How children are manipulated by stealth

I was recently made aware of just how big and far-reaching the topic of manipulation is during a workshop with a school class. I had asked the young people to talk openly about their experiences with manipulation. As a media expert, I wanted to emphasise the insidious tricks on the Internet.

«My mum,» said a 17-year-old, «always says: you can do what you want, of course, but you know how I feel about it.»
That is a very remarkable statement. At first glance, the mother leaves him free to make his own decision, only to then charge it on an emotional level in such a way that ultimately a free decision is no longer possible.
Regardless of whether we emotionalise or praise excessively, manipulation is part of everyday life in most families and is not just a network problem. Manipulation makes many processes easier and more convenient, but it is always wrong. In this way, we deceive the child because we use surreptitious means to get them to do something that they don't actually want.

As parents, we are called upon to expose the methods of manipulation together with the children.

There's no doubt that children also have to learn to do things they don't like. But this must be clearly stated. Manipulation prevents the free formation of opinion and is therefore always a disregard for the child.
Of course, children also try to manipulate their parents. No wonder, they quickly learn to beat them at their own game. This is not possible online.

Influencers already have manipulation in their name

Influencers are repeatedly criticised for subtly influencing the purchasing behaviour of children and young people. But why subtle? The term «influencer» clearly shows that the name, influencer, is also the programme. It is as clear as advertising is advertising. However, Youtubers and influencers are more personal than pure advertising. It is easier to identify with them because they reach their target group in a friendly way and they are more likely to accept the recommendation of an idol.
Game developers have also found a way to manipulate their target group and take more money out of their pockets. For example, with payment systems such as in-app purchases: The basic game is free, but additional elements have to be paid for. In the free «Fortnite Battle Royal», nobody has to spend money to progress. And nobody has to buy skins, which only allow you to customise your character. Despite this, Epic Games makes billions in revenue from precisely this and works with cognitive psychologists right from the design phase. Among other things, they are responsible for ensuring that players are satisfied, because only then will they return again and again and generate sales. In a workshop, a twelve-year-old explained to me why he bought the game: «If I leave my character as it is, my friends will make fun of me.»

Disinformation is booming in corona times

Children and young people rarely read newspapers, they mostly find information on the internet and social media. It is not uncommon for them to be exposed to fake news. Unfortunately, even adults are not immune to this form of disinformation. Especially in these difficult coronavirus times, conspiracy gnats quickly become conspiracy elephants through unchecked liking and forwarding. If we no longer know what to believe, then the so-called fake news has achieved its goal: destabilisation and division. Various psychological techniques support this because they appeal to unconscious areas of the human brain.
This is how the most common online manipulation techniques work:

• Framing means assigning a certain meaning to words by selecting them. This method is often used in politics to reduce the message to a short and catchy formula. So when people talk about a "wave of refugees", the brain associates the term with something negative. Just as it makes a difference whether we are talking about an "investor" or a "grasshopper".
• Priming is a psychological form of manipulation in which the other person is influenced by linguistic stimuli without realising it. The method uses odours, sounds, experiences and feelings in the brain. One example that I like to use in workshops is an old children's joke. Do the test yourself: Have your child say "white" ten times in a row. Then ask: "What does a cow drink?" It drinks water, of course. But the answer is usually "milk". This is how priming works.
• Mere exposure effect: Also comes from psychology. It means that the more often something is repeated, the more positively it is perceived by the brain. Many people are surprised by Donald Trump's bizarre statements. The more bizarre they are, the more they are picked up by the news. It doesn't matter whether his statements are true, untrue or ridiculous. Because subconsciously, Trump is becoming more and more familiar to his voters in this way.

All of these methods are designed to obscure people's view of reality in order to manipulate them. There is also another effect: many websites or social media try to predict the behaviour of individual users based on the information they have about them. On their next visit, they then only provide them with information that confirms their attitude. They filter out other points of view. This creates a "filter bubble" in which the user loses touch with reality.
If children and young people are subject to such manipulation, they have no chance of forming a clear opinion and recognising reality. However, those who do not learn to deal with other points of view because they do not really experience them will never be able to argue. But without freedom of opinion and the ability to argue, there can be no democracy.

That is why we as adults are called upon to help children and young people to critically scrutinise information from the internet and use it to expose the methods of manipulation. There are enough examples online.

How to strengthen your children against manipulation

• Try to avoid any form of manipulation of your child: no exaggerated praise, threats of love withdrawal or fibbing.
• Look for influencing examples in various media, such as TV adverts, and talk to your child about them.
• Look for examples of balanced reporting together.
• Read "The Emperor's New Clothes" by Hans Christian Andersen with your child and talk to them about the plot.