Virtual worlds for kids are becoming increasingly popular. As the audiences grow, executives from companies are taking an interest. This week’s article looks at the use of advertising in these virtual worlds. Go to the link below and read the article. After reading the article, go to one of the sites mentioned or a similar site that you know and look at some of the Web pages at that site. Write a reflective comment that addresses the topic and my questions.
Why do you think that people are worried about the introduction of advertising in virtual worlds? Are their concerns justified? Does marketing at a subconscious level work on younger children? Does it work on you? What laws would you create to protect children from this? How would you enforce it? Which website did you explore? What were your impressions?
Virtual Worlds Article
Possible websites to explore
Stardoll
http://www.stardoll.com/en/
Whyville
http://whyville.net/smmk/nice
Gaia
http://www.gaiaonline.com/
Barbiegirls
http://www.barbiegirls.com/home.html
Hasbro
http://www.hasbro.com/
Millsberry
http://www.millsberry.com/
11 comments:
Kids play on the computer so much nowadays that advertising in harmless computer games can lead to the kids wanting to have these things that are being advertised. The games should be for fun only, for making kids happy and not for making money.
Younger children will not understand what the people are doing and could accidentally order something online that they are not supposed to have done. Older children learn about these kinds of things in school and know a lot of things about the computer and the Internet. It certainly doesn’t work on me.
There should be a law that it would ask you if you wanted to see the advertising or not. They could also just banish advertising from games fully. There should be a warning if there are things like that on the site and for younger children who don’t understand yet there should be an adult to help. I visited Hasbro and the first thing you see is a whole lot of advertising and the possibility to shop is also there. I also visited Barbie girls and it told me to ask parents permission to go online which Is a good thing. The first option you can click is “Go shopping!” though.
People are worried about the introduction of advertising in virtual worlds because there is a fear that the kids who are playing games on these virtual worlds will become emotionally attached to the advertised product at a young age. These concerns are justified because marketing on a subconscious level usually works on children. However, these marketing methods do not work on me because when I need to go buy something, I buy the thing that I need that has the best quality and price. The laws I would create to protect children from virtual world advertising is that no products advertised can be more than $50 (what is an 8-year-old going to do with a toy or gadget that's over $50 than break or lose it?) and that all advertising must be done on the advertisers website (for example Disney can only advertise its products on Disney.com). To enforce it I would create an extension in the police department that would tackle these advertising problems. The website I explored was Hasbro.com. My first impression was that there doesn’t seem to be much advertising, but when I clicked on a link labeled commercials & demo’s it was a whole page from which you could download advertisements for Hasbro toys.
My opinion on all of this is that people are being a bit over reactive. T.V. used to and still has lots of commercials aimed for kids. But I believe as long as that virtual world advertising doesn’t exceed the amount of advertising T.V. channels do, then there isn’t that big of a problem.
I went to all the sites but none had ads so I went to my own sites like mini clip, addicting games, and shockwave. These did have ads on their sites because they are really big. And I wouldn't be surprised if 80% of the world, open these ads up.
People are worried about the introduction of advertising in virtual worlds because if you have a young son or daughter, and they like to play games online if they see an ad that says you are the 999,999th visitor you have won a prize, they will probably open it up and it could be a virus, or it could be a bad site with bad things on it. And even if you tell them to not open any ads they still will because they are still too young to understand that, and what it means. And they problem is if you don't let them play and you already let them once they wont stop nagging. Even if you say you won't let them till they are old enough to understand to not open game sites, their friends might tell them about the site or go to the site in school. So it's pretty hard avoiding not letting your child use the computer.
These ads don't work on, I've always been to scared to open just incase it is a virus, because I remember that when I was younger I opened up one and I got a virus, and I wasn't able to play games for a really long time. If I could help fix this problem I would try to make it illegal to put these ads on the web, and would make this program like Anti-Virus but instead it would be Anti-ad. I think it's wrong to put these ads on with viruses or bad sites, but I also feel bad for the people who put real ads without viruses or bad sites and it helps them. So my Anti-ads software would probably check if it leads to a bad site or a virus, then it would block it.
People are worried about the introduction of advertising in virtual worlds because kids will get affected. Kids who play on those sites would want to buy the things they find, even without their parent's supervision. Kids will go around looking for different things that are being advertised and then they will get attached to them because the advertisements would present them in such a nice way that the kid will kill him or herself for that thing. Their concerns are justified because marketing on a subconscious level will certainly work on younger children. Children wouldn’t recognize what the advertisement is trying to do, and just fall for the thing it is trying to sell rather than thinking about it twice like an adult would do. These advertisements never work on me because first of all I know that a lot of the games or whatever they are trying to sell wont be as good as it looks in real life. And most importantly these advertisement don’t work on me because I know what I need, I am not going to get all excited about something that looks really good only in the advertisement, unless I know for sure that it is like that in real life too. I think a law should be not to put advertisements at all in any virtual world because kids really don’t know what they need. Advertisements on a virtual world that is meant for kids, I think are just a cheap way of selling things because it is only benefiting the company and harming the parents in which their kids who don’t know what they need insisted on buying that useless and expensive toy for example. I explored Whyville and Millsberry. I think they are very fun sites for kids who enjoy the time they spend on them. I didn’t notice any advertisements on both of these sites.
