Federal Trade Commission
In 1980, the U.S. Congress passed a law to protect adults who prey on children.
You read that correctly. Public Law 96-252 prohibits the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) from enacting rules that would protect the nation’s children from advertising that exploits their vulnerable and trusting natures. This law is obscene. It should be the role of Congress to protect children, not those who would prey upon them. Congress ought to repeal it.
Back then, the FTC was trying to respond to an increase in aggressive marketing aimed at children. Now, two decades later, that increase has become a deluge. Kids are literally assaulted from morning to night. The ad industry targets them in their home, in the school, and virtually all points in between.
We urge Congress to restore the FTC’s authority to enact solutions to this problem before it gets worse.
More Information
News Releases
Commercial Alert Responds to FTC Study on Junk Food Marketing to Kids
Robert Weissman | July 29th, 2008
Commercial Alert Praises Harkin Bill on Marketing to Children, Obesity
Gary Ruskin | May 18th, 2005
Coalition Wants Congress to Authorize FTC to Protect Children from Harmful Advertising
Gary Ruskin | October 12th, 1999
Nader Urges Congress to Restore the FTC's Authority to Protect Children from the Advertising Industry and Its “Commercial Molestations”
Gary Ruskin | September 21st, 1999
Related Articles and Links
Related Articles
Hollywood Continues Its Fast-Food Binge
T.L. Stanley | BrandWeek | June 6th, 2009
Consumer Watch: FTC Builds Case on Telemarketers
Jeff Gelles | The Philadelphia Inquirer | May 17th, 2009
Targeted Ads on FTC Radar
David Bender | New York Law Journal | April 9th, 2009
Advertisers Brace for Online Viral Marketing Curbs
David Gelles | Financial Times | April 2nd, 2009
FTC to Marketers: Self-Regulate Behavioral Targeting
Ira Teinowitz | Advertising Age | February 12th, 2009
FTC Proposes Significant Changes To Its Endorsement And Testimonials Guides
Matthew Savare and David Leit | The Metropolitan Corporate Counsel | February 1st, 2009
FTC Limits Prerecorded Calls
Brent Kendall | The Wall Street Journal | August 20th, 2008
FTC Commissioner Tackles Ads for Kids
Ross Kenneth Urken | The Wall Street Journal | August 20th, 2008
Junk Food Marketed to Kids is a $1.6 Billion a Year Business, Study Finds
My Fox Twin Cities | July 29th, 2008
FTC: Kids Target of $1.6 Billion in Food Ads
Kevin Freking | The Associated Press | July 29th, 2008
Coalition Urges FCC to Adopt Product Placement Rules
Steve Miller | BrandWeek | June 19th, 2008
Ad Groups Challenge FTC Guidelines
Mike Beirne | AdWeek | April 18th, 2008
FCC Set to Place Placement on Agenda?
Radio & Television Business Report | February 5th, 2008
FTC Says Internet Ad Self-Regulation Falling Short
Reuters | November 2nd, 2007
FTC reviewing Google ad deal "expeditiously"
Diane Bartz | Reuters | November 1st, 2007
FTC Scolds Marketers About Violent Content
Wendy Melillo | Adweek | April 13th, 2007