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In Québec, the Consumer Protection Act prohibits commercial advertising directed at children under 13 years of age. One negative effect is that this has made it

In Québec, the Consumer Protection Act prohibits commercial advertising directed at children under 13 years of age. One negative effect is that this has made it very hard for genuine educational companies to grow. It is hard to market a product that teach kids to code if you cannot show the product to kids.

chrisseaton 7y ago
> It is hard to market a product that teach kids to code if you cannot show the product to kids. You show it to their parents, don't you?
- Raphmedia 7y ago
  You can but even then you risk not following the rules correctly. > The Consumer Protection Act prohibits advertising that targets children. To determine whether advertising is directed at them, the Act stipulates that it is necessary to take into account the context of the advertisement’s presentation and the impression it gives. > The Act also provides three criteria that correspond to the following questions: > • For whom are the advertised goods or services intended? Do they appeal to children? > • Is the advertisement designed to attract the attention of children? > • Are children targeted by the advertisement or exposed to it? Are they present at the time and place it appears or is broadcast? [...] > Goods or services essentially intended for children and that therefore appeal to them. Ex.: certain video games, toys or candy primarily consumed by children. > The ad must not: > • be designed in a way that appeals to children; > • be broadcast or distributed in a place where or at a time when children are normally reached. [...] > The fact that an advertisement or advertising method appears to target adults does not mean that the advertisement is intended exclusively for them. Following an analysis of the two other criteria, an advertisement that attracts the attention of children can still be considered as advertising directed at children even though it seems to target adults because of its verbal or written content. That may be the case if the product advertised appeals to children. - https://www.opc.gouv.qc.ca/fileadmin/media/documents/consommateur/sujet/publicite-pratique-illegale/EN_Guide_publicite_moins_de_13_ans_vf.pdf https://www.opc.gouv.qc.ca/fileadmin/media/documents/consomm...
  - chrisseaton 7y ago
    So you could advertise a coding educational product during commercials of a late-night talk show, that talk about the educational benefits of the product?
  - bunderbunder 7y ago
    Sounds like, ironically enough, this might be about the only ad that's safe to run: https://youtu.be/Prg_SVBfFWw https://youtu.be/Prg_SVBfFWw
rchaud 7y ago
"Educational companies" is a narrow enough industry where advertising to the appropriate market segments while excluding children is entirely possible. If you sell educational products, you wouldn't be advertising on a kid's cartoon show, you'd be doing it on channels where adults with wallets would convene. Teacher's unions publications/newsletters would be a no-brainer, as would popular blogs or Youtube channels focused on child-rearing.

chrisseaton 7y ago

> It is hard to market a product that teach kids to code if you cannot show the product to kids. You show it to their parents, don't you?

Raphmedia 7y ago
You can but even then you risk not following the rules correctly. > The Consumer Protection Act prohibits advertising that targets children. To determine whether advertising is directed at them, the Act stipulates that it is necessary to take into account the context of the advertisement’s presentation and the impression it gives. > The Act also provides three criteria that correspond to the following questions: > • For whom are the advertised goods or services intended? Do they appeal to children? > • Is the advertisement designed to attract the attention of children? > • Are children targeted by the advertisement or exposed to it? Are they present at the time and place it appears or is broadcast? [...] > Goods or services essentially intended for children and that therefore appeal to them. Ex.: certain video games, toys or candy primarily consumed by children. > The ad must not: > • be designed in a way that appeals to children; > • be broadcast or distributed in a place where or at a time when children are normally reached. [...] > The fact that an advertisement or advertising method appears to target adults does not mean that the advertisement is intended exclusively for them. Following an analysis of the two other criteria, an advertisement that attracts the attention of children can still be considered as advertising directed at children even though it seems to target adults because of its verbal or written content. That may be the case if the product advertised appeals to children. - https://www.opc.gouv.qc.ca/fileadmin/media/documents/consommateur/sujet/publicite-pratique-illegale/EN_Guide_publicite_moins_de_13_ans_vf.pdf https://www.opc.gouv.qc.ca/fileadmin/media/documents/consomm...
- chrisseaton 7y ago
  So you could advertise a coding educational product during commercials of a late-night talk show, that talk about the educational benefits of the product?
- bunderbunder 7y ago
  Sounds like, ironically enough, this might be about the only ad that's safe to run: https://youtu.be/Prg_SVBfFWw https://youtu.be/Prg_SVBfFWw

rchaud 7y ago

"Educational companies" is a narrow enough industry where advertising to the appropriate market segments while excluding children is entirely possible. If you sell educational products, you wouldn't be advertising on a kid's cartoon show, you'd be doing it on channels where adults with wallets would convene. Teacher's unions publications/newsletters would be a no-brainer, as would popular blogs or Youtube channels focused on child-rearing.