If a kid changes behavior because of a parent watching then that kid absolutely needs watching.

It's still free roaming because the kid is 100% in charge of where they will go. That's the part that matters, not that someone can tell where they are.

I think this applies to kids just as well as adults: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chilling_effect

But what scares me more is how this trend has the potential to normalize surveillance in general. It's not uncommon to for people to treat their employer or the government as a surrogate parent. So why wouldn't kids raised in a digital surveillance family accept a digital surveillance state?

elf on the shelf is a frighteningly common indoctrination to a life of surveillance

I have the related theory that the whole Santa Clause and Easter Bunny lie thing makes children more likely to believe in conspiracy theories. If all adults, including the weatherman conspire to lie to me for no actual gain, why wouldn't politicians and media personalities conspire to lie to me about the earth being flat or climate change if there is profit or power to be had?

> If all adults, including the weatherman conspire to lie to me for no actual gain

Some adults enjoy playing pretend with kids, and some kids enjoy playing pretend with adults too. I would not characterize it as a no gain situation.

So the learning then is that adults might conspire to make me believe the world is round instead of flat for no reason other than fun?

You do realize there is nothing wrong with theorizing about conspiracies, kind of like theorizing about physics.

You are mixing up propgandists who run with theories as though they are proven fact on bad faith to push agendas without a shred of evidence.

Law enforcement engages in theorizing about conspiracies, intelligence agencies engage in theorizing about conspiracies, almost every country has laws making criminal conspiracy illegal. And there are plenty of conspiracies that turn out to be true, they also tend to be quite banal and human rather than sexy hollywood aliens, global gov conspiracies, etc.

Attacking theorizing with such a broad stroke is attacking critical thinking not disinformation. You can't decide what path of possible truth to persue without theorizing.

If anything santa and the easter bunny are gentle introductions for kids to learn how to tune their BS detection circuit.

Oh c'mon, that's absurd.

Most children learn to distinguish reality from fantasy between the ages of 7 and 10. Conspiracy theories are based on the idea that some sinister entity is hiding some truth about the world, and that only a select few are aware of it. People are not born with this level of cynicism, and if they eventually acquire it, it will be during adolescence or adulthood, once they're already able to distinguish fantasy from reality. This is an entirely separate thought process than the one involved in child fantasies.

While pretend play may not be as crucial to development as previously thought[1], it's still a healthy and fun part of growing up. It increases the familial bond, and gradually prepares children to a less magical world. Let them enjoy it while it lasts.

[1]: https://news.virginia.edu/content/pretend-play-may-not-be-cr...

I lifted an Elf on the Shelf box in a store, and it felt heavy for a stuffed toy. What's in there? Are those things WiFi enabled now?

Most of the one's I've seen also come with a book telling the story, that could easily be that heft.

If you just lifted the box, it might have the book included. Traditionally, they're sold together, though I've seen the book sold on its own.

that’ll be the societal debt.

You are wrong on so many levels for stating this as though many parents are adequate moral arbiters and not often irrational, unreasonable, or overprotective about what they think is okay for their kid to do. A child is not “100% in charge of where they will go” if they have to consider the consequences of or pay a price for doing innocuous things after returning home when they know they are being monitored.

Everybody, especially kids, deserves to have some alone time and actual agency.

Geez what? If a kid greater certain age does not change behaviour with parents watching please see a psychologist with it.

That sounds awfully close to "If you have nothing to hide you have nothing to fear"