The Attention Economy: How Companies Turn Children’s Digital Engagement into Profit
24 — Nada Samara
53% of children between the ages of 8 and 17 spend money in online games, according to a survey published by UK telecom regulator Ofcom in June 2025, while a survey by "5Rights" found that 32% of children regretted in-game purchases and 43% on social media purchases.
These ratios indicate the breadth of a model that turns a minor from a user into a revenue source, via virtual currencies, rewards boxes and subscriptions, before spreading to friendship robots that sell the benefits of conversation, and their personal recommendations influence purchasing decisions.
The value of this model is most clearly seen in the results of the interactive digital gaming and entertainment platform Roblox for 2025, with revenues up 36% to $4.9 billion, and bookings, which measure virtual currency purchases, jumping 55% to $6.8 billion, without the company separating minors' spending from the rest of its users.
Behind these revenues are mechanisms that push the child to stay and buy repeatedly.
Technical expert Sami A Nour explains that a child "gets used to playing and considers it part of the daily routine", while profitable games push him to ask for clothes and paid supplements, especially when these privileges become necessary to maintain his status among his peers.
Sami A Nour adds that companies are constantly launching new franchises, along with basic subscriptions that guarantee them "constant fixed income", and then allow for additional spending to excel or make listings. The offers are also designed differently from player to player, after studying his behavior, spending rate and time spent, while it may be easy to link payment to a credit card or phone bill to repeat and accumulate purchases without immediately realizing their value.
The long-term value of minors .
Companies do not measure returns by a single purchase, according to economist Saeed Mohammed, but by "the age value of the user", that is, the total expected revenue from him during his stay on the platform. Increased child retention expands the chances of repeat purchases and ad exposure, while subscriptions provide a steady cash flow, and the benefits paid increase the average revenue per user.
He adds that behavioral data allows users to be segmented and customized according to their ability and willingness to spend, which increases conversion rates. Early polarization of the child also prolongs the income horizon if he continues to use the platform later in life. In contrast, parental controls may reduce sales, but they reduce the risk of unauthorized payments, fines and damage to a company's reputation.
From game to friend.
The investment in juvenile addiction doesn't stop at games, it extends to companion robots that allow free chat, and then put extended memory, messages, and advanced features behind subscriptions. Character.AI, for example, charges $10 a month for its paid subscription, while its annual revenue exceeds $30 million by 2025, without the company separating revenue from minors.
Sami A Nour believes that some of these apps exploit the "emotional gap" in minors and elevate user reliability over a virtual friend. He emphasizes that parental control can reduce spending and hours of use, but he considers the current age verification insufficient to manipulate data, requiring more effective solutions in collaboration between companies and countries.
Source: 24