Digital advertisements are increasingly targeting children when they play games, go on social media, use apps, and in the many other ways that children access the internet.  These ads may harm children by leading to childhood obesity, hurt their self-image, and increase use of tobacco products, marijuana and alcohol.  In this episode, we discuss what parents need to know in order to protect their children from the potentially harmful consequences of digital ads, including specific steps they can take.

This episode written by Drs. Dean Blumberg and Lena van der List.

Supplemental material:

• Healthy Children 5 Unhealthy Ways Digital Ads May Be Targeting Your Child

• Healthy Children Kids & Tech: Tips for Parents in the Digital Age

• Healthy Children How to Make a Family Media Use Plan

• Common Sense Media

• Healthy Children How Children Develop Unhealthy Food Preferences

• Healthy Children How Cigarette Advertisements Influence Teens

• European Union DigComp: Digital Competence Framework for Citizens

Photo from the KU Leuven Centre for IT & IP Law