Italy's ombudsman for kids and
teens said Tuesday the advertising industry has agreed to new
guidelines on children in advertising that will stymie what he
called a "pervasive Lolita culture" and protect youngsters from
harmful messages.
"No to messages of bodily perfection at any cost...no to
images that transform kids and teens into adults," said
guarantor Vincenzo Spadafora, pointing out that images of overly
skinny models can nudge insecure teens over the edge of
body-consciousness and into outright anorexia.
The Italian advertising industry's self-regulatory code
bans messages that may "harm minors physically or
psychologically" or "take advantage of their lack of experience,
loyalty or naivety".
The new protocol, said Spadafora, is a much-needed addition
to current regulations because it will make advertisers aware of
the need to protect children and adolescents both when they are
the recipients of ads and when they feature in them.
The latest protocol of understanding between the
advertising industry's self-regulating body (IAP) and the
government follows on a 2011 agreement with the ministry for
equal opportunities to prevent offensive or stereotyped
representations of women.
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