#Washington D.C.  On Friday U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) demanded that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) take action against YouTube influencers who are deceptively and unfairly advertising to children as young as two years old through their content.

YouTube has created a new generation of child-directed online influencers. However, few parents understand that these channels are often little more than advertisements for toymakers, media companies, and fast food, with some influencers earning tens of millions in ad deals and sponsorships. Eager to exploit this new social media gold rush, many advertisers and sponsors have thrown basic ethics and the law out the window, disregarding even the minimal standards adopted to protect children.

A study by ad watchdog group, truthinadvertising.org (TINA.org) found that the popular “kidfluencer” YouTube channel Ryan ToysReview, who pulled in an estimated $22 million in earnings for 2018, referenced at least one product recommended for children under the age of five in nearly 90 percent of videos reviewed. While some videos did disclose a sponsorship, an overwhelming majority did not.

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