Infância e publicidade: um olhar sobre mídia, consumo e educação

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to analyze, based on academic studies, how the relationship between childhood, children's advertising and media education in the school context can contribute to children's education in terms of understanding and dealing with the influence of advertising. This is a bibliographical study with a qualitative approach, also based on content analysis. The results show that media and advertising content have a significant impact on children's development, with effects that vary between benefits and risks, such as violence, obesity, early sexualization and self-esteem problems. The publications analyzed highlight the need for mediation with a more reflective approach, as well as more effective public policies and greater supervision to ensure children's rights. There is also a consensus on the importance of integrating media education into school curricula from the earliest years, promoting the development of a more analytical view of media messages. Adequate teacher training, the development of accessible teaching materials and an interdisciplinary approach are considered fundamental elements for making this proposal a reality. In addition, the studies present international experiences which show that media literacy can be worked on across different curricular components, increasing its effectiveness. Finally, it can be concluded that media education goes beyond the instrumental use of technologies and is essential for the formation of citizens who are aware, critical and autonomous in the face of the challenges of contemporary society and the influences exerted by the media and advertising.