Children’s Advertising Review Unit Turns 50
Celebrating 50 years of advancing responsible child-directed marketing & privacy.
Children’s Initiatives
Protecting children under age 13 from deceptive or inappropriate advertising and ensuring that, in the online environment, children's data is collected and handled responsibly.
TeenAge Privacy Roadmap
The Center for Industry Self-Regulation convened a diverse set of industry stakeholders to create a template for protecting teen safety and privacy online that can serve as a global model.
Metaverse Guardrails
These Guardrails for child-directed advertising and privacy in the metaverse provide realistic, actionable recommendations and best practices for companies creating metaverse experiences for children.
AI Compliance Warning
CARU warns companies using AI in child-directed advertising and data collection about compliance with applicable laws and guidelines
"Batteries Not Included”
CARU’s cases have set precedent in the children’s space for responsible practices that do not mislead or deceive the vulnerable child audience.
50+ years
Since 1974, companies marketing to children have held each other to a higher standard.
Guidance Documents
Our cases, guidance documents, and compliance warnings have strengthened responsible advertising and privacy practices in the children’s space.
Our Work
Brands can hold each other accountable through independent industry self-regulation. From keeping advertising truthful to achieving compliance with privacy laws, BBB National Programs can help you engage responsibly in the children’s space.
Advertising Accountability
We monitor child-directed media to ensure that marketing is compliant with self-regulatory advertising guidelines.
Pre-Screening Services
From concept to final cut, we offer pre-screening services to help businesses and agencies spot and correct advertising and privacy issues before ads, contests, and promotional websites go live.
COPPA Safe Harbor Services
When customers are faced with the question of whom to trust in the dynamic child-directed marketplace, only a COPPA Safe Harbor seal can ensure that your products comply with the stringent requirements of the COPPA Rule.
Food and Beverage Advertising
In advertising primarily directed to children, companies who work with us pledge to either not advertise foods or beverages to children at all or advertise only products that meet our strict Uniform Nutrition Criteria.
Case Decision Summaries
BBB National Programs’ case decisions contain real-world guidance on important advertising and privacy issues in child-directed marketing and content.
CARU Supporters
Children’s Advertising Review Unit (CARU) Supporters take an active role in creating new guidance and best practices to help meet regulatory and compliance goals.
Part of our National Partner community, CARU Supporters help one another stay ahead of legal developments and proactively strengthen child-directed marketing and privacy practices.
Guidelines for Children’s Advertising
The Children’s Advertising Review Unit (CARU) Advertising Guidelines are widely recognized industry standards to assure that advertising directed to children is not deceptive, unfair, or inappropriate for its intended audience. CARU monitors child-directed media to ensure that advertising is compliant with its self-regulatory guidelines.
Media & Resources
BBB National Programs provides educational resources such as blogs, newsletters, events, and podcasts to keep you up-to-date with the regulatory landscape and pressing issues in the children's space.
Contact the Children's Intiatives Team
Connect with our team at BBB National Programs to get involved in protecting kids from harmful messages in advertising and ensuring their data is handled responsibly.