up, have the strength to pull the handbrake off, and can drive stick... they should really be in a circus.

  26. Re:Australia has 20,555,300 people... by Gregory+Cox · · Score: 2, Informative

    But it didn't get pulled just because there were 80 complaints. Because there were complaints, it was investigated by the Advertising Standards Board, who ruled that it broke existing rules by showing illegal driving activity. Since it was found to break the rules, it was banned. (This is all from the article.)

    Now, you can say the rules are stupid for banning ads like this, or that the 80 people were stupid for complaining, but I don't see how you can argue with a system which only punishes ads if

    (a) they break rules that were in place anyway, and
    (b) only if someone complains about them.

    --
    If you all Google Slashdot, will it Slashdot Google?
  27. This never got complaints in NZ by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

    This advertisment never got any complaints in New Zealand. It was designed for NZ and I would assume they started playinng it in australia after it won the NZ Fair Go Top Advertisment award.

    Here the only complaint we ever got was the fact that it got boring after you saw it for the first time and they wouldnt stop playing it.

  28. There is truth in The Onion by myowntrueself · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Its high time that the sterling advice to be found on The Onion were taken more seriously by parents:

    http://www.theonion.com/content/news/child_safety_ experts_call_for

    Kenneth McMillan is a hero of the American People!!!

    --
    In the free world the media isn't government run; the government is media run.
  29. There IS actually a risk . . . by brain_not_ticking · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Everyone laughs that parents are concerned about a copycat risk, but let me be the first to say that this risk is real. At the age of two I managed to get a hold of my mother's car keys. I decided I would do her a favor and start the car for her. Lucky for me, the car had a manual transmission and happened to be in gear. So as soon as I started the car, it slowly began to drive down the street. I wasn't quite strong enough to turn the wheel, so I soon found myself headed straight for a telephone pole. I got scared so I tried to stand on the pedals (at the time I didn't know which was which). After a couple of tries, I managed to find the brake. The car stalled about a yard away from the telephone pole. Oh, and did I mention, my baby sister was in the back of the car, in her car seat? Well, she was. Anyway, neither I nor my sister were hurt, but we easily could have been. Some children are already a handful; they don't need any more ideas. NB: this is a true story.

    1. Re:There IS actually a risk . . . by multiplexo · · Score: 2

      So your mom sucked at parenting and left you, at the age of two, and your baby sister, in the car with the keys. Your mom is a lousy parent. Also I doubt that seeing a 30 second ad spot is going to make as much of an impression as seeing mommy and daddy driving the car every single day.

      --
      cheap labor conservatives - they want to keep you hungry enough to be thankful for minimum wage.
  30. Re:Nothing has changed by DerekLyons · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Responible parenting means taking responability for parenting your child. It does not mean having the Government step in and do it for you.

    Had the goverment stepped in - you'd have a point. But it didn't. The goverment responded to concerns, which is very different from 'stepping in'. (I shouldn't have to point out that responding to the concerns of its citizens is one of the basic functions of goverment.)
  31. Commercials because you deserve it by Steeltoe · · Score: 4, Insightful

    These commercials are incidious. Just like you dont get handsome, smart, creative and out-going from drinking Coca-Cola, but rather you may get more pimples, the sugar/caffeiene rush may boost you for a few minutes, and then over the longer run you get more dull and slow-witted.

    You will be sure some kid will try this because it is shown on TV. Its not the parents job to foresee everything the child might do due to watching TV.

    Rather, it is the parents duty today to bring up the kids without resorting to the TV and videogames.

    Upbringing based on real-life, with real risks and real pain. Talking doesnt help when youre already living in a virtual reality. People talk about things all the time, complain about what should be done in the community. Talk is cheap. If you believe you have only one life, you better start to really live it.

    --
    http://www.debunkingskeptics.com/
  32. Explain to a two year old? by sjmac · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Here are some things I've noticed about my two year old:

      - At her own whim, she will copy almost anything that she sees or hears
      - The distinction between saying "You must try to drive the car" and "You must not try to drive the car" is VERY subtle to her toddler brain
      - Controlling her actions is very different from the type of programming I usually do
      - Like other two year olds, she does things that she knows her parents will not approve of
      - She already pretends to drive our car, and has worked out how to sound the horn

    I'm sure seing someone "like her" driving a car would be quite a powerful image to her.

