In today’s age, many digital things make life easier. Sometimes, though, they make life more
complicated. Take advertising aimed at our kids. I’ve often noticed digital apps slipping ads into
games or using avatars resembling celebrities to promote brands. You and I might ignore these,
but can we say the same for our kids? The pertinent question is, what can we do about these
temptations luring our children to spend their money?
Issues With Advertising to Kids
Money isn’t the only issue. Some companies’ wily advertising methods target kids through pure
manipulation. Frequently, the ads feature no disclaimers or only include written ones. That’s
wonderful — if the kids can read. Even when they can, the content captivates them so much
that the often hidden disclaimers go unnoticed.
A lot of these apps claim to be educational. Sure, some undergo empirical testing and
evaluation to prove skill and conceptual benefits for kids, with marketing including specific
educational aims. However, many online store apps feature no comprehensive, education-
based reviews and are designed purely as data trackers or to bolster advertising revenue. Unless you can find a solid review of an app’s educational benefits, it might be best to skip it.
47% of consumers rarely believe what they see or hear in marketing campaigns or
advertisements. As a parent, you owe it to yourself — and especially to your kids — to do the
same. Seek the truth and read the fine print.
Is Advertising Harmful to Kids?
Children need their parents’ guidance, and although we try our best, we’re not always around at
the time we’re needed. Bright and colorful visual content, appealing slogans and familiar,
responsive characters appeal to children. Why? Because children are more impressionable and
still need to understand persuasive intent. Their young minds are cognitively developing and
exposing them to continual advertising can shape and define their decision-making skills in later
life.
You’ll know from experience that if you have teenagers, their brains still need work. There’s no
revelation there — until the mid-to-late 20s, our brains continue to develop and mature. Your
adolescent’s brain is still busy making connections. Until they reach that point, teens aren’t
always thinking clearly or efficiently.
For kids and teens, emotions often win out over logic, which can lead to impulse control issues.
If your adolescents view unrealistic, persuasive, impactful and emotional advertising content,
they can become desensitized to the real-world consequences of impulsive choices and actions.
If this is true for teenagers, just think how much more vulnerable younger kids are to these
messages.
What Can You Do?
Just like teaching your kid to shoot hoops or tackle a tough math problem, you can help them
spot ads and understand what’s really going on. Check out the ad content together and talk
about it. Without judgment, have conversations and ask open questions to see what draws your
child in after seeing an ad. Subscribe to apps that positively influence and assist your kid.
If an ad worries you, express your concerns at the local, state or federal levels. If you think an
app advertisement violates federal regulations, prompt an investigation into the company.
Alongside several other organizations, the Federal Trade Commission has a platform to report
fraudulent activity and request further probing.
Your Child’s Future Counts
What is most important to you as a parent? Ensuring my child’s ongoing development and
growth is essential, and I assume you’re the same. Finding ways to reduce our children’s
exposure to unsafe, manipulative advertising means we’ll provide them with a stable and
proactive development path toward better and brighter futures.
Jack Shaw is the senior lifestyle writer at Modded with and a single father with a special interest
in navigating the ins and outs of being a parent. As fathers, the work we put in isn’t always
recognized, but it’s absolutely essential to the health and well-being of our children. You can
find more of Jack’s work in publications like Tiny Buddha, Daddy’s Digest, Parent.com and
more. Contact him via LinkedIn.
