The Children's Advertising Review Unit (CARU) is a self-regulatory body in the United States, and it's one that focuses on how things are being marketed to children under the age of 13 across all forms of media. In recent times it's been looking closely at the metaverse, and issued a compliance warning about this area in August 2022. Now it's taking aim at Roblox, one of the biggest and most profitable gaming/creation platforms around, and one where 43% of the playerbase is under the age of 13.
CARU has found Roblox in violation of various of its guidelines, and in particular found that how it conducts advertising through paid-for influencers lacked adequate disclosure (thanks, GI.biz). It noted that, even when disclosure may have been present, that did not mean it was made in a way kids would understand.