    Personally, I have no problem with 80 parents choosing to complain about this ad. You don't choose the adverts that are injected in to the programs you watch. Though my wife wouldn't approve, I can imagine a scenario where I was watching (what I considered was) an appropriate program recorded late at night with my daughter in the room.

    1. Re:Explain to a two year old? by 1u3hr · · Score: 5, Insightful

      I see it as 80 people who shouldn't have been allowed to breed.

    2. Re:Explain to a two year old? by Oligonicella · · Score: 4, Funny

      Uh, you know this is /. right? Consider the probability of the posters here having:

      1) Being old enough to have had children.
      2) Being unselfish enough to have had children.
      3) Having had sex.

      I mean, read the posts already generated about reasoning with a 2 year old.

    3. Re:Explain to a two year old? by Vexorian · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Hmmn I do know something about children, you know I was a baby once. I have had brothers and some of my cousins currently have babies... But even in my totally away from parenting position I do know something: You don't leave 2 years old, ALONE, in a car with the KEYS ON, and grandparent post seems to be afraid that after seeing this commercial his/her baby will try to imitate that, possibly the only way for it to happen is that you are an irresponsible parent.

      PS: There is nothing *unselfish* about having children

      --

      Copyright infringement is "piracy" in the same way DRM is "consumer rape"
    4. Re:Explain to a two year old? by elrous0 · · Score: 4, Funny
      Here is something I've noticed about my 2 year old nephew. He doesn't know how to start a car, release a handbrake, or put in a car in gear. Nor would his feet even reach the peddles, should the urge hit him to drive to the beach.

      If there is a 2-year-old out there smart enough to start up a car and drive it to the beach, I say let them go. They've earned it.

      -Eric

      --
      SJW: Someone who has run out of real oppression, and has to fake it.
    5. Re:Explain to a two year old? by The+Dobber · · Score: 2, Funny


      Ever stop and thank your parents for putting up with you?

    6. Re:Explain to a two year old? by Slightly+Askew · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Even the few parents who have kids because they actually want kids are often the most selfish people -- as soon as people become parents, they automatically assume their needs are more important than everyone else's.

      Survival of the species. Of course my own offspring are more important than everyone else. In nature, even in species with very strong social values, it is not uncommon for a parent to sacrifice themselves or other members of their troop to save the life of their own single child. I would gladly throw a half-dozen complete strangers or myself in front of a bullet to save my kid.

      --
      Public use of any portable music system is a virtually guaranteed indicator of sociopathic tendencies. -- Zoso
    7. Re:Explain to a two year old? by 644bd346996 · · Score: 2, Insightful

      It's not a pro-eugenics stance. It's a pro-evolution Darwinist stance. That's even less acceptable in today's political climate. These days, the smart exist to keep the dumb from dying before they can breed.

    8. Re:Explain to a two year old? by operagost · · Score: 2, Funny

      Being a parent doesn't mean you have to be a total asshole, like the strawman you just constructed.

      --

      Gamingmuseum.com: Give your 3D accelerator a rest.
    9. Re:Explain to a two year old? by nanojath · · Score: 2, Insightful

      The problem I've got is with the notion that the way to keep your toddler from driving is to make sure s/he doesn't get exposed to the idea that it is possible.

      I apply what I feel to be a sounder principle, in that I do not give my 2.5 year old access to our car. It works like a charm. I parent with this crazy notion that, being full of fast and heavy and sharp and hot etc. etc. objects, the world is an intrinsically dangerous place and keeping my toddler safe in it is (gasp) my responsibility, which I achieve through (shock! horror!) paying attention to him.

      I don't have a problem with these people protesting either, because, you know, free speech and everything, but they're still morons, and pulling the ad is typical knee-jerk BS which will do absolutely nothing for anyone anywhere ever.

