Marketing to children has always been risky terrain that should be navigated only with the utmost of care--or not at all.Turns out, however, that many companies are actively selling to children without even realizing it. Specifically, the companies in question are the ones that use Facebook to connect with customers and promote their products and services. According to a recent report, a shockingly large number of the Facebook users they're likely reaching are actually kids.
Facebook's terms of service require that users be at least 13 years old to use the site. As a parent, however, I know from experience that kids routinely lie about their age so as to participate; after all, besides that stated requirement, there's no further verification involved, and no kid wants to be left out.
5 Million Users Aged 10 and Under
Ready to be even more shocked? More than 5 million Facebook users were 10 and younger.
Risky Business
There are several risks associated with marketing to children, even if it's entirely unintentional.
1. An Ethical Gray Area
The ethics of marketing to children are not clear, even when the products and services in question appear to be age-appropriate. There's been considerable debate over the practice, and it continues today, spurring the creation of organizations like the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood.
2. The Obesity Question
Marketers of food and beverages face particularly intense scrutiny these days in the wake of today's obesity epidemic. If that's what your company sells, you definitely don't want to be part of the problem--even unwittingly--by promoting your products to kids on Facebook.
3. Inappropriate Messages
Whatever the product or service involved, commercial messages that may seem innocent enough to adults could still have negative consequences for children by promoting violence, materialism, an obsession with body image or inappropriate sexuality. Once again, this is all around us in the media every day, but that doesn't mean it's OK -- or that you should allow your brand to be associated with it.
4. Potential Legal Implications
Advertising to children is governed in most countries by a mix of self-regulation and legislation -- including the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) in the United States.One can only hope Facebook will respond to this research with some sort of age verification process. In the meantime, marketers had better beware.
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