Answer:
In that context, exploited means that the kid, as is vulnerable, is treated as a product that companies use and benefit from children, without considering the negative impact that this can cause on the kid.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the text, the word exploited means that companies are fully beneficiating from kids without taking into consideration how this affects them. But if we educate children to understand how advertising techniques work, they would be more conscious of what companies are trying to do with them, and the effect of advertising on kids will not be the same. The clues that help us identify the meaning of the word are: when the author says that kids are vulnerable; when the author mentions organizations claiming for restrictions on advertising to children; and the impact that this has on kids.