I agree, this is just an inexcusable reasoning that is essentially flawed. In all essence, the ads, the intrusive popups, the 1000 cookies which you have to accept and giving money to those poor billionaires is implied to be as the right thing to do - which is not.
Justifications like this is why we still have shit software lying about the web and nothing is done about it. The companies dont care about the people, and they don’t care about op. Being a suckup for a corpo will get you nowhere - in fact saying that they’re the best, is just a false narrative.
In the end that statement is essentially an oxymoron. Op is trying to justify the oppressive strategies of corpoware, while not realising that they already have info about op’s stepmother’s maiden name.
Children shouldn’t really be within the internet without supervision, parental controls are one thing but in school, children should be carefully guided as to digital skills and life. It quite self explanatory that children are incapable of using such technology as they’re still developing independent thinking and the fundament aspects of computing.
It’s only when children become teenagers, they become independent thinkers and where self-control and maturity could be at par with adults. In this case, age isn’t the problem - but the systematic methodology in which AI enables more “streamlined” approach which “gets the job done”.
Of course your statement highlights children, but the fact is; when those children become capable teenagers they’re just as “equipped” as adults - the only problem with teens and adults being the technical experience and knowledge which may vary.