Nearly all ‘educational’ apps for children have ads, study shows

FILED - Smartphone and tablet apps designed for children seem like a great way to get a break while giving your child something that often claims to be educational. But researchers say these apps are filled with ads and children can't tell the difference. Photo: Hans-Jürgen Wiedl/dpa

Entertainment and educational apps for children are littered with ads, according to a new study that has found advertising in 95% of apps for kids aged five and under. 

Research has previously shown that children under the age of seven can't tell the difference between ads and other content, and yet countless children using their parents' smartphones and tablets are being targeted by advertisers.