"Extreme and potentially dangerous appearance-changing products are being normalised to children through advertising, influencer culture and online posts, despite many of these products being unsafe, illegal or strictly age-restricted. For their developing and fragile sense of self-esteem, this is immensely damaging. Any ban must respond to what children think and how they behave online, with a clear plan of how it will be enforced so that it does not drive children to other, darker parts of the internet."
"Research conducted for the children's commissioner for England found that teenagers were routinely exposed to harmful products on social media, video games and apps. Among 13 to 17-year-olds, 41% said they had seen prescription-only weight-loss drugs, 27% had seen potentially toxic skin-whitening creams and 24% had seen steroids and other drugs claiming to build muscle mass. Young people reported seeing these harmful products in lifestyle influencer content on social media, in advertising from small-scale content creators and in gaming."
Teenagers encounter harmful products across social media, video games, and apps, including prescription-only weight-loss drugs, potentially toxic skin-whitening creams, and steroids marketed for muscle growth. Among 13 to 17-year-olds, 41% reported seeing prescription-only weight-loss drugs, 27% saw potentially toxic skin-whitening creams, and 24% saw steroids and other muscle-building drugs. Young people encounter these products in lifestyle influencer content, advertising from small-scale creators, and within gaming environments. More than half of children had seen ads for food and drinks claiming to aid weight loss, with similar exposure to exercise and diet plans. One in five had bought or tried weight-loss foodstuffs. Any ban on social media for younger teens must include clear enforcement plans to avoid driving children into darker parts of the internet and to prevent normalisation of dangerous appearance-changing products.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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