Sponsored Content and How Parents Can Stop Paying the Price

The Era of Sponsored Content and How Parents Can Stop Paying the Price

It’s hard to know what kids are exposed to on social media every day; we can all agree that ads have taken over our feeds on every platform. As adults, we can usually recognize when we’re seeing an ad amidst all the authentic content. But kids are growing up in a new digital age where it’s often hard to tell the difference between what’s real and what’s sponsored. Creators and big corporations are marketing products and authenticity through seemingly normal videos. So what happens when kids are constantly bombarded with ads? Parents end up paying the price, literally.

While every parent wants to give their kids everything they want, the things kids demand these days often come with a hefty price tag. Perhaps the best way to combat overspending and the desire to have the latest trending item is to equip kids with digital literacy skills to help them stop doomscrolling and recognize an ad when they see one. An article posted by UNC-Pembroke entitled “The importance of digital literacy in primary education“points out the importance of teaching children basic digital literacy skills from an early age, given our highly technological world.

What is digital literacy?

“In many ways, digital literacy is simply an extension of what we traditionally think of as literacy, or the ability to read and write,” the article states. It goes on to emphasize that digital literacy enables children to develop critical thinking and creative processes. These skills allow them to distinguish between trustworthy sources online, combine images with words to communicate effectively, and, most importantly, make informed decisions in the digital world.

Digital literacy and education

Pembroke’s article on digital literacy lists four base skills they believe primary school-age children should learn: the importance of basic computer skills for young learners, the need to critically evaluate media sources in an age of online content abundance, the importance of understanding authorship and avoiding plagiarism, and the importance of good digital citizenship by treating others with respect and kindness in online interactions.

All of these skills are very important for children to learn when navigating the world of social media, but when it comes to sponsored posts and advertisements, teaching children to critically evaluate the media they consume and question everything will not only help important skill when it comes to spotting ads, but also being aware of the threads of misinformation that are becoming more prevalent as the years go by. With more threads of misinformation comes a greater need for children of all ages to build digital literacy skills.

In a recent study:Digital literacy, social media and undergraduate learning: What do students think they need to know?“published in the International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, authors Erika E. Smith And Hannah Storrs found that students felt there was a critical need for learning digital literacy skills. The authors wrote: “Although students largely agreed that they need digital literacy, they reported learning little about these digital literacies (including the DL needed to use social media effectively).).”

The study examined how students used media as a learning tool and found that “When using social media in their own learning, students placed the most value on the types of activities were seeking information, collaboration, sharing information, seeking help, discussion and logistic functions (e.g. organizing materials, planning management)).”

The study found that students believe they need digital literacy to use social media effectively, but they learned little about it in their undergraduate education. They rated their effectiveness with sociocultural skills on social media lower than cognitive or technical skills.

The research shows that while children are growing up with rapidly evolving technological developments, they are not necessarily fully equipped with the skills they need to effectively use the technology we have all developed So used to. So when it comes to marketing campaigns and targeted advertising, the responsibility of children learn how to recognize these things falls on parents.

Spotting sponsorships and advertisements on and off social media

So how can parents teach their children the skills to evaluate media and spot advertisements? First, let your children know that most sponsored ads and messages are designed to sell things, and that the target audience is often children. Then, make it clear that advertisements are everywhere; parents can even make a game out of it.

You can start by pointing out the branding on your clothes, toys, and even your phones or tablets. Kids will to begin Unpleasant see that marketing, advertising, and sales are all around us. If you have a teenager at home, chances are they watch shopping hauls at some point during the week or day, so remember that videos like this are likely paid for and often gifted to the person in the video.

Let your kids know that online ads can include giveaways, unboxing videos, social media takeovers, brand ambassadorships, and even livestreams of creators sharing their latest favorite thing. You can also include hashtags and any mentions of important companies. Parents can also point out that if a video seems different from what their children are used to seeing from their favorite creator, it is often a sign that they are watching an advertisement.

Scroll together and see who sees a sponsored post first. Talk about what this could mean for the products they see and whether it’s worth it. This is the beginning of building the ability to critically evaluate everything they see and question the validity of products, creators, and certain types of content.

Addressing what kids need to know about social media is constantly evolving. We can all agree that the lines of communication need to be kept open and that it is important for parents to important to be vigilant about what kids are consuming online. A lot of that has now become advertising. Seeing these ads and wanting these products is so much more than just buying the latest trend; kids want to fit in, and that’s something every generation can understand. Approaching that conversation in this new era is Certainly different, but happy, not impossible.

Psst… check out Teaching Kids How to Spot and Avoid Scams.