The use of distressing advertisements in video games featuring Pro Israel content has raised concerns. However, the Israeli Foreign Ministry expressed their uncertainty on how the advertisement made their way into the games.
Israel’s utilization of unethical promotional strategy with the incorporation of Pro Israel advertisements in video games has garnered widespread criticism. Concerns regarding the exposure of the young generation to the content are being raised.
The most notable case of these Pro Israel advertisements was reported in London by Maria Julia Cassis. She underlined the appearance of an unsettling advertisement on the mobile phone of her 6-year-old son while he was playing a video game.
The advertisement depicted Israeli families as victims and armed Hamas members with a message that indicated that the ones harming Israel would face severe consequences.
However, it is worth noting that this is not the only reported case but 5 other reports have been received across Europe regarding distressing Pro Israel advertisements. Several individuals have made allegations of Pro Israel advertisements containing missiles and explosions.
Even the most popular game Angry Bird has also been reported to display these discomforting ads causing concerns among parents. However, the developer of the game has confirmed these ads were not intentional but a mistake.
Efforts were made to trace the advertisement via third-party data partners advertising companies.
The appearance of Pro Israel Advertisements was acknowledged by the Israeli Minister of Foreign Affairs digital team who confirmed that these ads were indeed government-sponsored however he remained uncertain about how these advertisements found their way into various games.
It is worth noting that a budget of $1.5 million has been allocated to these advertisements to raise awareness regarding Israel’s situation as per the Israeli foreign ministry. Payments for these campaigns have been extended already to Taboola, Outbrain, Google, and X. However Taboola and Outbrain denied their association with the game advertisements.
This unethical advertisement approach has raised legal concerns, particularly about the distressing exposure of the younger generation.
Advertising Standards Authorities are monitoring all ad campaigns to protect children from promotions of distressing content in the United Kingdom after the claim of Maria Julia.