      --

      It Is the Nature of Information to Transgress Artificial Boundaries

    10. Re:Explain to a two year old? by MrHops · · Score: 4, Interesting

      I know you this was meant to be funny, but it hits a little close to home. For all of you who think you have your kids under control, I offer this true story:

      Our 2 1/2 year old, in the space of about five minutes (or less) managed to get the keys from the hook where we keep them (about 5' from the floor), crawl through the doggie door into the garage, chirp the car open (keyless entry), get into the car and start it up. Our first warning was the engine starting, at which point we ran into the garage to see him extremely happy, with hazard lights and windshield wipers going to beat the band.

      Very unsettling.

      Luckily for us, he understands and obeys us when we absolutely forbid something. (Playing with power tools, going near the road, starting the car, starting the tractor, etc)

      For those of you ready to flame me for my lack of preparedness, I keep the circuit breaker for the power tools off, the keys to the car and tractor are on hooks (in different places) at least 5' from the ground, I have put up a 4' no-climb fence around our yard, and generally keep the house reasonably safe. The main problem is that the use of stools and ladders present little difficulty to this adventurous inquisitive child. :-)

    11. Re:Explain to a two year old? by elrous0 · · Score: 2, Funny
      Now, there is a kid that's motivated to get out into the world! At least you won't have him mooching off you way past his welcome. I've got a younger brother who's pushing 30 and my parents still can't get him to leave the house.

      -Eric

      --
      SJW: Someone who has run out of real oppression, and has to fake it.
    12. Re:Explain to a two year old? by ibbey · · Score: 4, Insightful

      You've obviously never had a young child. What you and apparently thousands of others (or at least three or four) here fail to understand is that you cannot control your children.


      I know an awful lot of parents of well-behaved children who don't seem to have this problem. Perhaps it is YOU who can't control your children?

      Regradless, you seem to be ignoring something important here. There are MANY things in the world that children could copy & end up hurting themselves. Should society ban all of them? In the car, they are much more likely to try to emulate you driving than the TV characters, so should you be banned from driving? Bugs Bunny drives-- without a seatbelt & often well over the speed limit even. Should Looney Tunes be banned? As another poster pointed out, should Peter Pan be banned since it makes children think that they can fly? Where do we stop?

      No matter how carefully you try to avoid it, sooner or later your children will be exposed to a situation where they have to use their reasoning ability to make sure that they stay safe. All you are accomplishing by banning this ad is eliminating an opportunity to explain to your children why this behavior is bad and helping them to refine their critical thinking.

      But if actual parenting is to much work for you, perhaps you should just put your two year old to bed before 8:30 PM? Then the entire problem goes away and no censorship is required.

    13. Re:Explain to a two year old? by eam · · Score: 3, Insightful

      > The only way to guarantee that your child won't copycat something - say,
      > get into a car with a stranger because he might take you to the beach -
      > is to make sure your child never sees it in the first place.

      Wait! I came up with another one. How about: keeping your children under adult supervision!

      I've got three kids. Oldest is 8 years old, youngest will be 4 in April. This may come as quite a shock, but all three kids have never been unsupervised in their lives! I know it is amazing, but it is true. That's how my mom did it. I'm sure my life would be easier if I would just trust the TV to take care of them, but I feel like I might have an obligation to raise my children myself.

      Obviously the level of supervision required for the 8 year old differs significantly from that required for the 3 year old, but the concept is the same. You don't have to stand over them watching every thing they do. However, if a three year old can grab the keys and take the car for a spin, you aren't doing your job.

      I think it works out well. So far none of them have taken off in the family car.

      Other things my kids haven't managed to do:

        cut themselves with sharp knives,
        burn themselves on the stove top,
        cut arms or legs off with power tools,
        electrocute themselves,
        drown in the bathtub,...

      Actually, the list just goes on and on. Those are all things they could easily do if they didn't have someone watching them.

  33. Re:Nothing has changed by mrchaotica · · Score: 2, Insightful

    "Responding to the concerns of its citizens" also got us the Inquisition, the Salem witch trials, "blue laws," Jim Crow laws, and all kinds of other stupidity over the course of history. Hell, the Roman Empire destroyed itself by "responding to the concerns of its citizens" by giving them too much bread and circuses!

