Letting Children be Children
Overview
- We all live in a commercial world and children are under pressure from a range of sources to act as consumers.
- We do not want to cut children off from the commercial world completely as we believe that it brings benefits and parents tell us that they want to manage the issue themselves, supported by proportionate regulation and responsible businesses.
- While adults may understand that companies might look to 'push the boundaries' when advertising to them, children are especially vulnerable and need to be given special consideration.
- Special measures already exist in advertising and marketing regulations to protect children but some gaps exist.
- Regulators cannot realistically be expected to anticipate detailed developments in the new media. However, an absence of regulation does not absolve businesses from acting responsibly by themselves.
WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE
That the regulations protecting children from excessive commercial pressures are comprehensive, effective across all media and in line with parental expectations.
That marketers do not attempt to exploit any gaps in advertising regulation in order to unduly influence the choices children make as consumers.
That parents and children have a sound awareness and understanding of marketing techniques and regulation.
RECOMMENDATIONS
7.
Ensuring that the regulation of advertising reflects more closely parents’ and children's views. The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) should conduct research with parents and children on a regular basis in order to gauge their views on the ASA's approach to regulation and on the ASA’s decisions, publishing the results and subsequent action taken in their annual report. ACTION: ASA
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