Joel Bakan’s ‘Tornado Warning’ to Protect Kids – Interview with Robyn Smith

Sep 19, 2011 | ,

Spending time in the backyard with his son a few years ago, Joel Bakan asked the boy what he was doing online. His son, 11 at the time, said he’d discovered a “really cool site” named Addictinggames.com. That moment launched Bakan on a journey of virtual discovery. As he browsed websites oriented for kids he found games like Whack Your Soul Mate and Boneless Girl. The former entices a player to choose their own murder scenario between a cartoon couple. The latter features an unconscious, scantily-clad young woman that a player whips and pulls mercilessly across the screen.

Childhood Under Siege – Review and Q&A with Joel Bakan

Aug 15, 2011 | ,

Skype Interview with Morgan Leichter-Saxby: “The cover design for Childhood Under Siege: How Big Business Targets Children is forcefully linear, with the black-and-white-and-red colour scheme of a thousand classic political posters. If the attitude of the two children holding hands is ambiguous, the oppressive quality of their surroundings is definitely not – as billboards tower above them and meaningless corporate names dominate the skyline.”