It’s noticeable in movies, TV shows, and more: the treatment of kids and animals in programs. At first, it may be hilarious to see a child scream out an explicit word or see a dog painted purple. However, realizing that they perhaps had to be forced to do those things makes the situation a lot less funny.

Countless animals have been taunted, humiliated, and even killed for the use of people’s entertainment. One of the most famous instances was in the 2005 movie Flicka, where two horses were killed in the depiction of a wild horse round up.

Another recent example was in Selena Gomez’s music video for “Love You like a Love Song,” where horses were painted pink on a beach scene. However, even though this instance was a bit less cruel, singer P!nk came after Gomez about the incident, getting the horses taken out of the video.

However, not all animals shown in programs are shown in a horrible way. Sophomore Raekwon Scott said, “Sometimes animals can be treated unfairly but if you’re talking about pets then sometimes they’re treated in a good way because they’re seen as companions!”

In terms of children, there have been many examples of when they get exploited in ways that they shouldn’t be. A recent incident is in The Hangover, where a little girl gives the middle finger to the main characters. This may be seen as funny, but some people wonder if kids should be exposed to that kind of behavior at such a young age.

Sophomore Michael Votino said, “I don’t think it’s right, but in the case of a child, they must have parent consent to be in the movie. So it’s the parent’s fault for putting them in the movie and letting them be exploited, so it’s kind of fair if you look at it that way.”

Besides the children being exposed to such mature behavior, the exploitation could affect how they act in the future. Being in the spotlight at such a young age has had an effect on many stars nowadays, and it definitely shows. Freshman Jessy Demarco said, “Kids can definitely be affected negatively when they’re shown in movies or TV shows at too young of an age.”

No matter if it’s kids or animals, they have no right to be embarrassed, or worse, for the use of our own public entertainment.