Survey finds two of three US parents are concerned about ads that appear in free apps for small children; app developer feels it's preferable for parents to pay small fee for free-of-advertising apps

Kendall Sinclair

LOS ANGELES , July 15, 2013 (press release) – Parents are Uneasy about "Free" Apps for Small Children and Kids Supported by Third Party Advertising

It's nothing new. Many application developers have business models that rely on third party advertising to support their free apps – even those developed for small children. 100 Things, a company developing picture book kids apps, released the results of a consumer survey it conducted that revealed that two out of three parents are concerned about the advertisements that appear in free apps for small children.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130715/MN46543)

The 100 Things survey polled 200 US parents and grandparents asking, "What do you think about having ads in apps used by small children?" Respondents answered using a scale of one to five – with one representing "it's not a problem" and five signifying "it worries me." Slightly more than 66 percent answered with a rating of four or five, indicating the advertisements worry them.

The Danish application developer, 100 Things, feels it's preferable to have parents pay a small amount for their apps for children, which are free of advertising and in-app purchases, rather than suffering exposure to endless not-so-kid-friendly commercials while they play. Their applications are geared towards smaller kids with a series of picture book apps for one to three year olds and matching game apps for slightly older children aged two to four. Unlike many other app developers, 100 Things does not collect any personal information from their customers. They don't require users to login and the apps don't connect to social media. All 100 Things apps are created for children to easily enjoy by themselves or with an adult.
"We believe that all apps geared towards children should be free from any and all outside influences," said a spokesperson for 100 Things kids apps. "Many developers make free apps for children and in return, monetize them by allowing third party advertising or in-app purchases. We just don't agree with that. We want you and your child to have a worry free experience with our apps and we want our name to be synonymous with quality in the world of children's apps."

About 100 Things

100 Things is a Danish developer creating apps for small children to enjoy by themselves or with an adult. All their apps are free of any advertising or in-app purchases, so they're safe for even the youngest audiences. 100 Things currently has a photo book series for one to three year olds that includes the widely popular 100 Diggers and Excavators, and matching games for two to four year olds. For more information, visit: http://100thingsapp.com

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