Ofcom, the UK telecom's watchdog, conducted a study recently that suggests that only one third of young people aged 12-15 understand when search results on Google are advertisements. And this figure unsurprisingly dipped lower for children aged 8-11 where less than one in five children understood when results were sponsored.
This study suggests that merely because children are extremely adept (often more so than even their parents) that this does not mean that children understand when something is a paid advertisement--even when it is labeled as such.
Among other things, the research also suggests that this lack of awareness also is noticeable when it came to children and YouTube where 53% of those surveyed in the age group of 12-15 year-olds were unaware that vloggers may be paid to endorse products.
To read the full study, click here.