I just noticed that kids aren't visible in photo mode. So I got an idea!
You already have a method of hiding them!

All we need is a setting in the game settings group which permanently disables or hides all kids. That should be easy to implement.

Here's my reasoning why:

- Some of them dress like sluts (sorry, don't know a better term), many of them dress in ways that kids wouldn't be allowed to leave the house with.
- None of them have any parents apparently ( ??? ) which is bizarre and unrealistic
- They ruin the immersion of all areas because of just walking through them like gangsters
- They cannot be shot or looted, so they're useless to the gameplay. And unlike cats, they're not cute.

I'd rather see short androids walking around, or mail bots, or walking talking toasters, but not kids. The game's setting is too mature for that. There is tons of mature billboards, people wallking around with a lot of skin exposed, the player character potentially walking around naked (or in underwear)...

Removing them would definitely feel appropriate. At least if there was that choice for the player to make.
If that removes any missions that would involve a kid (if there are any), I'd be happy not to play them.

Just an idea!

But KIDS are a great proportion of people actually PLAYING the game!!!

I would like kids to be shootable and lootable (cats too, if there are any). Also I would like the option to play as a kid (or as a cat).

you sound like you don't know what a dystopia is supposed be like ='D

Whatever they happen to be carrying. Which could be nothing, or anything, if they happened to pick something up.

As someone who's played TONS of Dwarf Fortress, I'd like to introduce you to the craftable wonders our feline friends can provide: kitten bone bolts for your crossbows, kitten leather slippers for your dwarves, and delicious Kitten Tallow Biscuits-YUM! lol :)

Gibson/Sterling (founders of the genre)... all those that could be named before (like Brunner) and others afterwards (like Williams), and even some (semi) Hard SF Guys like Rudy Rucker... all those who either (created), where, or could have been termed "Cyberpunk"... from the RPG this is based upon: Coming from 2013, went through 2020, had my service as a Chrome Beret, taken my cover during the 4th corporate war, had a peek into CP Red... [and had some holidays in Cybergen]...
Sorry, either from the cultural, literature base of Cyberpunk or from its Dark Future/Science Fiction RPG Derivates (like Cyberpunk 2013/2020/etc,.), ignoring Science Fantasy like Shadowrun (Just personal distaste)... Sorry Sir:

All your points are (hopefully) true in our world... but within a distopian world of Cyberpunk, those points you have mentioned are purely facts... kids living on the streets, kids wishing for having no parents at all, kids beeing sold for whatever, kids having to earn money to support their jobless, combat zone m,oms/dads/sisters... sorry.... the world of (R.Talsorians) CyberPunk is (if you aren't a corporate brat or nomad youngster, and maybe some other non 08/15 situations/npc parents-pc child) a world where all the points you made/want to be excluded are simply true/facts (at least in the corporate states of US in general and Night City in particular)...

This game is based upon a genre in general, and a RPG system in particular.... Your demands are calling to void the world the RPG is set in.... (exaggerated: It is alike to demand from a bladerunner game to deny the existence of replicants)

P.S.: and of course you can *blend'em out* from photo mode... no corp/agency/blogster/whatsoever reports/adverts/etc. want to show the reality.... so, you can get both sides of the medal within the photo app.... those photoshoped brave new world adverts, and the underground media reality.... but to spare the "real (ingame) world" out from your players awareness, would need an extra chip to be pluged into your sockets .... mod it, or ask for a dlc ;->