Last month Reg Bailey published a report into the sexualisation and commercialisation of children called Let Children be Children. Much of the report covered issues we've discussed in our Let Girls Be Girls campaign, you can read the full report here.
The report included recommendations on how advertising needed to change to meet the needs of parents and children. The Advertising Association are now putting together a working group to discuss how they can respond to Bailey's specific recommendations and have asked Mumsnet to contribute, and it would be really good to hear your views; particularly on the following three topics.
1 defining the 'age' of a child in advertising regulation
Some brands and companies think a child is anyone under 12, some under 16.
Would a consistent, industry-wide 'age of child' be helpful and if so would it be 12, 16, or somewhere in between?
2 the employment of under 16s as 'brand ambassadors' and peer-to-peer marketers
Some companies pay or reward people who talk about or recommend their brands (often online via twitter/ Facebook etc).
What do you think about children being involved in this?
3 'sexualised' imagery in out-of-home advertising in locations where children are likely to see it
There is talk of a ban on raunchy underwear ads and the like on billboards near schools.
Do you approve or disapprove of a ban? Why?
Thanks so much