The use of the digital-identification service eGuardian, which is intended to keep child predators off of kid-friendly sites, has some child-privacy advoates worried about childern's exposure to online ads. Users of eGuardian provide information such as the child's name, age, gender, and school; information, some say, that may give advertisers targets for their age-appropriate ads. 

"The fear that companies engaged in the digital identification of minors will partner with market profilers and advertisers to support targeted advertising is real," said Nancy Willard, head of the Center for Safe and Responsible Internet Use.

However, Rod Zayas, eGuardian CEO, says:

"We do not encourage our partners to display advertising. We do not sell advertising. We do not accept advertising for eGuardian. Membership-based sites pay us a monthly fee for each protected child....If the site displays advertising, our agreement ensures that any ads displayed are age-appropriate. A 12-year-old should not see a gambling ad or an ad for an adult-oriented site. Sites can use the information we send them for that session only to know that the visitor is a 12 year-old boy. But they don't know which boy, or even if it is the same boy who visited yesterday. They can't resell that information to their advertisers, because there is nothing to sell."

An article from eSchool News provides more information on eGuardian as well as more viewpoints on the service.