Consumer groups say YouTube Kids uses deceptive advertising, urges FTC investigation

Consumer advocates say the new YouTube Kids mobile app targets children with unfair and deceptive advertising, and they're asking federal regulators to investigate.

Google introduced the app in February as a "safer" place for kids to explore videos because it was restricted to "family-focused content."

But consumer activists say the app is so stuffed with advertisements and product placements that it's hard to tell the difference between entertainment and commercials. One example is a 7-minute video of Disney's "Frozen" characters who appear as dolls inside a toy McDonald's eating ice cream and drinking Sprite.

In a letter Tuesday to the Federal Trade Commission, the activists say digital media should be subject to the same rules as television, which limits commercial content on kids' programming.