Food firms "getting around marketing rules"

Some of the world’s leading food manufacturers are using social networking websites and internet chat sites to circumvent restrictions on their advertising to children. The Department of Health says it has already expressed its concern to manufacturers and to advertisers about the practice and is “monitoring closely the change in the nature and balance of food advertising”. Ofcom’s remit does not extend to the internet, and although the Advertising Standards Authority’s code of conduct was recently extended to include online marketing to children, a loophole is that anything classed as “editorial” is exempt from the ASA code.

The Guardian