OCO Submission on Advertising Standards

The OCO welcome the opportunity to provide our observations on the new edition of the Advertising Standards Authority of Ireland code from a children’s rights perspective. It has been 10 years since the code was last reviewed and in that time frame children’s exposure to digital marketing has increased significantly. Personalised ads and influencer content can influence children’s behaviour, keeping them online or influencing them to buy unsuitable products, which in turn affect their mental and physical health. The submission includes the voices of the OCO Youth Advisory Panel who highlight the growing risks of “skinfluencers”, targeted advertising in gaming, unhealthy sponsored lifestyle content and attractive marketing tactics of vaping and nicotine product companies. The submission includes recommendations on how the code can be strengthened for children, including specific guidelines for influencer content and marketing.

• Bealtaine 2026
• Cineál: Taisceadh
• Ábhar: Ar line