Thoughts on inappropriate online advertisments/popups
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So I play quite a few games on my iPad - matching games, mahjong, that sort of thing. Essentially kids games - quite easy and keeps me occupied.
We all know that we can pay for these games and get a version with no adverts, but lets be honest - who does that? What's a 30 second advert during a free to play game.
Except when it's inappropriate.
Tonight I was enjoying a game of Travel Town - just a kids matching game, when an advert popped up. Can't remember the name of the game but the premise was basically 'build a girl'. The advert was computer generated images of attractive manga style girls wearing very little and looking very young - easily could be classed as under 18.
These images were moving an a sexual manner (legs opening and closing, blowing kisses etc).
To say I was horrified was in understatement. Even if I wasn't in the position my OH has put us in, even if I knew nothing about online sexual offending, I would have complained, as this was totally inappropriate for a children's game.
But knowing what I know now about offending and how easy it has become to access images I have really gone to town on them.
I have let them know that the images in the advert would be classed as Cat C and that viewing/downloading/distributing them is illegal. I have also told them that I will not be screenshotting an image and sending it to them as proof as that would make me an offender. I have told them how irresponsible it is for them to allow adverts like this.
Now my OH is worried that if an advert like that pops up on his phone he could be in real trouble (if they put monitoring software on his phone at conviction).
I'm probably fighting a losing battle with these online companies but at least I FEEL like I'm doing something positive to help prevent offending, even if it's a drop in the ocean.
We all know that we can pay for these games and get a version with no adverts, but lets be honest - who does that? What's a 30 second advert during a free to play game.
Except when it's inappropriate.
Tonight I was enjoying a game of Travel Town - just a kids matching game, when an advert popped up. Can't remember the name of the game but the premise was basically 'build a girl'. The advert was computer generated images of attractive manga style girls wearing very little and looking very young - easily could be classed as under 18.
These images were moving an a sexual manner (legs opening and closing, blowing kisses etc).
To say I was horrified was in understatement. Even if I wasn't in the position my OH has put us in, even if I knew nothing about online sexual offending, I would have complained, as this was totally inappropriate for a children's game.
But knowing what I know now about offending and how easy it has become to access images I have really gone to town on them.
I have let them know that the images in the advert would be classed as Cat C and that viewing/downloading/distributing them is illegal. I have also told them that I will not be screenshotting an image and sending it to them as proof as that would make me an offender. I have told them how irresponsible it is for them to allow adverts like this.
Now my OH is worried that if an advert like that pops up on his phone he could be in real trouble (if they put monitoring software on his phone at conviction).
I'm probably fighting a losing battle with these online companies but at least I FEEL like I'm doing something positive to help prevent offending, even if it's a drop in the ocean.
Good work, lost in the woods. I reported an ad that came up on my fb feed as it was decidedly lewd and suggestive, and the subject was quite likely underage. The reply was that the ad was not deemed offensive.
Drops in the ocean perhaps, but the more the drops the sooner it becomes an ocean.
Drops in the ocean perhaps, but the more the drops the sooner it becomes an ocean.
They should see that it's an ad and that he wasn't looking specifically for it, but its still a worry because what if they dont. Depending on what settings he has for ads on his phone that might help. Although it's annoying letting them see your search history the ads are then based on your searches rather then random which could help prevent this. It just depends if you're happy giving them data or not.
This particular advert was on my device not his - neither of us are searching anything remotely like this - he is extra careful on what he searches. It was a pop up advert in a kid's game which was wholly inappropriate for the age group that the game is aimed at.
I'm more concerned about the premise of the game and the images shown - we are trying to prevent our young people accessing unsuitable content and yet these games are freely available to kids as young as 5!!! Not all parents realise the dangers.
I've told him he shouldn't worry too much about adverts as long as he doesn't click on them and access the content.
I'm more concerned about the premise of the game and the images shown - we are trying to prevent our young people accessing unsuitable content and yet these games are freely available to kids as young as 5!!! Not all parents realise the dangers.
I've told him he shouldn't worry too much about adverts as long as he doesn't click on them and access the content.
I would hazard a guess that these adverts whilst suggestive and leud wouldn't be illegal as you say the images were manga style cartoons which mean that they wouldn't be covered by the Indecent Images of Children legislation.
Images which are clearly not real are dealt with through the Prohibited Images of Children legislation found in the Coroners and Justice Act 2009, it would seem that this legislation only proscribes images which show child nudity or actual sexual acts being performed on or in the presence of children as being illegal, it mentions nothing about sexually suggestive posing as would be found in Cat C IIOC.
So whilst I agree such adverts are inappropriate on games aimed at children I don't think they are illegal.
Images which are clearly not real are dealt with through the Prohibited Images of Children legislation found in the Coroners and Justice Act 2009, it would seem that this legislation only proscribes images which show child nudity or actual sexual acts being performed on or in the presence of children as being illegal, it mentions nothing about sexually suggestive posing as would be found in Cat C IIOC.
So whilst I agree such adverts are inappropriate on games aimed at children I don't think they are illegal.
Even if they are not illegal they are very close to the mark.
But I doubt my little email will make any difference. I guess I'm just hyper sensitive these days.
But I doubt my little email will make any difference. I guess I'm just hyper sensitive these days.
This reminds me of something that happened to me about 20yr ago. I had a phone and just wanted a screen protector, so was with Vodafone and purchased a winnie the Pooh one. Next day I started receiving very explicit text messages. This could easily have been a child's phone and back then phones weren't as advanced.
Ajustcopingparent
That's horrible - was it someone from the store who sold you the protector? X
That's horrible - was it someone from the store who sold you the protector? X