{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.tomudall.senate.gov/news/press-releases/udall-markey-blumenthal-call-for-ftc-investigation-into-manipulative-marketing-in-childrens-apps", "Udall, Markey, Blumenthal Call for FTC Investigation into Manipulative Marketing in Childrens Apps", "2018-11-14", "2018", "2018-11", "Democrat", "House", "NM", "Tom Udall", "U000039", "www.tomudall.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "November 14, 2018\n\t\t\t Udall, Markey, Blumenthal Call for FTC Investigation into Manipulative Marketing in Children's Apps \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n        \n\t\t\t\t Many popular apps used by children 5 and under include manipulative marketing\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t WASHINGTON  Today, U.S. Senators Tom Udall (D-N.M.), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.),members of the Senate Commerce Committee, called on the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to launch an investigation into new evidence of manipulative marketing in apps directed at children.\r\nA new studyauthored by public health experts in theJournal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatricsreveals numerous instances ofyoung children's games using advertising techniques that appear tobeunfair and deceptive practices as defined bySection V of the FTC Act. In their letter, thesenators highlight evidence of children's games disguising advertisements inside games, as well asmaking advertisements integral to games themselves; games using characters to coerce children into making in-app purchases; children's apps being marketed as free whenthey actuallyrequire additional spending in order to play; and children's apps characterizing themselves as educational, when they are in fact saturated with advertising. \r\nThe FTC has a statutory obligation to protect consumers from unfair and deceptive advertising practices. That responsibility is all the more urgent when the potential victims of such practices are children,wrote thesenatorsin their letter tothe five FTC commissioners.As parents increasingly permit kids to engage in online games and apps for entertainment and fun, it is imperative to ensure that these playtime options are compliant with existing laws. We, therefore, encourage you to immediately investigate the findings outlined above and protect children and families from unfair and deceptive practices in children's apps.\r\nA copy of the letter can be foundHERE.\r\nUdall has long championed strengthening consumer privacy rights, especially for children. In September, Udallwroteto Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Chairman Joseph Simons expressing his concerns about potential violations to federal privacy laws by mobile apps directed at children. He alsopressedtop officials from prominent technology companies and internet service providersin a series ofcongressional oversight lettersabout whether they were taking the appropriate steps to protect privacy rights for children, in New Mexico and across the country. Additionally, during a Senate Commerce Committee hearing in October, Udallquestionedleading data privacy advocates about potential legislative approaches to safeguarding children's privacy in the future.\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t  \n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n    \n    \t\n    \t\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.tomudall.senate.gov/news/press-releases/udall-markey-blumenthal-call-for-ftc-investigation-into-manipulative-marketing-in-childrens-apps"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.488465117290616, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}