The UK’s regulatory Body, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) have created online Avatars to monitor adds that my target or be visible to children online.
Child Browsing Avatars
A Data and Analytics Company have created avatars, which imitate child-browsing history online. Three Avatars have been created to reflect varying age groups, 6 to 7, 8 to 12 and 16. Another has been designed to imitate adults browsing history.The test was carried out over a two week period back in 2018, child avatars were targeted a total of 10,745 times on 24 children’s internet sites, and non-age restricted YouTube Channels.Ads from 43 different gambling operators were visible on children’s websites with five operators breaking advertising rules targeted at children less than 18 years of age. PlayOJO, Redbet, Multilotto, Unibet and NetEnt’s Vikings Video Slot Game.
Rules Infringed
All operators that infringed the ASA rules all admitted fault, with third party marketing partners being blamed. Each company was told to make immediate changes to future advertising ads to not target minors in the future.The ASA are satisfied the new technology is the beginning of new a new phase of technology that will help enforce strict advertising rules to protect children from gambling related ads appearing on children’s websites.ASA chief executive Guy Parker said, “ Online ads are subject to the same strict rules that apply elsewhere and this important new monitoring capability delivers on our commitment to having more impact online”.