A new study that investigated adverts on Facebook and Instagram has revealed a worrying trend that children and young adults in Australia are currently targeted by ads promoting gambling, alcohol, and unhealthy foods.
The research, which was carried out in collaboration between scientists from Monash University and the University of Queensland and the Victorian health promotion foundation VicHealth, investigated gambling ads seen on social media channels by individuals between 16 and 25 years of age.
Data gathered from 83 young people was examined by the researchers as part of the survey. From that total, 53 of the individuals who took part in the research were aged 16 and 17 years old, and the recent report revealed that each of them had assigned 787 advertising interests on average by 194 advertisers. According to the university scientists who collaborated during the research, what is even more worrying is the fact that the advertisements in question included companies offering gambling, alcohol, and unhealthy foods.
Assigned Adverts Regarding Alcohol and Gambling Found on Facebook
The new study and the white paper that was issued by researchers after the completion of the probe showed that alcohol adverts were most prevalent in the group of 16- and 17-year-olds who participated in the study. Such adverts reportedly appeared in the feeds of 93% of the underage individuals in that test group. Furthermore, 42% of all study participants between the age of 16 and 25 had assigned adverts regarding alcohol within their interests on Facebook, while 21% of the 16 to 25-year-olds had assigned gambling as their interest on the social network.
As far as how often the adverts were seen by the group of 16-to-17-year-olds, more than half of the participants (62%) said they were seeing gambling ads regularly or sometimes. A close percentage of survey participants – 58.6% – reported they see alcohol adverts regularly or sometimes.
It turned out that unhealthy food promotions (244) were the most common type seen by individuals aged 16, followed by alcohol ads (19) and only one gambling ad. The 17-year-olds participating in the study reported capturing 493 ads for unhealthy foods, 83 ads for alcohol, and 49 ads for gambling products.
Researchers Say Further Protection Needed for Children and Young People
The Chief Executive Officer of the only independent organisation focussed exclusively on alcohol harm in Australia, FARE, Caterina Giorgi, explained that seeing an algorithm on Facebook that positions alcohol products as an interest for underage individuals is unacceptable. She called for some reforms in the sector in order for Australian children to be better protected online.
According to Ms Giorgi, Local Governments need to implement some reforms aimed at protecting children and young people from being bombarded with digital marketing communications promoting alcohol, unhealthy food, and gambling. The FARE CEO warned that companies offering the aforementioned addictive products are using machine learning to approach children and sell the products to underage individuals. She insists that a change needs to be implemented in order to prevent further interest on the children’s part as adults.
One of the scientists who took part in the research – Director of Digital Cultures and Societies at the University of Queensland, Nicholas Carah – shared that the recent study unveiled a worrying trend that underage individuals are specifically targeted by companies offering alcohol, unhealthy foods, and gambling services. He shared that the researchers found a link between the use of alcohol and alcohol-related keywords.
- Author
Daniel Williams
