Managing Children's Internet Advertising Experiences: Parental Preferences for Regulation

Recent research suggests that children are spending a significant amount of time on the Internet which increases their exposure to subtle, engaging, and interactive ads. As a result, policy makers have developed regulations intended to empower parents to manage their children's exposure to Internet advertising. However, prior research has not examined parental perceptions of these regulations. This article aims to identify (1) parents' regulatory preferences regarding children's exposure to Internet advertising and (2) whether (and how) parents' locus of control (LOC) drives their regulation preferences. Findings reveal that internal-LOC parents prefer parental responsibility while external-LOC parents prefer government regulations, parental responsibility, and involvement of independent organizations and firms. External-LOC parents' preference is mediated by their concerns about Internet advertising and their tendency to have faith in regulation. Policy makers can use the findings to develop guidelines that better assist parents in influencing their children's Internet use.