I thought the sites I visited were very entertaining for kids, maybe even teenagers who enjoy online games that enable you to chat with people from all around the world. They are very fun sites. You get to make up your own character, house…etc. I didn’t see any advertisements on these sites so I think people are just worrying too much. I think they are looking more into the future that is why they are very worried.
I personally think that the public doesn’t like the idea of publishing advertisements of a product on a “kids gaming world that is 3-D.” People are worried because preteens don’t really think they will go anywhere that says click here or you’re our top winner. The advertisement could be something the parents want their kids to involve with or even know about it. I think that their concerns are justified that they have all the right to justify there concerns, It is so important for the parents to find out what your kid is doing on the internet even if it is a place were anyone can sign up. The marketing at subconscious level does work for the younger. When I was young I used to go crazy if someone put on the website you’re the “99999 visitor click here to claim your prize.” Then the usual would happen they would take me to this advertising place.
Now a day the whole product advertising thing doesn’t work with me I learned that never to listen what advertising programs say in any site. No laws should be put it is the responsibly of the parent to know what their children are doing on the internet. I visited http://www.gaiaonline.com and http://www.millsberry.com. These website are really good at appealing the young’s attention to sign up and play.
The article on virtual advertisement is very interesting. It states that virtual worlds for kids are growing and its use for advertisement is exploding. Companies are targeting children to market their product through this new media. Companies like toy makers Mattel and cereal maker Millsberry have already taken advantage of direct marketing via games online and virtual worlds. Researchers expect that more than half of kids will belong to a virtual world within four years. Advertisement will also increase to reach 150 million by 2012.
Today, the concern of people is how easy to lour a young child into buying a specific product using these virtual advertisements. Companies creating products that appeal to children has always been there, however, the use of virtual worlds and games to market brands is new. These companies are banking on the child interaction and emotional engagement to lour them to buy the product. In net, these companies have a better chance of selling their products to children, due to the emotional attachment to the brand.
The concerns about virtual advertisements are real, as this kind of marketing, is designed to target the subconscious level of children, to try to get them to be loyal to a certain brand. In my opinion, virtual advertisements are fun to watch, but the decision to buy the brand should be based on its durability and cost and not based on the way it is advertised. Furthermore, we have to be able to create a safety net for children through passing new laws to regulate the use of all virtual world sites, targeting children. These laws must dictate obtaining the approval from the parents or guardians to access these sites. One way to ensure adherence is to fill a registration form upon accessing the site, including parents’ names, contact numbers, and emails. The site would not allow access before receiving a confirmation email by the parents to grant access. I decided to explore the Club Penguin site. To access parts of the game you had to pay money. The site did not have many advertisements, but the fun games on the website lured many children into paying to register. It is a fun game, but its purpose is for money.
I believe people are worried about virtual advertising, because they worry about the ethics of virtual advertising, because this advertisement is targeting children who are venerable. Others might argue that, it’s the same as TV advertisements, but in reality most children are supervised as they watch TV. I also really don’t believe that marketing a NISSAN car for a 6 year old is helping NISSAN sell it’s brand. Just because a little kid was playing with a virtual NISSAN, does not mean when he finally gets his license he’ll choose a NISSAN because of the little game he used to play. A game he probably forgot about 6 years ago.
A few laws must be made too control what is being advertised to children. One being unhealthy things such as cigarettes, another could be inappropriate things for children such as dating ads extra. I visited club penguin because the article mentioned it, but I couldn’t find any advertising then by chance I saw my sister playing at Bratz.com and I could really see the effect. While playing with one of the virtual dolls my sister was determined to by the plastic version. So maybe advertising toys online would work anything else, is probably a waste.
By Adam
I believe that advertisement in virtual worlds for children is a good way to make money. When a kid likes something they keep bugging their parents to get it for them so they eventually do. What is really wrong with that? I think that it is a very clever idea to advertise on sites that kids use. I believe that advertisement should have a limit on kid’s websites, not so many, they’ll get confused. I also think when there is a limit of advertisement on a webpage that kids focus more on the games and have fun. I think that people are worried about advertisement on websites where adolescents play because they would fall in love or really want a toy or game etc. They also are worried because if they order a game or a toy that it works poorly and that they spent their money on a waste that is why I believe that there should be warranties and an option to return what they have ordered online if they believe it was a rip off etc.
