Alcohol Concern, the British agency campaigning for effective alcohol policy, has published a new report which takes a critical look at the use of social networking sites like Facebook and video sharing sites such as YouTube by alcohol producers to promote their products. The report labels the online age verification pages, aimed at preventing under 18s from accessing content intended for adults, as inadequate.

In the report, New media, new problem?, Alcohol Concern also voices concerns about internet users posting pictures and descriptions of themselves drinking and being drunk. It is questioned why so many people choose to publicize our alcohol consumption in such a way.

The report calls for a ban on official alcohol marketing on social networking sites and also asks alcohol producers and site administrators to end the unauthorized use of drinks logos and advertising images on social networking sites. Furthermore the report says it’s time for further research into alternatives of the ineffective system of age verification. Until there are better alternatives, alcohol websites should exclusively contain straightforward factual information about products.

The full report can be found on the website of Alcohol Concern.
For more information see the EUCAM trend report on Alcohol Marketing in New Media.

Source: Onmedica.com (08/18/11)

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