We are ravaged by advertisements – everywhere, all the time, all at once.

It’s often difficult for kids to discern what’s real, good, wholesome, worthwhile.

It’s even getting harder for adults not to get swept up in the idyllic reality that ads portray.

Most families have computers, video game consoles, radio, TVs, satellite services, tablets, smart phones.

And on all those devices, subscriptions, and services are ads, ads, ads.

It was just a few years ago that we didn’t even have a TV and the kids were too young for phones. I monitored very closely what we consumed on computers and tablets. Ads didn’t seem to be as much of a problem then.

The kids didn’t get phones or social media until they were 13-14 years old. I don’t use monitoring apps or software. I don’t make them work for screen access.

If they don’t learn how to manage their own screen behaviors now, how can I expect them to as adults or in other aspects of their lives? We have constant discussions about safety and healthy online activities.

I desperately try to keep up-to-date on the newest and latest trends so I am aware of the dangers and exposures. Sometimes, my kids aren’t interested in the fads.

Who protects us?

In the United States, advertisements marketed to children were limited between 1946 and 1983. With the Children’s Television Act, which was introduced in 1990, and strengthened in August 1996, legislation once again became stricter.

In the United Kingdom, Greece, Denmark, and Belgium advertising to children is restricted. In Norway, Sweden and the Canadian province of Quebec, advertising to children under the age of twelve is illegal.

I remember all the ads targeting children when I watched Saturday morning cartoons or shows after school. There were even more ads after we got cable when I was a teen. But I knew these were ads. I knew they were products to be purchased in a store – cereal, toys, candy, snacks, tangible things.

Many of the ads we are constantly exposed to now are not tangible – they’re crypto currency, betting sites, debt consolidation, paycheck advances, online puzzles and games – with in-app purchases, eBooks, webinars, online programming, podcasts, and other electronic products and services.

I’ve noticed lately that the ads are getting sneakier. They look like game updates or prompts that you have to click through to continue playing or watching. They’re getting more and more subtle to trick us into clicking.

I’m tired of all the Temu, gambling, and Experian video ads. It didn’t used to be this way. I can’t even view the weather without waiting minutes to get through the dumb ads.

Many blogs and “news” sites have really ridiculous popup ads that make it frustrating to click through to just read the thing. I’m sorry if this blog has popups and annoying ads. I do try to fix the settings, but they keep updating faster than I can keep up.

And to make it even worse, we have to click multiple X’s to get back to our game or show, and they seem to get smaller and smaller and harder to find within the ad. Is that the tiny close button in the top right corner and the same color as the screen image? If our fingertip even slightly misses the mark, the ad opens to a purchase site or popup box. And often that is difficult to close too. It’s so frustrating.

How do we protect ourselves and our families from ads?

If we don’t pay close attention or encrypt our devices with multiple layers of passcode protection, we or our kids could accidentally purchase ridiculous items or services or extras we have no need or use for – and there are no refunds.

It’s easy to unsubscribe from emails or snail mail ads. I love when I can skip commercials while watching a movie or show, but that’s getting less and less possible. We can sometimes pause our show, but it makes us still watch the ads if we resume it.

With all the streaming services and interruptions with so many obnoxious ads every few minutes, I long for the old days of simple network and cable TV. What has even happened to YouTube? It’s terrible!

Most online ads target us directly from online algorithms based on our search and social media history. This makes us more willing to click through or view the adverts or even make a purchase. Some of us are more susceptible than others.

Holiday displays and ads seem to begin earlier and earlier each year. Even my teen daughter noticed that Halloween stuff starts immediately or simultaneously with back-to-school time. This is surely about capitalism and attempts to stretch the seasons for more money making opportunities.

We’ve experienced cultural shifts due to advertisements.

We have holidays and traditions based on ads in recent decades. Every week, I go to the grocery store, and there are ads about a new holiday I’ve never heard of and themed flowers and sweets they’re urging us to purchase in a front display.

What we can do to protect our families from ads

Remove apps

With multiple devices, I often curate apps and use my tablet just for reading or watching shows. I remove shopping apps from phones and tablets which helps reduce temptation.

Unsubscribe

Manage emails, texts, digital footprints that target us. Sure, we often get a coupon or discount for inputting our email or cell number. But, it’s easy to forget to unsubscribe later.

Pass protection

Make sure sensitive information is protected with passcodes or other identifiers. With each new software update, device settings seem to get more complicated and harder to find and fix everything where I want it. I don’t want surprise in-app purchases or items delivered that I didn’t even know had been bought.

Educate ourselves and our kids

My kids are learning what ads are and how insidious they can sometimes look. They are camouflaged within the apps and games and they know not to click those or ask for me to pay for these extras. Update ad settings on social media and apps to make sure there is nothing inappropriate coming through.

Purchase ad-free upgrades on games or streaming services

This is probably the easiest option, but it can get pricy. We have to keep up with the newest technology and figure out what is worth it for us. It’s a good option for less worry.

With so much new technology, we must be diligent to protect our families as we enjoy the conveniences.

Resources:

• Amusing Ourselves to Death by Neil Postman
• American Girls: Social Media and the Secret Lives of Teenagers by Nancy Jo Sales
• Disconnected: Youth, New Media, and the Ethics Gap by Carrie James
• Alone Together: Why We Expect More from Technology and Less from Each Other by Sherry Turkle
• It’s Complicated: The Social Lives of Networked Teens by danah boyd
• iGen: Why Today’s Super-Connected Kids Are Growing Up Less Rebellious, More Tolerant, Less Happy–and Completely Unprepared for Adulthood–and What That Means for the Rest of Us by Jean M. Twenge, PhD
• The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness by Jonathan Haidt
• Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children From Nature-Deficit by Richard Louv
• Simplicity Parenting: Using the Extraordinary Power of Less to Raise Calmer, Happier, and More Secure Kids by Kim John Payne and Lisa M. Ross
• Hands Free Life: Nine Habits for Overcoming Distraction, Living Better, and Loving More by Rachel Macy Stafford
• Hands Free Mama: A Guide to Putting Down the Phone, Burning the To-Do List, and Letting Go of Perfection to Grasp What Really Matters! by Rachel Macy Stafford

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