Paid product placements influence the content of movies, TV shows, books, and board games. This compromises artistic integrity. Advertising promotes alcohol and tobacco use, which kill half a million Americans annually. Problems related to alcohol hurt more people's lives and cost society more money than all illegal drugs combined. Marketers compile detailed electronic portraits of shoppers.
Companies sell mailing lists for everything from foreign car ownership to sexual preference.
These computer databases present a staggering potential for abuse. Commercialism has spread into almost every aspect of life. Being unable to escape it is annoying to many. Advertising aimed at young children intrudes on the parent-child relationship, can undermine parental authority, and can create friction in the home. Commercial foods and the ads for them tend to encourage unhealthy eating habits.