Social media companies made US$11bil in US ad revenue from minors, Harvard study finds

Social media platforms are not the first to advertise to children, and parents and experts have long expressed concerns about marketing to kids online, on television and even in schools. But online ads can be especially insidious because they can be targeted to children and because the line between ads and the content kids seek out is often blurry. — AP

Social media companies collectively made over US$11bil (RM50.79bil) in US advertising revenue from minors last year, according to a study from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health published on Wednesday (Dec 27).

The researchers say the findings show a need for government regulation of social media since the companies that stand to make money from children who use their platforms have failed to meaningfully self-regulate. They note such regulations, as well as greater transparency from tech companies, could help alleviate harms to youth mental health and curtail potentially harmful advertising practices that target children and adolescents.