• by Masha Geller , May 16, 2002

Found this on CNet: “A recent study on Web usability indicates that children may account for a significant proportion of Web advertising click-through traffic.”

According to the article, the study was conducted by consulting firm Nielsen Norman Group, and found that children are very likely to click on Web advertising because they have a tough time distinguishing ads from regular content.

While the study says adults develop a facility for ignoring ads called "banner blindness," colorful animations and mouse rollovers used in Web ads draw children's attention.

Reportedly, NNG gained parents' permission to observe 55 children between the ages of 6 and 11 using the Internet, and examine the manner in which they interacted with Web content.

"The most notable finding of our study was that children click the advertisements on websites. Unfortunately they often do so by mistake, thinking ads are just one more site element," NNG told CNet.

My first reaction to this was, “Just when I thought it couldn’t get any worse!” But, before we blame the kids for ruining it for the rest of us, let’s remember that 55 kids is not necessarily a sufficient sample size. Also, the children surveyed varied by country of origin (mainly U.S., but some tests were conducted in Israel to ensure international scope of the study), and the report’s real purpose was to come up with design guidelines for kids’ sites.

Valid research methods or not, just remember that no one really sees click-throughs as an important metric anymore… it’s, like, so uncool!