Interactive Advertising
Interactive technology has great promise to enhance how children experience digital television. With a simple click of the remote control, children may soon be able to download glossaries, play games, and interact with the host of their favorite program. Yet interactive technology also opens the door to intrusive advertising practices on digital television, similar to those currently used on the Internet. As television transitions from analog to digital, questions arise about how children will be marketed to in an interactive world and how these interactive advertising practices will affect young viewers.
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Eileen Espejo, senior associate of Children Now's Children & the Media program, will be speaking at a Federal Trade Commission townhall meeting on mobile commerce taking place on May 6-7, 2008, in Washington, D.C.
"Children Now is pleased to participate in the Federal Trade Commission's townhall meeting, "Beyond Voice: Mapping the Mobile Marketplace," to explore consumer protection issues related to the expansion of mobile commerce. Children Now is concerned about maintaining digital privacy protection for children and adolescents as more and more internet-connected cell phones, iPods and other mobile devices are getting into younger and younger hands. Given how quickly mobile technologies are evolving and the projected growth of mobile commerce, we must examine the impacts of these technological changes on children and youth. In particular, stronger privacy policies for children that address and mitigate the industry's sophisticated data collection and targeting practices, including location-based services and behavioral tracking, need to be established. Self-regulatory proposals, such as NAI's recent call for a ban on behavioral targeting to children under 13 represent a good model for mobile marketing. We look forward to working with policymakers, mobile carriers, application developers, and other advocates to determine how to deliver the benefits of these devices while also protecting children from potential harm."
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Children Now hosted a conference, entitled "The Future of Children's Media: Advertising," on July 20, 2006 to discuss how new methods of advertising and marketing are being used to reach children today, what’s on the horizon, and potential steps to better ensure children’s well-being in a rapidly evolving media environment.
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Children Now recently testified before the Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Health and Human Services at a workshop on marketing, self-regulation and childhood obesity.
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Children Now submitted comments to the Federal Communications Commission about interactive advertising and its potential impact on children.
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Children Now submitted comments to the Federal Trade Commission about protecting children’s privacy in an interactive media environment.
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Children Now hosted a conference to discuss digital television technology, including interactive advertising.
