A new study shows that 95 percent of children’s apps contain at least one type of advertising, a number that worries physicians and parents, and isn’t regulated under current laws. The gap between games and gaming keeps on growing. While Frisbees don’t collect data on the kids who play with them, apps like those found in the Google Play store definitely do. And while a hit children's show like Paw Patrol may have commercial breaks, a new study shows that advertisements in apps are even more insidious. Published in the Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, the new data from researchers at the University of Michigan suggests that fully 95 percent of tablet or smartphone games for children feature one or more advertisements. Unlike television ads, which are supervised by federal agencies, these in-app sales exist outside conventional regulations, allowing gaming companies to set their own rules. Jenny Radesky, a pediatrician with expertise in behavioral development and the lead author of the study, says gaming can be a perfectly acceptable source of entertainment for kids. But most of these apps treat kids like tiny adults, designing experiences that are too structured for a child’s boundless imagination, and often designed to extract money from their parents. When you consider 81 percent of Americans under 5 playing video games on a daily basis, and 42 percent of kids under 8 have their own tablet, the stakes couldn't be higher.
