Junior Detectives · Mission 2 of 6
Ad or advice?
Find out when a YouTuber is giving advice and when it’s an ad.
about 6 minutesStart with the → key or the space bar.
💬Case no. 2: Bzook the robo-pup
Leo is watching a video. Rick the Unboxer is unboxing a new toy.
‘Bzook the robo-pup is the best toy in the world! Buy it now!’ shouts Rick.
Leo runs to his dad. ‘Dad, I have to have it! Rick said so!’
Dad smiles. ‘Let’s watch it again together. Listen carefully.’
What do you think: is Rick giving advice, or is it an ad?
Why does a YouTuber praise a toy?
Sometimes a company sends them the toy for free. Sometimes it pays them for the video. Then it’s an ad.
Ads aren’t bad. But you must be able to see them clearly. The YouTuber should say so or write it in the video.
Look for words like ad or paid partnership. Sometimes the label is tiny. Sometimes there’s just a thank-you to the company. And sometimes there’s no label at all.
An ad wants to sell. Advice wants to help.
Game: Find the hidden ad · Message 1 of 2
Read what the YouTuber says. Tap the sentences that are trying to trick you. But one video is fine.
A video on the Rick the Unboxer channel. There’s no ‘ad’ label anywhere.
Hi, it’s Rick! Today I’m unboxing Bzook the robo-pup. The company sent it to me. Code RICK gets you a discount. Buy it now, there are only a few left! All the kids have one already!
Marked: 0 · After the discussion, click the places the class agrees on. Then show the analysis.
Game: Find the hidden ad · Message 2 of 2
Read what the YouTuber says. Tap the sentences that are trying to trick you. But one video is fine.
A video on the Rick the Unboxer channel. The label ‘Ad’ shows right at the start.
Hi, it’s Rick! First things first: this video is an ad. The company paid me. Bzook can walk and bark. The battery lasts about an hour. I like it. But talk to your parents first.
Marked: 0 · After the discussion, click the places the class agrees on. Then show the analysis.
Quiz: Ad or advice? · Question 1 of 3
A YouTuber praises a toy. The company sent it for free. What is it?
Click the answer the class decides on. Then show the right one.
Quiz: Ad or advice? · Question 2 of 3
A video says: ‘Buy now, it’ll be gone tomorrow!’ What do you do?
Click the answer the class decides on. Then show the right one.
Quiz: Ad or advice? · Question 3 of 3
Is every ad bad?
Click the answer the class decides on. Then show the right one.
Detective rule
- ◆An ad wants to sell. Advice wants to help.
- ◆Look for the label ad or paid partnership.
- ◆Hurry and ‘everyone has one’ are advertising tricks.
- ◆Want to buy something? Wait until tomorrow and talk it over at home.
💬Let's talk
- 1Who do you like watching online the most?
- 2Shall we find an ‘ad’ label in a video together?
- 3Do you want something just because of a video? Why?
Tip for the teacher
Watch a video together in which someone shows off a toy or a game, and look for the ad label. Agree on a rule: ‘We buy things from videos tomorrow at the earliest’ – it helps with in-game purchases too.
✓ Mission complete!
At home, children can play it again – with their parents, for example. Free and without an account.
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