Playboy and Children

Ain't no Furry Little Bunny:  Playboy Mechandising Landing Too Close to Children

At one time it was the cartoon Joe Camel that was accused of enticing children to smoke. Now, Playboy Enterprises International is in the hot seat after the company’s merchandising has been appearing in the wrong place at the wrong time in Europe. In fact, Scottish Parliament has summoned Playboy chief executive, Christie Hefner, to appear before them and explain why the company’s bunny-logo merchandise is appearing in stores and on websites alongside other products geared for children. Hefner has declined the invite and, in some cases, Playboy has released statements blaming stores for improper placement of the merchandise. But Robert Peters, president of Morality in Media, says the issue is serious enough to demand more from such a giant in corporate America. Says Peters, “The matter of building a brand affinity between children and pornography, whether accidental or not, is unconscionable, and not a problem to rationalize away or shuffle around in a blame game. Playboy needs to step up to the plate on this and work harder to find a solution.” Whether or not it truly is accidental is up for debate. Fr. Tim Jones is a Scottish clergyman who received attention last May for staging a spontaneous protest in a shop where he stumbled on Playboy pencil cases and notebooks sitting on a shelf next to Disney products in a stationery store. Jones contends that, “The long-term intention of this strategy is to encourage children to see the Playboy bunny as a friendly child-appropriate brand, preparing them for early commercial acceptance of Playboy pornographic material.” (WND)

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Comments

[MK]

As each day rolls on by, it gets clearer and clearer that parents have to be ever more vigilant with their children.

From government run schools to the local store, not everyone has their best interests at heart.

[Maggie Thornton]

I applaud that Friar who took an immediate stand. This is more of the the soft jihad against Western children.

I'd like to know if Disney actually placed an order for Playboy material and actually unpacked it and put it on the shelf???? I'm assuming so.

I believe parents should be arbitars of how adult topics are handled within their homes, but I do not think children should be in a place to see this stuff the shelf - which immediately lends it credence.

[misfit410]

I have to say, I don't often look to Europe for guidance but on two big topics with kids, Alcohol and Nudity, I think they are in the right. Neither are ever treated like a big deal and I think kids come out more well adjusted because of that. I think covering kids eyes and acting like the naked body is some sort of holy grail, ends up making a lot of perverts who seek it like it is as such.

Just my take, not that I would allow my kids to read playboy or Penthouse (especially Penthouse), but I will say Playboy is a lot more tame out of the two.