Mumsnet Talk

Got a shock last night. Channel 5 have not put appropriate controls on the ads surrounding their online content of childrens programes.

Went to the channel 5 website to allow our 21 month old to watch a couple of episodes before bed (is a Peppa Pig fan currently). But she actually pointed to watch an episode of Hana's Helpline. So clicked to play - and what happens? - on comes a 30 sec Army advert ahead of the actual program. I didn't even move to click pause I was so dumbfounded to see it.

I know that everything would be computerised behind the scenes, but it is reasonable to expect them to have appropriately tagged both the ads and the programs so that something like this couldn't happen.

What other inappropriate ads are they trying to show to little ones?

Why is an army ad inappropriate?

Well I wouldnt want my much older (12,10,8) kids watching army adverts which are for active recruiting. I would hate any of them to join the armed forces (both dh and I are pacifists) and hope to let this stuff pass them by while they are at primary school, though we have talked about our ethics with them and been on peace marches.

Suppose it depends in whether you see sending your kids into the forces as a positive career move or not - I certainly don't!

fgs get over yourself comes to mind.

Why is an Armed Forces advert inappropriate for a 21 month old?

My post is nothing against the armed forces, they do a wonderful and necessary job. And I am sure young children who have parent(s) and other family in the armed forces can feel proud. But there is a time and place for their recruitment ads. My issue is with Channel 5 for when / where they have allowed this ad to show.

If it was shown on normal tv in the middle of specific young children's programs then I'm sure there would be a large number of complaints. I stand to be corrected but I would not be surprised if this particular ad would actually be banned during children's programming for being against the advertising rules, and those rules are meant to be applicable online as well as on normal tv.

A mid-teens and older audience and the programs aimed at them is the appropriate place for this advertisement.

well she is a bit young to join

why would an army ad be banned?

<wrings hands at thought of toddlers marching around in an orderly fashion responding to commands>

If only.

I plan to record channel 5 until I get the ad again and play it on loop to my toddler until she joins in with the marching

I still don't get why it is inappropriate? What are they doing that makes it so? Really, I don't understand

"My post is nothing against the armed forces, they do a wonderful and necessary job"

... but you would prefer other people's sons to fight and die instead.

I don't want my children seeing men with guns etc. in our society we try to teach our children that violence us abnormal. I get it that these men are trained killers and that society feels we need them. The op gets that too from the other messages posted. I wouldn't want my child to see this add at this age either. I'm with you op-er

Watching an army ad isn't going to make your son want to kill people in the same way that watching gay people kiss won't make your son gay.

How much influence do you think this advert had on your toddler ...

I am betting they never thought oh men in guns killing each other.. probs just thats not peppa.. where peppa??

Sadly, army recruiting advertisements are more likely to show young men scuba diving or learning how to be mechanics than killing each other.

I don't think it warrants a posting under Child Internet Safety - wait until your child is older then you will understand what Child Internet Safety is all about .

Read your child a story before bedtime -

Bloody hell, didn't see that it was in that topic!

By bedtime I am sure we are all thinking 'joining the army would be a pice of piss compared to looking after this lot!'

Jeez. Really?! Some people will create issues out of thin air.

All kids at one point want to join the army, it mostly passes. If they do want to join the army, they'll do it with free choice without parental consent as they will be able to.
Their choice and life, so give it a rest

So now you know, plan ahead. Or get rid of the TV. Or use only DVDs you have seen. Did the advert show inappropriate content? Was it a U cert?
Do you worry your child may want to be a pig when they are grown up?
Your child does know what happens to domesticated pigs?

I agree. I don't think it's appropriate. As much as fast food, inappropriate clothing, songs with censored lyric ads wouldn't be either.

They just perpetuate the idea that these things are normal, that they are perfectly acceptable in a young child's subconscious.

And for what it's worth, I'd rather my son pretty much became anything other than an armed forces employee. I didn't give life to him for him to waste it fighting other people's battles.

I think the point that is being made here is nothing against armed forces, but that it is pretty much wasted advertising before a childrens tv programme.

My brother is serving in the armed forces and I have son 11month also nephews of 2 & 3. If they saw this advert before a programme. They would look and think it was a soldier like their uncle. It would not however have any influence in them signing up in say 15 years time. So why waste the advertising/promotion before a childrens programme?

Sorry but I think allowing a 21 month old to watch telly does more harm than them seeing an army recruitment advert!

That wasn't meant to sound as pompous as it did! I just meant that seeing an army recruitment advert is no worse than sitting in front of mindless telly. But I'm against telly for little kids (that will no doubt change when this baby is born and I need to get housework done )