A Bibliometric Mapping and Conceptual Integration of Child-safe Marketing in Digital Spaces

The rapid expansion of digital marketing has intensified concerns about children’s exposure to persuasive and often opaque commercial practices. Influencer endorsements, algorithmic targeting, and immersive platform architectures increasingly shape children’s online environments, raising questions about fairness, autonomy, and wellbeing. While research on these issues has grown, scholarship remains fragmented across public health, communication, psychology, law, and marketing, limiting theoretical integration and practical guidance. This study conducts a bibliometric analysis of 176 Scopus indexed publications (2015–2025) to map the intellectual structure of child safe marketing research and identify its thematic evolution. Using citation, co citation, and co occurrence analyses, the study reveals accelerating scholarly attention, concentration in high income regulatory contexts, and a shift from compliance oriented perspectives toward strategic and governance focused approaches. Australia’s 2024 Online Safety Amendment exemplifies emerging regulatory tightening that elevates the strategic value of proactive child protective practices. Building on the bibliometric findings, the study proposes a five level integrative framework spanning individual vulnerability, organizational practices, platform governance, regulatory structures, and strategic value creation. This framework demonstrates how ethical commitments can generate reputational capital and competitive advantage. The study offers a consolidated foundation for future research and actionable insights for policymakers, platforms, and practitioners.