Blurred ads and kids and teens: What to know

Have kids or teens? If they’re online or using apps or game consoles, they’re also dealing with ads. Sometimes they’ll know it. But what happens when the line between ads and games and other content gets blurred?  

Sometimes it’s a teen not realizing their favorite influencer was paid to feature a product. Or a kid not knowing a company is behind that video of a kid unboxing a new toy. Or it’s an ad woven into the gameplay in an online game or virtual reality world.

A new FTC Staff Perspective, Protecting Kids from Stealth Advertising in Digital Media, takes a closer look at these kinds of ads, and includes some of the main takeaways from an October 2022 FTC workshop where experts looked into the potential harms of blurred advertising and discussed possible solutions. Among other things, research presented at the workshop showed that many kids and teens can’t always tell something is an ad if it’s blended into surrounding content.

The bottom line for the FTC? Parents shouldn’t have to go this alone. Businesses, influencers, and anyone else involved in marketing to kids and teens online should make the difference between ads and content crystal clear. FTC staff recommend a clear separation between content and ads, disclosures and icons to flag advertising, and education for kids, parents, and teachers. Platforms should consider policies, tools, and controls to address blurred advertising, too.

Check out the Staff Perspective and recommendations to find out more.