Privacy-Savvy, Kid-Safe: The New Playbook for Kids’ Ads on CTV

Kids’ content is big business in streaming — just look at the volume of child-friendly content which ranked highly in Netflix’ most recent viewing report for evidence. And this content can be very valuable for advertisers, given the influence children have over household purchases.

But for advertisers investing in this space, it’s crucial they understand their legal responsibilities when it comes to privacy and data, says Chris Hansen, head of CTV at SuperAwesome. In this article, Hansen lays out some of the key considerations when it comes to running ads alongside child-friendly content.

Connected TV (CTV) is no longer niche – it is central to today’s advertising ecosystem. As linear viewing continues to decline and streaming becomes the default, brands are investing heavily to capture attention on the biggest screen in the home. But two groups remain uniquely elusive, even for the most sophisticated marketers: children and co-viewing households.

For advertisers, these are incredibly valuable audiences. Kids wield significant influence over household purchases and family viewing represents some of the most engaged and attentive screen time. Reaching these viewers is integral – both a creative challenge and a regulatory minefield.

 The Compliance Challenge is Now Front and Center

As CTV matures, the legal and operational guardrails around kids’ advertising are becoming impossible to ignore. In the digital world, regulations like COPPA (US), GDPR-K (EU), and the UK’s Children’s Code have governed how brands interact with youth. Those same privacy expectations are extending to CTV, and demand a fundamentally different approach.  When children are part of the audience, behavioral targeting, cross-device tracking, and user profiling are off-limits, forcing brands to reimagine their strategies from the ground up.

Family Matters

This isn’t just a kids’ content issue anymore. Child-friendly programming and co-viewing account for a significant and growing share of streaming hours, especially on ad-supported platforms and FAST (Free Ad-Supported TV) channels. These formats thrive on reach, variety and accessibility – making them natural fits for watching together.

But a “family” label alone doesn’t guarantee compliance. In the eyes of regulators, it’s the likely audience – not just the genre – that determines whether advertising must meet the standards of children’s privacy laws. If your campaign is running next to animated shows, educational programming or youth-targeted content, it’s likely being watched by kids – and it needs to follow the rules.

 For brands, this signals a fundamental pivot. Instead of relying on personally identifiable (PI) data-driven targeting, advertisers must embrace a new set of strategies rooted in context, creative suitability, and data minimization. In youth and family environments, where these identifiers are absent, effectiveness hinges on understanding the nuances of your message: from content adjacency, timing, and creative resonance.

This also introduces another creative challenge. To succeed, brands must design campaigns that  resonate with both adults AND kids in co-viewing households. It’s an opportunity to think differently about storytelling, tone, and visual impact.

Designing for Co-Viewing

To succeed in these unique environments, brands need to design for an entire living room. Ads need to find creative common ground, both feeling relevant to parents while being safe and appropriate for younger viewers.

The second screen approach can also help bridge measurement gaps without crossing privacy lines. As the entire family gathers around the television, driving action through another mobile or tablet device controlled by an adult is an ideal way to reach more mature eyeballs.

Whether the goal is awareness, consideration, or conversion, designing with co-viewing in mind allows brands to meet families where they are: together, on the couch, watching content they trust.

Navigating a New Era of Measurement and Responsibility

Rethinking Measurement for Streaming Environments

CTV demands a shift in how performance is measured. In youth and family environments, traditional performance metrics used in digital advertising are often unavailable. There’s no cookie trail, no third-party data, and no attribution. But that doesn’t mean performance is off the table.

These performance metrics are giving way to broader (dare I say traditional), outcome-focused approaches such as incrementality testing, brand lift studies and retail media partnerships. The goal is no longer pinpoint accuracy, but a clearer understanding of what drives long-term brand impact.

Commerce Meets Content – And Regulation

CTV is also home to another frontier in advertising. As shoppable TV, QR code integrations and interactive formats become more common, especially across FAST channels, the line between content and commerce continues to blur. This convergence raises regulatory red flags, particularly when it comes to children. Any feature that invites direct interaction, gathers data, or nudges a purchase must be carefully considered. Expect the same scrutiny that has long defined digital advertising for kids to extend into the living room via connected TV. Whether it’s a toy brand promoting a product or a retail partner offering a “shop now” overlay, the stakes are the same: privacy, consent, and appropriateness must guide every decision.

Privacy by Design Is Non-Negotiable

For brands reaching family or youth audiences, a privacy-first approach is essential. Brands must take proactive steps:

• Audit your CTV buys for safety and compliance

• Ensure the platforms you work with understand the regulatory environment and protect your brand and the audience you are intending to reach

• Partner with platforms that can classify content safely and accurately to ensure age and content-appropriate delivery

Trust Will Be the Deciding Factor

CTV is emerging as a powerful full-funnel channel but its long-term success hinges on building trust with parents, regulators, and viewers alike. Advertisers who adopt privacy-forward strategies today won’t just safeguard their brand, they’ll unlock new audience segments and future-proof their campaigns as regulation across streaming tightens.

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