Post: Watch Those Ads!
Watch Those Ads!
Erectile dysfunction ads? Girls in bikinis selling beer? Sexy scenes that never discuss birth control? Not appropriate for kids, says the American Academy of Pediatrics, which released a policy statement this week urging parents to limit children's TV and Internet use because of the impact of ads and media messages on kids’ well-being.
In fact, the statement, published in the academy’s journal, Pediatrics, urged that time and amount restrictions on ads should be imposed wherever kids are watching.
But what is the impact of ads? Studies show that kids who watch more television (with all the ads for junk food and sweets) are more likely to be obese than kids who watch less. Other studies have drawn a correlation between listening to lots of sexy music and watching lots of sexual content and sexual activity at younger ages. Oh, and let’s not forget that smoking in movies is the single most effective way to get kids to light up.
Tips on ad immunization:
- Read what the doctors say. Take a look at the statement from the American Academy of Pediatrics.
- If you have a DVR, record shows and skip the ads. Common Sense Media has a partnership with Tivo KidZone. Check them out, and think about putting a TiVo or other DVR on your holiday gift list.
- Point out the real consequences of ads. How many calories are in that jumbo burger and soda and those extra-large fries? How many hours of exercise would it take to burn those calories off? Do kids even know where the excess calories that we don’t use go? Might not be a bad idea to tell them.
- Give your kids these ad-proofing decoder tips:
- Ask them who they think created the ad and why they're sending the messages they are. Who makes money from the ads?
- What tricks do your kids think were used by the advertiser to make them want to buy he products being promoted? Does the ad use a favorite celebrity? Does it have some feelings associated with the product -- like happiness?
- What isn’t the ad telling them? Calorie count missing? Alcohol illegal for use under age 21? The featured video game costs a mint? Your kids don’t want to feel suckered any more than you do.
Ad-proofing your kids means that they'll have more freedom of choice about which messages they choose to listen to -- and which they don't!