Ronald McDonald: Corporate Mascot or Creepy Uncle?

In 1998 a federal investigation of Web sites aimed at children found that 89 percent requested personal information from kids; only 1 percent required that children obtain parental approval before supplying the information. A character on the McDonald's Web site told children that Ronald McDonald was "the ultimate authority in everything."  

Uh-huh...

When I read the above excerpt in Fast Food Nation: The Darker Side of the American Meal, I couldn't help but think of the creepy uncle who tries to convince kids that they'll like what he sticks in their mouths but they still shouldn't tell their parents about it.