A frugal life is an easy life!

With the end of Y factor (I will not promote its real title) last night, the stark contrast with selling records is clear.

Back in the 1970s, music was marketed in more or less the same way as today, kids shows would have "pop stars" appearing, promoted by record companies and promoted on radio stations.
Where the main difference was, was in the protection for those purchasing.

The process of marketing hype aimed at the under 16's today, is a scandal in my opinion.
In the 70s, we would save up or have bought for us a single, this involved a child or an adult physically having 99p in their hands, comparing it to buying other things, then making a conscious decision to physically travel into a shop or store and make a purchase.
With todays "cast your vote" approach, there is no physical pound in hand, comparisons to other products, travel to a shop criteria and don't those running reality TV shows know it - it can be compared to buy now pay later shopping.

Add on the promotion marketing to children, from the "the vote is very close so keep voting" TV presenters constantly bang out and the instant internet/mobile phone access to purchasing that children of today have, shows the sinister marketing ploys and child targeting tactics that need the laws applying to them to protect children.
This highlights for me, perfectly, as to why young people under 18 are not given the vote in general elections.

Those fans of the Y factor will say I am talking rubbish, they will point to the entertainment and fun reasons the program brings. There will also be those that say I am against young people having their say and giving their opinions, because it doesn't tally with my own. All these reasons are complete rubbish!

Does anyone really believe that a single phone vote can affect the outcome?
If so, why do children that I know who phone vote, often vote more than once in each vote? If the Y factor are serious about getting a true reflection of voting, why don't they ban more than one vote coming from the same phone number?
Each vote is calculated not on the number of votes cast, but on percentages of votes.
The difference is, that I could hold a vote on if I am correct in my thinking on this, then reveal two days later that 66% of people coming here agreed with me - but with only 3 votes cast, if I said 2 voters agreed with me, it doesn't sound that impressive does it?

The Y factor could only accept landline phone votes, etc, there are a host of ways they could make the voting more accurately reflect the actual voting intentions.
Is it fair that an elderly lady in Scotland voting once for contestant number one, in effect gets her vote blanked out by a teenager in London voting 5 times for contestant number two?
Voting figures not released because it might influence the voters in future shows? Utter tosh!
Voting figures are not released so that people cannot make an informed judgement more like!

It is time to enforce the laws already in place, that prevent people, especially under 16s, being misled and manipulated into spending their mobile phone money on reality TV scams.