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I've seen a number of mobile game advertisements which will hover an IQ score above the game with it going up or down based off of rather the player makes a correct move in the game. While they don't explicitly say it they imply your IQ can be judged by how well you play the game.

These games are nothing like valid IQ tests and could not be used to accurately estimate ones IQ, especially since playing a a trivially easy game correctly can apparently result in IQ scores way higher then statistically realistic. I'm wondering how these advertisements hold up to false advertisement laws.

Is the argument that no reasonable individual could possibly believe that their IQ is directly tied to success at the game, and as such it is not false advertisement since everyone should know the implication is baseless? If that is the case I don't see what the point of having a false IQ indicator that they supposedly believe no one will take seriously.

Are these games at risk of being found to be falsely advertising, and simply get away with it because their too small, and the false advertisement too minor, to be worth the government taking action?

I'm asking specifically from a united states perspective

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  • Do you believe that the game's readout of your IQ is an accurate assessment deserving of belief? Jun 29, 2020 at 20:00
  • @DavidSupportsMonica I don't, but I've ran into quite a few that clearly don't understand what IQ really is or how it's measured. I am not convinced that there aren't some who may believe it due to a lack of understanding on IQ.
    – dsollen
    Jun 29, 2020 at 20:10
  • Legal construction is often based on the concept of a "reasonable person," and what that person might believe or do. Here, I submit that a reasonable person (like you, or me) would believe that an online game-based endeavor would not accurately represent the user's IQ. Thus, what's said or implied by the game's developer will be seen either as "puffing," permissible exaggeration in advertising, or so de minimus that it will carry no weight whatsoever. Jun 29, 2020 at 20:15
  • What are they advertising? Advertising is promotional material to entice a sale - how is that happening here?
    – Dale M
    Jun 29, 2020 at 22:44

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