choof.org

January 15, 2004

'Twas the Season to Exploit Children

The good peoples at Commercial Alert write:

"If you want to get a sense of the spirit of this Christmas season -- the commercial version, at least -- you might pick up a copy of Advertising Age magazine. There you will find such articles as "Young Girls Targeted by Makeup Companies," which describes the efforts of cosmetics firms to make 8-year- olds feel a need to paint their faces -- to sell "kid makeup," the magazine says.

Some years ago, back when the FTC had more of a spine, the agency attempted to sharply limit advertising to children. In a 1978 proposal, the agency suggested:

a ban on all televised advertising for any product which is directed to audiences composed of a significant proportion of children who are too young to understand the selling purpose of or otherwise comprehend or evaluate the advertising.

a ban on televised advertising for sugared food products directed to, or seen by, audiences composed of a significant proportion of older children, the consumption of which products poses the most serious dental health risks

To require televised advertising for sugared food products which is directed to audiences composed of a significant proportion of older children, to be balanced by nutritional and/or health disclosures funded by advertisers.

See 43 Fed.Reg. 17,967, 17,969 (1978).

Posted by chris at January 15, 2004 08:27 PM

Comments

I suppose people could contemplate just giving up that side of xmas... but then Bush said it was our God given responsibility to make tracks to the store for the good of the country. Maybe we need a secretary of not just commerce, but consumerism.... Right! After our next trip to the moon, which we can pay for with sales tax on all those consumables we consume so consumptively....

Posted by: mary hodder at January 15, 2004 10:20 PM

Secretary of Consumerism. That's brilliant.

Posted by: Chris at January 17, 2004 11:51 AM