A 2021 survey by Common Sense Media found that 88% of children between the ages of 13 and 18 had their own smartphone, 57% of children between the ages of 8 and 12 had their own tablet and, on average 8- to 12-year-olds had approximately 5.5 hours of entertainment screen time per day while 13- to 18-year-olds were on their screens for about 8.5 hours per day (see Common Sense census, “Media use by tweens and teens”).

The survey results caught the attention of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The FTC, which actively enforces the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Rule (COPPA), then turned its attention to a related subject, which it refers to as “blurred” or “stealth” advertising to children. In October 2022, the FTC held a workshop, “Protecting Kids from Stealth Advertising in Digital Media,” focusing on the blending of advertising and content and how it affects children, including teenagers.