Study finds adolescents encounter sexual and embarrassing advertisements while gaming; parents and digital safety expert call for stronger safeguards and accountability
Srinagar, October 16(KNB): Online gaming applications, widely used by children and teenagers for entertainment, are facing renewed scrutiny over the appearance of sexually suggestive advertisements and other inappropriate content that may reach young users during gameplay.
A scientific study published in Turkish Archives of Pediatrics has highlighted the potential risks associated with digital advertising in online games, raising questions about the effectiveness of age-based safeguards and the responsibility of gaming platforms to protect children from unsuitable promotional material.
The study, titled “Advertising in the Digital Area: Playing Online Games Pose a Risk to Come Upon Improper Advertisements,” was authored by Meltem Akçaboy, Saliha Şenel and Betül Ulukol and published in 2022.
Researchers examined 252 adolescents aged between 11 and 18 who were attending a tertiary children’s hospital. Of these, 224 reported playing online digital games, while 28 played offline digital games.
Among the online-game players, 34 per cent reported encountering sexual, shameful or pornographic images during gameplay. The researchers also found that 27.2 per cent of online-game players who reported seeing digital advertisements described sexual or embarrassing content in those advertisements.
The findings drew attention to the risks associated with uncontrolled digital advertising environments, particularly when children and adolescents use gaming platforms that may display promotional material from external advertising networks.
However, the researchers described their work as a preliminary study. The participants were recruited from a hospital rather than through a nationally representative survey, meaning the results cannot establish how frequently children across India encounter such advertisements.
The findings nevertheless raise an important question for parents and technology companies: can a game considered suitable for children also expose them to advertisements that are inappropriate for their age?
Many mobile games are available free of charge, with developers earning revenue through advertisements, in-app purchases and other commercial arrangements.
In some applications, advertising material is supplied by third-party networks rather than being created directly by the game developer. The advertisements displayed may vary according to the application, advertising provider, location, device settings and other factors.
Consequently, a child playing a racing, puzzle or casual game may encounter an advertisement that is unrelated to the game’s actual content.
Such advertisements can include sexually suggestive imagery, adult dating promotions or links directing users to external websites. The extent of this risk varies, and the presence of advertising does not automatically mean a game is unsafe.
The concern arises when platforms fail to prevent age-inappropriate material from appearing in environments regularly accessed by minors.
Children may also have difficulty distinguishing an advertisement from part of the game, recognising persuasive marketing techniques or understanding the implications of clicking on unfamiliar promotional links.
For parents, this creates an additional challenge: checking a game’s rating may not always reveal the full advertising experience a child will encounter.
Bashir Ahmad, a parent, said the issue required serious attention from authorities, gaming companies and other stakeholders responsible for children’s digital safety.
“Yes, it is true that some online games are exposing children to inappropriate advertisements, including sexually suggestive content. Such material can affect a child’s understanding, behaviour and overall well-being, particularly when encountered repeatedly at a young age. This issue needs to be addressed seriously. The authorities and gaming platforms must ensure that children are protected, and applications that repeatedly expose minors to explicit content despite safeguards should face strict action, including restrictions or bans where warranted,” he said.
Parents’ concerns extend beyond the advertisements themselves to the possibility that children could click on external links and encounter further unsuitable material.
An advertisement that redirects a child to an unfamiliar website may also raise questions about privacy, data collection and deceptive promotions. Depending on the destination, there may be additional risks associated with requests for personal information or contact with unknown individuals.
These possibilities do not mean that every inappropriate advertisement leads to further harm. They underline the importance of effective filtering, accessible complaint mechanisms and adult guidance.
Manish Kumar, a digital safety expert, said protecting children required a coordinated approach involving gaming companies, advertising networks, regulators and parents.
“Online gaming platforms do not operate in isolation; advertisements are often delivered through third-party advertising networks, making content moderation a shared responsibility. Age-inappropriate advertisements can reach young users even when the game itself appears harmless. Platforms must strengthen age-based advertising filters, review third-party ad networks, restrict unsafe external links and establish effective reporting mechanisms. Regulators should hold companies accountable when they fail to protect children. A coordinated approach involving technology companies, regulators and parents is essential to make digital gaming safer,” Kumar said.
The issue is not limited to the content of individual advertisements. It also concerns how platforms design their advertising systems, determine the suitability of promotional material and respond when users report inappropriate content.
Effective safeguards could include stricter screening of advertisements shown to minors, better age-assurance mechanisms, clear distinctions between gameplay and commercial promotions, and faster removal of advertisements that violate platform policies.
Gaming companies should also make it easier for parents and children to report inappropriate material and should investigate repeated complaints against particular advertising providers.
UNICEF has highlighted the dangers of exploitative digital marketing and children’s exposure to pornography and other harmful online material, while emphasising that children should be able to benefit from digital technology in safe environments.
These broader concerns must be distinguished from the specific findings of the 2022 gaming-advertisement study. The study examined reported exposure to inappropriate content; it did not establish that exposure to a particular advertisement necessarily causes neurological damage, reduced physical activity or long-term psychological harm.
Nevertheless, repeated exposure to sexualised content may raise concerns about age-appropriate understanding, discomfort and the need for guidance, particularly among younger children. The effects will vary depending on the child’s age, the content encountered, frequency of exposure and support available at home.
Excessive gaming can also displace sleep, exercise, schoolwork and face-to-face interaction when it is not appropriately balanced. These are separate concerns from the direct effects of advertisements and should not be attributed to advertising alone.
The broader public-health challenge is therefore to ensure that children can participate in digital entertainment without being exposed to unsuitable commercial material or spending so much time online that essential daily activities are neglected.
India has already recognised that online gaming and digital platforms can present risks to children.
In February 2023, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology outlined obligations under the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021. The framework addresses intermediary due diligence and concerns involving information that may be harmful to children.
Subsequent amendments in April 2023 introduced provisions relating to online gaming, including safeguards and restrictions concerning certain online games and their promotion.
These measures form part of India’s wider effort to create a safer and more accountable digital environment. However, the existence of a regulatory framework does not mean that every advertisement appearing within every game is automatically screened or blocked.
The delivery of advertisements can involve several parties, including game developers, publishers, advertising exchanges and external websites. This makes cooperation between platforms and advertising providers essential.
A key question is whether the safeguards used by these companies are sufficient to prevent sexually suggestive or otherwise inappropriate advertisements from reaching children.
Online games can offer entertainment, learning opportunities and social interaction. A blanket prohibition on all gaming applications, however, may not be the most effective response to a problem involving particular advertisements or failures in content moderation.
A more targeted approach would require platforms to improve age-appropriate advertising, advertising networks to strengthen screening, regulators to enforce applicable obligations and parents to remain involved in children’s digital lives.
Where an application repeatedly exposes minors to explicit material and fails to correct the problem, stronger restrictions may be justified under applicable law and platform policies.
The findings of the 2022 study serve as a reminder that child safety must extend beyond the game itself to the advertisements, external links and commercial systems surrounding it.
As children spend an increasing amount of time in digital environments, the responsibility of ensuring that those spaces remain appropriate for their age cannot be left to parents alone.
The challenge for the gaming industry and regulators is to make children’s digital experiences safer while preserving the legitimate benefits of technology, learning and recreation.(KNB)