Alcohol industry self-regulation in Australia has been failing for many years. Countless evidence has shown that the industry continues to break their own codes on advertising, thus exposing children to harm.

A new study by the Cancer Council WA exposed how some alcohol industry Facebook and Instagram accounts of major brands and companies are accessible to children.

Currently alcohol advertising is self-regulated by the alcohol industry. Countless evidence provided across the years have proven that industry self-regulation has failed to protect children from alcohol harm.  

Australia: 21 Big Alcohol Self-Regulation Failures

Now, a new study by Cancer Council WA has added to this evidence base. As per the study findings some alcohol industry Facebook and Instagram accounts are accessible to children.

The study looked at 195 alcohol brands that were available for sale in Australia through the nine top companies. Researchers identified 153 Facebook accounts (84 Australian, 69 international) and 151 Instagram accounts (77 Australian, 74 international). The study found,

  • 28% of Instagram and 5% of Facebook accounts did not have age-restriction controls activated.
  • Similar proportions of Australian and international accounts on both platforms were not using controls.
  • Only two companies were compliant across all of their accounts.
28%
alcohol brand instagram accounts did not have age-restriction controls activated
Out of 195 alcohol brands available in Australia through nine major companies, 28% Instagram accounts did not have age-restriction controls activated.
5%
alcohol brand Facebook accounts did not have age-restriction controls activated
Out of 195 alcohol brands available in Australia through nine major companies, 5% Facebook accounts did not have age-restriction controls activated.
Alcohol Brands’ Facebook and Instagram Accounts Are Accessible to Australian Children

A recent report by VicHealth, the Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education (FARE) and the Obesity Policy Coalition (OPC) uncovered how widespread targeted marketing of harmful products to Australian children is in the country. This report found that 940,000 children were profiled as “interested in alcohol” by Facebook in 2018.

Another report by Reset Australia published soon after exposed how Facebook collects and profiles children’s data for targeted advertising. According to their analysis, reaching a thousand young people profiled as interested in alcohol will only cost advertisers around $3.03.

Comprehensive alcohol marketing regulation are needed in Australia to protect children from being exposed to alcohol ads everywhere. This has long been a problem for Australia. Communities, parents and others have long been calling for government regulations on alcohol marketing because the self-regulation system continues to fail. 

Australia: Children Increasingly Exposed to Harmful Digital Marketing
Facebook Exposed: Harvesting Data of Minors For Big Alcohol Targeting

Sources:

Public Health Research & Practice: “Alcohol brands’ use of age-restriction controls on Facebook and Instagram in Australia“

The Guardian: “Facebook to limit ads children see after revelations Australian alcohol companies can reach teens“