I believe that the adults concerns are not justified because if they dislike the object or toy they shouldn’t buy it! If there kids just bugging them about it maybe get them a toy that is better or something. I believe that marketing on a subconscious level does work on younger kids because they really want it inside, and if their parents say no to what they want, they’ll just keep nagging or cry etc, something that’ll make their parents buy it for them by feeling sad for them. I believe it does work on me sometimes, it depends, if I really want it, ill ask my parents and if they say no then I just buy it with my own money or try to convince my parents to get it for me. I think that laws about limited amount of ads on a kid’s website should be created. It limits the amount of ads and also gets the child more focused on why he or she is even on that site instead of being distracted by ads. To enforce the law I believe websites should be approved by the government for children and should have documents that follow the ads that are advertised. I knew about www.stardoll.com before I read the article. I have played it before with my cousins. I think star dolls doesn’t have a lot of advertisement on their website, when I opened it I didn’t see one thing other than a link to play a Mary Kate and Ashley game.
The introductions of advertising in virtual worlds are worrisome because the kids who are playing games on these virtual worlds will become emotionally attached to the advertised product. These concerns are justified because marketing on a subliminal rank usually works on kids. A child might be playing a game on a site, and a really cool advertisement for a toy pops-up with a nice approach to it, that kids start to give in to how nice it is. Eventually they will attach themselves to it until they get it; and it will happen multiple times.
These advertisements don't work on me because first of all I know that a lot of the games or toys companies are trying to sell are just a cheap way of selling bad quality gadgets/products. I think a law should be enforced to not put advertisements specifically in websites that are meant for kids. I think adults are smart enough to distinguish cheap advertisement if found in adult-like sites, but the main concern are the kids.
I believe that these advertisements are only benefiting the companies and harming the parent's children with nonsense and greediness. I explored Hasbro and the first thing I saw was a whole lot of advertisements and shopping online. It didn’t give me a good impression at first; I think it’s a bad site for kids. I also visited Millsberry and I didn't find any advertisements there but I thought it would be a fun site for children to spend time there, talking with new people and dressing up dolls.
Parents are usually the ones that are worried about the introductions of advertising in virtual worlds. They don’t want their kids going on the computer to play a game and then an hour later come back to find their child begging to have the "coolest new toy" every day!! Also, parents are probably more worried that their kids would buy something online without them knowing, and then it turns out to be something useless but very expensive. I think their concerns are definitely justified because children these days always want to be "cool" and in order for them to fit it they always want new toys that they can brag about. Before advertising in virtual worlds kids would watch advertisements on T.V but that was easier to control because their parents can choose not to buy their kids what they want, or they can just simply change the channel and avoid any arguments. But when kids are using the computer 24 hours a day and the parents are not always with them, then their child could be agreeing to buy many things without permission. I think that marketing at a subconscious level does work on young children. Today, children are drawn into anything, and if their friends are all buying something then they would really want to buy it. And if they get reminded about it whenever they go play games on their computer, it is going to make it really hard on the child to resist!
To be honest sometimes advertisements do work on me! If I really want something and it is being advertised everywhere, then the advertisement might make me want to buy the product, but usually if I see an advertisement that I liked, I would not be quickly attached to it like children would be these days. The laws that I would create to protect children from this would probably be to simply stop advertising products in virtual worlds. This way, children would not have to worry about being "pressured" to buy something, and parents would not have to worry about their kids begging them to buy something they KNOW they’re not going to use! I would enforce this law by simply telling the advertising companies that there is truly no use in advertising their products to little kids when they know it will only create problems with the parents and teachers. They could advertise ANYWHERE where it is not a kid’s site. I explored Whyville and Hasbro, and I actually didn’t find a single AD in both of them. This makes me wonder if all of this is just a few parents being too overprotective of their child!!
I personally believe that advertising companies should not put any ads in kid's sites because all it will create is a few angry moms and dads!! I think if the advertising companies were smart they would put their AD's somewhere where they know kids always go to but it is not a "kid’s site". I'm sure that they can pull it off without creating so much commotion about something that parents are just way to overprotective about!
I think people are worried by the advertiazation in the online world because of many different reasons. One of the reasons would be that, A game advertisement could encourage a kid opening it, it may be inappropriate, and most likely addicting to the kid himself. I tried opening all the sites listed below the articles introduction, some did not work, and some did not have ads. I went to Google and I searched for Online Free Games, Miniclip can up, And first thing I saw was a Pop up, and a whole bunch of ads. And The Free screen saver Pop-up Gave me a virus which I immediately cleaned. I myself am not satisfied with these ads, If I could help I would enforce An Add-government, that would check all ads before going through the internet. Marketing subconscious does not work on younger children. And it personally does not work on me. I would enforce my law I said above by asking the government online, ad having surveys seeing what people think about it. That way it could take a way my divested impressions about these horrifying ads.
Post a Comment