Consumer Groups Bemoan Google's "Deceptive" Ads for Kids In FTC Complaint

Posted by timothy on Tuesday April 7, 2015 @12:53AM from the part-of-this-nutritious-breakfast dept.

Mark Wilson writes A number of consumer groups have filed a complaint with the FTC suggesting that Google is targeting children with 'unfair and deceptive' ads in YouTube Kids for Android and iOS. A letter signed by Children Now, Consumer Watchdog, Campaign for a Commercial Free Childhood, and others says that ads are displayed in a way that would not be permitted on broadcast or cable television. The letter makes three main complaints about the app. The first suggests that Google mixes programming and ads, while another says that the relationship between Google and the manufacturers of advertised products is not clear. The groups ask for the FTC to take action to stop the advertisements. Also covered by The Verge and VentureBeat; here's the complaint letter.

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If the service is free by funwithBSD · 2015-04-07 02:01 · Score: 4, Insightful

then you are the product.

--
Never answer an anonymous letter. - Yogi Berra
Re:Not your grandpa's entertainment medium by MitchDev · 2015-04-07 02:06 · Score: 2, Insightful

The internet isn't TV or radio, tough shit if the FCC doesn't like it.
How much are parents paying to use YouTube Kids as a baby sitter?
If anything, stop paying it and problem solved.
Or even better, stop letting the computer/tablet/smartphone raise your kid for you.