Junk food advertising could be banned from Australian social media platforms to combat childhood obesity.
A new bill is set to be introduced to parliament on Monday by teal MP Sophie Scamps, aiming to restrict the promotion of unhealthy foods on children’s entertainment platforms.
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If passed, the bill would enforce a ban on junk food advertising on TV and radio broadcasts from 6am to 9:30pm.
Additionally, social media and online platforms would be entirely prohibited from hosting these types of ads.
For print and outdoor advertisements, sports sponsorships, and content shared directly by food and beverage companies on their own channels would remain unaffected by the
proposed restrictions.
Dr Scamps said the reason to enforce the time restrictions is due to the significant childhood obesity issue, draining the Australian health system as much as $11.8 billion annually.
“We need to do this, because currently, our children are being deluged by junk food advertising which is harmful,”Dr Scamps said.
Dr Scamps told the Financial Review that Australian children were exposed to over 800 junk food ads on Tv alone every year.
“Right now, a quarter of our children are already on the path to chronic disease because they are over the healthy weight range,” the independent MP said.
“The current restrictions are not strong enough, and self-regulation is just not working.
“If we continue to stand by while children are deluged by junk food advertising on social media and on TV, then we are failing them.”
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