Commentary: Brands need to stop advertising junk food to kids on social media
MELBOURNE: In Australia and around the world, junk nutrient companies are targeting children on social media.
In our new study, we found most major social media platforms have restrictions on the advertising of tobacco, booze and gambling to children.
Just there are hardly any such restrictions in place around junk nutrient.
Globally, we've seen persistent calls to protect children from exposure to the marketing of unhealthy nutrient and drinks. Such calls recognise the harmful effects of junk food marketing on children.
While some governments have adopted legislation to restrict kids' exposure to the marketing of unhealthy foods, these laws typically don't apply to social media.
Some food companies have voluntarily pledged to restrict their marketing of unhealthy foods to children. But well-nigh of these pledges are narrow in scope and full of loopholes that allow junk nutrient marketing to proliferate.
Every bit a consequence, children are heavily exposed to unhealthy food marketing, including on Tv, online and through outdoor advertising.
READ: Commentary: Overweight nonetheless undernourished? The hidden effects of junk food consumption
READ: Commentary: Testify obesity a risk cistron for serious illness with coronavirus is mounting
JUNK FOOD MARKETING ON SOCIAL MEDIA
In Australia, a recent written report plant near half of children anile ten to 12, and almost 90 per cent of those aged 13-16, were active on social media.
Junk nutrient brands target children on social media through direct advertising, sponsored posts, and by integrating their make into engaging and entertaining content.
This includes establishing promotional relationships with online "influencers", who then promote the brand every bit office of the content they post.
In one recent study, more than one-half of Australian kids who were agile on Facebook had "liked" a fast food make, which subscribes them to its content. A similar proportion of kids had "liked" a soft potable make.
Another written report showed teenagers engaged with posts advertizing junk food more than oft than they engaged with posts promoting good for you nutrient.
There'due south also testify that when kids are exposed to unhealthy food marketing on social media, information technology increases the gamble they'll consume the promoted product over an culling brand of the same type of snack.
READ: Commentary: Our coronavirus diets and what'south behind the urge to eat like kids
ADVERTISING POLICIES
In our report, we focused on the 16 largest social media platforms globally.
These included platforms popular with children, such every bit Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Snapchat and Facebook. We examined each platform's advertizing policies related to nutrient and drinks.
Nosotros establish none of the social media platforms accept comprehensive restrictions on the ad of unhealthy foods to children.
YouTube Kids, a platform popular with children under thirteen, does ban direct junk food marketing. Merely media reports have shown children could all the same be exposed to junk food brands through production placement and promotional videos on the platform.
READ: Commentary: Mandatory diet labels? The bitter truths virtually our saccharide problem
We as well looked at each platform's advertizing policies related to other areas affecting public health. Nosotros found most of the social media platforms were prepared to take a stand against tobacco, booze and gambling ads targeting kids.
In many cases, their policies in these areas are aligned with government regulations. But in some cases they go further.
Facebook and Instagram likewise recently implemented a ban on advertizing diet and weight-loss products as well as cosmetic procedures to users under eighteen. These policies are substantially more restrictive than virtually regime policies.
Notably, current social media advertising policies don't completely eliminate children'due south exposure to ads in these areas. For case, children all the same report seeing gambling ads on social media.
Although these policies need to be more comprehensive, they do signal social media platforms' willingness to take activeness to protect children from the advertising of unhealthy products.
TAKING CONCERTED ACTION
Social media platforms accept demonstrated they recognise the important part they can play as corporate citizens. At that place's now a real opportunity for them to have concerted action to reduce children's exposure to junk food marketing.
In doing so, they can follow the lead of children's amusement networks, such as Disney and Nickelodeon, that accept taken steps to restrict advertizement of junk food to children.
In line with global public health recommendations, social media platforms should prefer junk food advert restrictions that apply to all children and adolescents aged under 18. Their regulations should cover a wide range of marketing techniques – for example, direct ad, sponsored posts, and brand relationships with "influencers".
Platforms should also use a comprehensive definition of unhealthy foods and drinks, based on government-endorsed criteria.
READ: Commentary: When is your child's fussy eating a serious medical problem?
READ: Commentary: Our improved relationship with food during COVID-19 must stay
Public health groups have consistently highlighted that food industry self-regulation in the expanse of junk nutrient marketing has proven ineffective. As a event, there are strong global recommendations for comprehensive national and international authorities regulation.
But the potential part of social media platforms in regulating junk food marketing has largely escaped attention.
While we await farther regime regulation, social media platforms tin can take firsthand action to protect children from the marketing tactics of junk food advertisers. This would be a disquisitional contribution to efforts to amend young people'south diets and address the growing problem of obesity worldwide.
Gary Sacks is Associate Professor at Deakin University. Evelyn Suk Yi Looi is Research Swain at the same university. This commentary first appeared on The Chat.
clubbdrationotled.blogspot.com
Source: https://cnalifestyle.channelnewsasia.com/commentary/commentary-brands-need-stop-advertising-junk-food-kids-social-media-297121
0 Response to "Commentary: Brands need to stop advertising junk food to kids on social media"
Post a Comment