Children's Commissioner Urges Action Against Harmful Online Advertising
The Children's Commissioner for England, Dame Rachel de Souza, has issued a stark warning about the dangers of online advertising targeting young people with appearance-altering products. In a newly published report titled A healthy influence? Children's exposure to appearance-changing products online, alarming statistics reveal the widespread exposure of children to potentially harmful content on social media platforms.
Widespread Exposure to Dangerous Products
The comprehensive study found that more than half of girls, specifically 56%, have encountered advertisements for cosmetic procedures such as fillers and Botox. These treatments are illegal for individuals under the age of 18 in the United Kingdom, yet they are being promoted directly to vulnerable young audiences. Furthermore, 41% of teenagers aged 13 to 17 have seen promotions for prescription-only weight loss drugs, despite existing bans on such advertising.
Additional findings from the report include:
- 54% of children have viewed exercise and diet plans online that may promote unhealthy body image standards.
- 52% have been exposed to advertisements for food and drink products marketed specifically for weight loss purposes.
- 66% of young people have seen promotions for teeth whitening products, many of which may contain harmful chemicals.
Negative Impact on Self-Esteem and Health
The report highlights that 78% of children surveyed reported that these advertisements had a negative impact on their self-esteem. Dame Rachel de Souza emphasised that childhood should be a protected time, free from the pressures of unrealistic beauty standards. "Children today are facing pressures like never before," she stated. "Too many children are growing up in an online world that takes advantage of their insecurities and tells them they are not good enough as they are."
Disturbingly, the study found that 8% of children had purchased or tried non-prescription pills claiming to aid weight loss, while 21% had bought or tried food or drink products marketed for weight loss. Some children reported harmful reactions after using appearance-changing products purchased online, including infections from eyelash products containing unknown and potentially toxic chemicals.
Disproportionate Impact on Minority Groups
The research uncovered significant disparities in exposure across different ethnic groups. Black children were found to be more likely to try these products, exercise regimens, and diet plans compared to their white peers. Specifically, 46% of black children and 35% of Asian children had seen advertisements for skin lightening products online, compared to just 24% of white children. Many of these skin lightening products are illegal in the UK due to containing toxic ingredients that can cause serious health complications.
Calls for Regulatory Reform
Dame Rachel has called for urgent legislative changes to protect children from harmful online content. Her recommendations include:
- Amending the Online Safety Act to explicitly prohibit all advertising of appearance-changing products to children on social media platforms.
- Changing Ofcom's Children's Code of Practice to provide stronger protections against content that promotes body stigma and unrealistic beauty standards.
- Strengthening regulations governing the online sale of age-restricted products to prevent children from accessing dangerous substances.
The Commissioner's call for action comes as the government considers implementing an Australia-style social media ban for teenagers. While acknowledging that restricting access to social media platforms for under-16s could be part of the solution, Dame Rachel cautioned that "a social media ban can only be one part of the solution" and does not guarantee immediate safety for children online.
Broader Context of Body Image Concerns
This report follows earlier survey findings from 2024 which revealed that only 40% of girls and 60% of boys were happy with their appearance. The normalisation of extreme appearance-changing products through advertising, influencer culture, and online posts represents a significant threat to children's mental and physical wellbeing. As Dame Rachel concluded, "Extreme and potentially dangerous appearance-changing products are being normalised to children through advertising, despite many of these products being unsafe, illegal or strictly age-restricted."
