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The Advertising Policies of Major Social Media Platforms Overlook the Imperative to Restrict the Exposure of Children and Adolescents to the Promotion of Unhealthy Foods and Beverages

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  • Gary Sacks

    (Global Obesity Centre (GLOBE), Institute for Health Transformation, Deakin University, Burwood, Victoria 3125, Australia)

  • Evelyn Suk Yi Looi

    (Global Obesity Centre (GLOBE), Institute for Health Transformation, Deakin University, Burwood, Victoria 3125, Australia)

Abstract

There have been global calls to action to protect children (aged <18) from exposure to the marketing of unhealthy foods and beverages (‘unhealthy foods’). In this context, the rising popularity of social media, particularly amongst adolescents, represents an important focus area. This study aimed to examine the advertising policies of major global social media platforms related to the advertising of unhealthy foods, and to identify opportunities for social media platforms to take action. We conducted a desk-based review of the advertising policies of the 16 largest social media platforms globally. We examined their publicly available advertising policies related to food and obesity, as well as in relation to other areas impacting public health. The advertising policies for 12 of the selected social media platforms were located. None of these platforms adopted comprehensive restrictions on the advertising of unhealthy foods, with only two platforms having relevant (but very limited) policies in the area. In comparison, 11 of the 12 social media platforms had policies restricting the advertising of alcohol, tobacco, gambling, and/or weight loss. There is, therefore, an opportunity for major social media platforms to voluntarily restrict the exposure of children to the marketing of unhealthy foods, which can contribute to efforts to improve populations’ diets.

Suggested Citation

  • Gary Sacks & Evelyn Suk Yi Looi, 2020. "The Advertising Policies of Major Social Media Platforms Overlook the Imperative to Restrict the Exposure of Children and Adolescents to the Promotion of Unhealthy Foods and Beverages," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(11), pages 1-10, June.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:11:p:4172-:d:370293
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Gráinne Murphy & Ciara Corcoran & Mimi Tatlow-Golden & Emma Boyland & Brendan Rooney, 2020. "See, Like, Share, Remember: Adolescents’ Responses to Unhealthy-, Healthy- and Non-Food Advertising in Social Media," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(7), pages 1-25, March.
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    Cited by:

    1. Sofía Rincón-Gallardo Patiño & Fabio Da Silva Gomes & Steven Constantinou & Robin Lemaire & Valisa E. Hedrick & Elena L. Serrano & Vivica I. Kraak, 2021. "An Assessment of Government Capacity Building to Restrict the Marketing of Unhealthy Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverage Products to Children in the Region of the Americas," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(16), pages 1-17, August.
    2. Elena Bozzola & Giulia Spina & Rino Agostiniani & Sarah Barni & Rocco Russo & Elena Scarpato & Antonio Di Mauro & Antonella Vita Di Stefano & Cinthia Caruso & Giovanni Corsello & Annamaria Staiano, 2022. "The Use of Social Media in Children and Adolescents: Scoping Review on the Potential Risks," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(16), pages 1-33, August.
    3. Yuanqi Gu & Jaime Coffino & Rebecca Boswell & Zora Hall & Marie A. Bragg, 2021. "Associations between State-Level Obesity Rates, Engagement with Food Brands on Social Media, and Hashtag Usage," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(23), pages 1-11, December.
    4. Mulenga Mary Mukanu & Anne Marie Thow & Peter Delobelle & Zandile June-Rose Mchiza, 2022. "School Food Environment in Urban Zambia: A Qualitative Analysis of Drivers of Adolescent Food Choices and Their Policy Implications," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(12), pages 1-18, June.
    5. Najlaa M. Aljefree & Ghada Talat Alhothali, 2022. "Exposure to Food Marketing via Social Media and Obesity among University Students in Saudi Arabia," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(10), pages 1-13, May.

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