How can you resist?
A consumer watchdog group has asked the Federal Trade Commission to begin regulating digital junk food marketing to children, reports ClickZ.
The Center for Digital Democracy issued a report and an open letter to the FTC citing digital marketing of junk food as a contributor to childhood obesity. The group would like the agency to expand the media it considers when assessing what is or is not appropriate for youth-targeted marketing.
The letter asks that the FTC work with outside organizations to develop guidelines for the marketing of junk food to children. It took to task campaigns that "inappropriately" targeted kids with games or other recreational features. Among those cited were viral efforts that turned kids into advocates for the brand.
Interactive and digital marketing of junk food and snacks have to date been under the radar of regulators and not the subject of previous agreements to limit youth marketing. Some believe tracking childrens' online behavior is difficult since they are often logged into the computer as their parents.
