Children as young as five are regularly being exposed to online ads that contain adult content – such as gambling, dating services, and sexualised imagery – which would never be aired on TV before the 9pm watershed.
That is the stark claim of a new report published to coincide with Safer Internet Day today (February 5), which urges parents to wake up to the need for blocking software.
According to Adblock Plus, online ads are often embedded on websites from other sources, making it unlikely that web filters will pick up on them.
Currently no web browser offers ad-blocking capabilities as part of its child protection tools, however, the software can easily be downloaded, ensuring the kids are free to use the Internet without the risk of exposure to inappropriate content.
The company claims the average person comes into contact with over 500 online ads and pop-ups a day. These can range from credit cards and gambling, to ‘no-strings-attached’ online dating. While most adults are fairly confident at recognising and closing adverts of this nature, Adblock Plus co-founder Till Faida suggests that for younger users, these can cause confusion and even distress.
He commented: “The growth in online gaming and interactive websites mean children as young as five can competently navigate their way around the internet. Many parents are happy to let their children log on unsupervised, as they believe they are free from accessing adult material, due to installed web filters.
Faida claims that the growth in online advertising means marketers are becoming much more aggressive in their tactics to ensure their message is seen and clicked through. As a result, a child could be innocently clicking away when something pops up that gets their attention and they click through, opening up to content of a very adult nature.
He warned: “Our survey results indicate that 75% of people felt the online ads seen by children display inappropriate content.”
