To What Extent Should Advertising Aimed at Children Be Regulated by Law?

To what extent should advertising aimed at children be regulated by law?

Advertisements are a form of communication used to persuade audiences around the world. Advertisements can be found on television, on the internet and radio, in magazines, and even lining the walls of most schools. Most commonly, companies use advertisements to persuade or increase consumption of a product or service to consumers; however, in today's society advertisers are targeting younger generations. The typical American child watches on average 1,500 hours of television a year, 1,680 minutes of television a week, and watches 20,000 30-second television commercials a year (Stewart). I believe this easy exposure may negatively affect adolescent viewers and that laws should regulate the amount and content of advertisements that portray negative materials for young viewers.

Before looking at how advertisements can affect young children, we must first look at why advertisers choose to direct their ads toward them. On average, children view fifty-five commercials a day. During the time they are watching television they are introduced to a number of new products: toys, video games, food products, etc. Most children will find these products appealing and find themselves wishing, wanting, and begging their parents for what the advertisement introduced them too. Advertisers choose children to entertain with their product information because they are so persuasive and will spend money on merchandises that they find fascinating. Surprisingly, many children do not look to their parents for assistance when purchasing new items. Instead they use money they earn from doing chores, getting good grades, or other jobs they obtain (Snyder et al).

Many parents have mixed feeling about television. Many find it disturbing as to what their children may be seeing or the behaviors that advertisers portray while others find it useful as it aids them by keeping their children occupied (Frank 3). Studies have found that parents spend, on average, only three and a half minutes a week having a meaningful conversation with their children (Stewart). With the large amount of children whose lives or free-time has been consumed by watching television many young lives are being affected. They are not receiving the amount of daily exercise, interacting with friends, or focusing on studies after school. Some television programs offer children with a chance to use mental skills or get them motivated to move around the room; however, many programs watched by children are simply out of enjoyment or pleasure not to peak personal interest so they most likely will pass programs such as these up.

Millions of advertisements are viewed each day; however, the television has been found to be the most popular way to advertise to children. One recent advertisement I viewed while watching TV and found that it would catch the attention of any hungry child was a McDonald's commercials. Although this commercial was addressing that a portion of the money you spend on a happy meal would go to Riley Children's Hospital, I don't believe that is the message that a five-year-old would pick out of the ad. This particular ad, as many other food advertisements, introduced viewers to products they sell and one that they give away. Ads like these show children the products that are low in nutritional value and this particular company has spent almost 570 million dollars a year on advertising (Snyder et al). Researchers have found that the ads that children see on television really do make children hungry for that particular item and that kids want foods that have high-carb or high fats found in them after watching food commercials. Not only do they make the desire high for these food but it tends to make children want more and to eat more food (Ads Spur Cravings).

Obesity rates are a rapid growing problem in our country. In 2008, researchers found that one third of children were found to be overweight or obese, and in the last thirty years childhood obesity rates have almost tripled. Obesity can lead to a number of health problems, some include: high cholesterol or high blood pressure, pre-diabetes, a chance of developing bone and joint problems. Obesity can lead to health issues such as heart disease, stokes, and cancer later on in life (Childhood Obesity Facts). The association of Research and Behavior also finds that "commercials often suggest that food products are to be bought for their sugar content or for the prizes and bonuses offered in conjunction with their purchase. This interferes with attempts to educate children about nutritive content of foods and offers irrelevant criteria for product choice". (The Effects of Child-Directed Advertising 6)

As I find this statement to be true, I also believe that many advertisements may cause children to become materialistic. Young viewers are easily persuaded and influenced by what they might see or hear. The following statement made by The Association of Research and Behaviors made me think of many times this might occur "...it is also charged that the child may become materialistic, choosing products for their flashiness and demanding whatever is put before him, with no thought for the needs of others, comparative merit of products, or anything else." (The Effects of Child-Directed Advertising13) A new commercial for a "Barbie Dream House"catches the eye of a six-year-old girl; Christmas is right around the corner, she runs to get her mom and show her the advertisement-- she then adds yet another toy to her Christmas list. At this time all the young girl may be thinking about what she wants and not what other will go without on Christmas morning. A lot of children