Food and Beverage Branded Content Targeting Children on YouTube : Advertising Regulation Amid Australia's Social Media Age Policy

Australian children are frequently exposed to persuasive and potentially harmful branded content on YouTube, with limited transparency and weak adherence to existing self-regulatory guidelines. SO WHAT?: The findings highlight gaps in current self-regulatory frameworks and underscore the need for greater policy attention to how children engage with branded food content online. As Australia enacts a social media minimum age restriction, this study provides timely evidence that can inform policy oversight, support more effective regulatory approaches and improve protections for children from unhealthy branded contents online.