    In other words, the fact that some citizens are concerned about an issue does not mean those concerns are valid! (I shouldn't have to point out that distinguishing between valid and invalid concerns is (ideally) also one of the basic functions of government.)

    --

    "[Regarding the 'cloud,'] ownership was what made America different than Russia." -- Woz

  34. It's things like this... by exell · · Score: 4, Insightful

    That re-enforce my view that 1984 should be made required reading in every form of education. It's downright scary that it's not a government that is doing this, it's actual citizens, why do things yourself when you can convince everyone else to do it for you?

    1. Re:It's things like this... by poot_rootbeer · · Score: 4, Insightful

      my view that 1984 should be made required reading in every form of education.

      Because the best way to inoculate people against authoritarianism is to force them to read something?

  35. Truth and advertising by Fractal+Dice · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Whatever happened to selling a product on the merits of the product? Just for fun, watch a run of ads and ask how many ads now show a product being used in a way that is legal, possible under the laws of physics and by human beings. It's so silly that most products aren't even products, they're sold as fantasies irrelevant to what they are actually used for.

  36. Parent Group != Most Parents by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Remember that most Parent Groups are very small, but very loud, groups! They do not represent the majority of the public, but somehow they always win...

    I guess there should be another group consisting of "normal" parents who fight for common sense...

    1. Re:Parent Group != Most Parents by Yuan-Lung · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Remember that most Parent Groups are very small, but very loud, groups! They do not represent the majority of the public, but somehow they always win...

      I guess there should be another group consisting of "normal" parents who fight for common sense...


      I have a suspicion that the "normal" parents with common sense would be somewhat too busy doing, you know... actual parenting.

  37. Re:It seems to be a touchy subject.... but by SQL+Error · · Score: 2, Informative

    If it's a voluntary code of practice, then the ASB has no jurisdiction. If it's not voluntary, it's prior restraint... Unfortunately, we don't have the First Amendment here in Oz.

  38. Re:as a parent, non-issue by TheLink · · Score: 2, Funny

    There is always risk. If you or your child can't deal with the risks of the real world, you might as well prepare to face it early. Otherwise you shouldn't even be driving a car.

    This advertisement doesn't really increase the risks significantly at all, since all kids want to pretend to be like mommy/daddy.

    Basically, your child is going to copy you and other people. If you do things right, your child will be copying you primarily, doing things right.

    I remember pretending to drive a car when I was very very young. And at one point in time I also had a toy steering wheel which I was allowed to use in the car. At no time was I allowed to touch the _real_steering_wheel_, the gear shift, parking brakes or anyone busy driving a car.

    Lastly, the chances of dying in life are 100%. So if you are risk averse maybe you should sign up for one of those eternal life assurance deals ;)...

    --
  39. Re:Nothing has changed by arthurpaliden · · Score: 2, Insightful

    One of the biggest problem in child rearing today is treating toddlers and young children like adults. You don't talk to them about it. You just tell them not to do it and then you supervise them. Remember if you cannot reach out and grab your toddler they are too far away.

    --
    Undetectable Steganography? Yep, there's an app fo
  40. Re:hmmmm - correction by steveoc · · Score: 2, Interesting

    http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,21170425-421, 00.html?from=public_rss

    The incident is pretty recent - 22 days ago. Sorry, it wasnt her dad - it was a bunch of way-too-young kids who persuaded some local bloke (bit of a slow character by the sounds of it), to let everyone jump in the hilux and go for a yippe ride round the dirt roads.

    We are talking about a 14yo driver and other kids aged as young as 13.

    Very similar to what happens in the advert - except without the slow bloke, and the kids in the story have 10 years on the kids in the advert.

    This story was graphically posted all over the news for several days running, so it was probably really bad timing on Hyundai's part to play this advert at this time.

    Other than that, our advertising standards in Australia are delightfully liberal, and I dont think this story really reflects that reality. Just take the headline in some context and you'll be right mate.

  41. Well by Jethro · · Score: 4, Funny

    To be fair, the kid is driving like a maniac.

    --


    In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is kinky.