Should there be a standard on how digital ads are presented to kids

[pc747]

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Google is receiving criticism for the way they are allowing ads to bombard YouTube Kids. Google is an ad company so it is no surprise they are making ad revenue off of their YouTube Kids app, but the question to me is should they be more respectful being the program is for kids and how does this differ from the ads we saw as kids on tv, at restaurants, and in grocery stores?

Source: Advocacy Groups Say YouTube Kids App Deceivingly Shills Products - WSJ

 

[Ollie]

Children should not be targeted by ads.

 

[cr6]

True, but network television has been doing it for decades, especially Saturday mornings, so this isn't any different.

S5 tap'n

 

[Jeffrey]

Here is a pretty good overview of the issue...​

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[cr6]

That is really sneaky.

S5 tap'n

 

[Jonny Kansas]

Idk. Ads are ads, whether they're on TV or this app. I get the complaint that unboxing videos are basically ads for the toys featured and that commercials themselves can easily be uploaded, but I don't think this would be near of a big idea if it wasn't for how PARENTS use this kind of app. Don't stick a device in your child's hand that's connected to the internet and then be surprised at what they see on it. As long as they're not seeing ads for Fleshlights and other adult products, I think it boils down more to a parenting issue.

And, even if these are ads that kids don't understand are commercials, what's the concern? That they'll bug their parents to buy them more crap that they don't need because they watched this video on YouTube? Again, parenting comes into play here. We don't buy my stepson everything he wants just because he really THINKS he needs it.

Just my two cents and I've only been a step-parent for really a year or so. Their your kids and you should raise them the way you see fit as long as you're not raising murders and sociopaths, but people really need to stop blaming outside influences that they could easily control and limit for their lack of involvement in their children's lives.

 

[pc747]

First, Jeffrey thanks for posting that video as it really helped the conversation.

Ads have always been sneaky. McDonald's has a clown and Burger King had the BK kids and BK club back in the day. If you were a fan of the ninja turtles in the 90s they had ads for the toy, cereal, pizza hut and domino ads, even had a pie with green filling. And guess what, many of us went to our parents with the same oohs and ahhs wanting this and that.

As long as they keep the ads kid centric and not showing ads for sex toys or drug paraphernalia then I side with JK and it is no different than what was on TV back in the day. My only concern are the fast food commercials. There are people who actually get a sense of happiness going to McDonald's. For a nation addicted to fast food and struggling with obesity I would rather see toy ads over fast food ads.

 

[cr6]

I agree with you guys in that kids have always been targeted by the advertising agencies, but I certainly understand the concern here as these aren't "regular" run of the mill ads. I originally thought "no big deal", this has been going on for years ago what's the problem, but after really looking into it, this is a whole other animal.
These "ads" are being posted as regular videos with no indication whatsoever that said unboxing video or game review etc was uploaded by a 10 y/o or by McDonald's. They are incorporating company logos and merchandise and actually producing what is essentially an advertisement for McDonald's, Matell or what have you, and making the viewer believe that they're watching an actual video from said 10 y/o, and not an advertisement for a product targeted at this demographic.
At least when we were kids and ads came on tv, there was no misunderstanding whatsoever that what you were watching was an actual advertisement.
With this however, you can't differentiate between the two, and therein lies the problem.

S5 tap'n

 

[Jonny Kansas]

I agree with you guys in that kids have always been targeted by the advertising agencies, but I certainly understand the concern here as these aren't "regular" run of the mill ads. I originally thought "no big deal", this has been going on for years ago what's the problem, but after really looking into it, this is a whole other animal.
These "ads" are being posted as regular videos with no indication whatsoever that said unboxing video or game review etc was uploaded by a 10 y/o or by McDonald's. They are incorporating company logos and merchandise and actually producing what is essentially an advertisement for McDonald's, Matell or what have you, and making the viewer believe that they're watching an actual video from said 10 y/o, and not an advertisement for a product targeted at this demographic.
At least when we were kids and ads came on tv, there was no misunderstanding whatsoever that what you were watching was an actual advertisement.
With this however, you can't differentiate between the two, and therein lies the problem.

S5 tap'n

I'm not so sure. In the video that Jeffrey posted, they talk about how kids can't really differentiate between commercials and programming on regular TV. Sure, they notice when their favorite characters are gone from the screen, but they don't really comprehend that what they're watching now is aimed at selling a product to people. They don't know that McDonald's made that Chicken McNugget commercial that interrupted Jake and the Neverland Pirates, but they know that they love some McNuggets.

Seeing my own stepson's reaction to commercial breaks on the rare occasion that he watches something live rather than a dvd, dvr, or on-demand programming, he knows (and gets upset) when there's a commercial instead of his show, but he doesn't really grasp the overall concept of advertising. He just knows the TV is suddenly talking about something he either likes or doesn't instead of showing him the show that he asked to watch.

 

[pc747]

I'm not so sure. In the video that Jeffrey posted, they talk about how kids can't really differentiate between commercials and programming on regular TV. Sure, they notice when their favorite characters are gone from the screen, but they don't really comprehend that what they're watching now is aimed at selling a product to people. They don't know that McDonald's made that Chicken McNugget commercial that interrupted Jake and the Neverland Pirates, but they know that they love some McNuggets.

Seeing my own stepson's reaction to commercial breaks on the rare occasion that he watches something live rather than a dvd, dvr, or on-demand programming, he knows (and gets upset) when there's a commercial instead of his show, but he doesn't really grasp the overall concept of advertising. He just knows the TV is suddenly talking about something he either likes or doesn't instead of showing him the show that he asked to watch.

Not to disagree with any of you here as you are all making good points, but if it is an obvious break like when we were kids we got those "we will be back after these commercial" then that is obvious.

But if they are going into unboxing videos I can see where that would be an issue especially when people are saying that it is hard to tell whether it is an ad or someone clicked on the wrong thing. I know I personally would be mad if I was on Youtube watching say AMC movie talk and I look up to see an iPhone unboxing video. I would be looking at my phone trying to click the back button. As you said JK, we knew when a commercial came on tv. But people are saying that it is not so obvious with youtube kids and if that is the case then as a parent you voice your concern to Google and if they do not fix it hit them where it hurts by no longer using it.

 

[Neoart]

In short - TV commercials are 100% different than a one on one learning experience with it in their lap.
In that case nothing should distract from the lesson.
It would be similar to clown breaking into classroom.

If parents are the slightest bit concerned, YouTube for kids needs to be on a totally different entity, the parent subscribes to.

As example on long flight to Europe -
Parent next me & her 4/5 yr old son using iPad, I was quite impressed with the quality of teaching aid being used.


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