• by Wayne Friedman , April 14, 2008

Big on behavioral marketing? Think twice about using it on children. Children public interest groups have asked the Federal Trade Commission not to allow marketers to collect information online from children under 18 years old.

The FTC already proposes self-regulatory guidelines when it comes to new behavioral marketing. This request comes as traditional electronic and print ads have given way to new digital messaging found on the Web, where marketing is focused on the behavior of people--their likes and dislikes.

The Center for Digital Democracy, the American Academy of Pediatrics, kids' media activists Children Now, and the United Church of Christ filed comments with the FTC, saying that kids are particularly sensitive to such marketing.

Specifically, new digital messaging doesn't always look like traditional marketing, and kids under 18 can't always distinguish between ads and content, say the kids' groups.

A week ago, the Association of National Advertisers filed comments with the FTC asking for easier restrictions on all behavioral marketing--regardless of age--saying it could hurt a growing new media platform for marketers.

The FTC has been pushing to curb marketers that would use non-identifiable information. It also believes that consumers should be allowed to opt-out of anonymous research tracking by marketers.