Legal Resources
Mystery Shopper Survey on Entertainment Ratings Enforcement (2013)
March 25, 2013Undercover mystery shopper survey follow-up to September 2000 Report, "Marketing Violent Entertainment to Children: A Review of Self-Regulation and Industry Practices in the Motion Picture, Music Recording & Electronic Game Industries"
A Review of Food Marketing to Children and Adolescents: Follow-Up Report
December 21, 2012Results of a comprehensive study of food and beverage industry marketing expenditures and activities directed to children and teens
Mobile Apps for Kids: Disclosures Still Not Making the Grade
December 10, 2012A follow-up report by FTC staff outlining the results of a 2012 survey about disclosures in mobile apps for children; discussing the operation of in-app interactive features; and urging industry to take steps so that parents have easier access to the information they need to determine what data is being collected from their children, how it's being shared, and who will have access to it
In Short: Advertising & Privacy Disclosures in a Digital World
May 30, 2012Following up on the FTC's 2000 "Dot Com Disclosures" publication, a national workshop to consider the need for new guidance concerning effecting advertising and privacy disclosures in online and mobile environments
Mobile Apps for Kids: Current Privacy Disclosures Are Disappointing
February 21, 2012FTC staff report featuring the results of a survey of mobile apps for children and concluding that app stores and app developers don’t provide parents with the information they need to determine what data is being collected from their children, how it’s being shared, or who will have access to it.
Report to the White House Council on Women and Girls
June 1, 2010Report focuses on discrete FTC program areas that have a particular impact on women and children. Highlights five areas, describing, for each, recent FTC law enforcement actions or policy initiatives as well as available consumer and business education materials: health care for women and children; marketing to children and adolescents; consumer credit; entrepreneurship and business opportunities; and family pocketbook issues.
Sizing Up Food Marketing and Childhood Obesity
December 15, 2009Forum addressed the food and entertainment industries’ progress toward self-regulation, research on the impact of food advertising on children, and the statutory and constitutional issues surrounding governmental regulation of food marketing.
Virtual Worlds and Kids: Mapping the Risks
December 10, 2009Report examines the incidence of sexually and violently explicit content in online virtual worlds. Urges operators of virtual worlds to take a number of steps to keep explicit content away from children and teens, and recommends that parents familiarize themselves with the virtual worlds their kids visit.
Marketing Violent Entertainment to Children: A Sixth Follow-Up Review of Industry Practices in the Motion Picture, Music Recording & Electronic Game Industries
December 3, 2009Sixth follow-up report to a September 2000 Report, "Marketing Violent Entertainment to Children: A Review of Self-Regulation and Industry Practices in the Motion Picture, Music Recording & Electronic Game Industries."
Ad It Up! Kids in a Commercial World
March 12, 2009Forum that gathered input for the FTC’s education program on advertising literacy, focusing on what children experience in the commercial world, what they understand about their experiences, and what consumer education efforts will help kids navigate in this world.
Marketing Food to Children and Adolescents: A Report to Congress
July 29, 2008Report to Congress on the food and beverage industry’s marketing to children and adolescents with a focus on industry expenditures, activities, and self-regulation.
Weighing In: A Check-Up on Marketing, Self-Regulation, & Childhood Obesity
July 18, 2007The FTC and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) jointly sponsored a forum allowing members of the food and media industries and self-regulatory groups to report on their progress in implementing initiatives addressing food and beverage marketing to children.
Children's Exposure to Television Advertising in 1977 and 2004: Information for the Obesity Debate
June 1, 2007Report looks at television ad exposure for children in the year 2004 and compares it to similar research from 1977.
Marketing Violent Entertainment to Children: A Fifth Follow-Up Review of Industry Practices in the Motion Picture, Music Recording & Electronic Game Industries
April 12, 2007Fifth follow-up report to a September 2000 Report, "Marketing Violent Entertainment to Children: A Review of Self-Regulation and Industry Practices in the Motion Picture, Music Recording & Electronic Game Industries."
Alcohol Report - 2008
June 26, 20062008 FTC alcohol report about the effectiveness of the alcohol industry's voluntary guidelines for advertising and marketing to underage audiences.
Perspectives On Marketing, Self-Regulation, & Childhood Obesity: Report
February 2, 2006FTC and Department of Health and Human Services joint report recommending concrete steps that industry can take to change their marketing and other practices to make progress against childhood obesity.
Perspectives on Marketing, Self-Regulation, and Childhood Obesity
July 14, 2005Workshop on self-regulation and marketing food and beverages to children. Convened representatives from the food and beverage industry, media and entertainment companies, medical and nutrition experts, consumer groups, advertising specialists, and other key experts.
Marketing Violent Entertainment To Children: A Fourth Follow-Up Review of Industry Practices in the Motion Picture, Music Recording & Electronic Game Industries
July 8, 2004Fourth follow-up report to a September 2000 Report, "Marketing Violent Entertainment to Children: A Review of Self-Regulation and Industry Practices in the Motion Picture, Music Recording & Electronic Game Industries."
Alcohol Report - 2003
September 9, 20032003 FTC alcohol report on the impact on underage consumers of ads for flavored malt beverages, and follow-up on industry self regulation efforts recommended in 1999 report.
Marketing Violent Entertainment To Children: A Twenty-One Month Follow-Up Review of Industry Practices in the Motion Picture, Music Recording & Electronic Game Industries
June 28, 2002Third follow-up report to a September 2000 Report, "Marketing Violent Entertainment to Children: A Review of Self-Regulation and Industry Practices in the Motion Picture, Music Recording & Electronic Game Industries."