Age verification and underage accessibility of official alcohol companies' websites and brand pages on Facebook and Instagram

IF 4.4 2区医学 Q1 SUBSTANCE ABUSE

International Journal of Drug Policy Pub Date : 2025-02-01 DOI:10.1016/j.drugpo.2024.104689

Ogochukwu W. Odeigah , Ogbemudia P. Michael , Adeola G. Adeoye

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Background

Digital alcohol marketing increases alcohol consumption among underage persons. The study aimed to assess the effectiveness of age verification measures on three digital sites: official alcohol company websites and their associated brand pages on Facebook and Instagram in Nigeria.

Methods

We created three fictitious age profiles (14, 16, and 18 years) on the three digital sites. Using a smartphone and desktop computer, we assessed the presence of age verification on 15 official alcohol companies' websites, 66 alcohol brand pages on Facebook, and 72 on Instagram. We assessed whether the fictitious underage profiles could interact with content on brand pages.

Findings

Only three of 15 alcohol companies' websites included age verification. Two websites required entering the date of birth, while one required clicking a yes/no box to confirm being above 18 years old. Only one website blocked multiple attempts to gain access using an underage profile. Only 24 of 66 official alcohol brand pages on Facebook activated age verification. Underage users aged 14 and 16 could interact with posts and follow 42 alcohol brand pages on Facebook. Only 22 of 72 alcohol brand pages on Instagram had age verification. Users aged 14 and 16 could interact with posts and follow 50 alcohol brand pages on Instagram.

Conclusion

Underage persons can access and interact with alcohol content on alcohol companies' websites and brand pages on Facebook and Instagram in Nigeria. A regulatory framework for restricting underage access to alcohol marketing on digital platforms is required in Nigeria.

查看原文本刊更多论文

官方酒类公司网站和品牌Facebook和Instagram页面的年龄验证和未成年人访问。

背景：数字酒精营销增加了未成年人的酒精消费。该研究旨在评估三个数字网站上年龄验证措施的有效性：尼日利亚官方酒精公司网站及其在Facebook和Instagram上的相关品牌页面。方法：我们在三个数字网站上创建了三个虚构的年龄概况（14岁、16岁和18岁）。使用智能手机和台式电脑，我们评估了15家官方酒精公司网站、Facebook上的66个酒精品牌页面和Instagram上的72个年龄验证页面的存在情况。我们评估了虚构的未成年人档案是否可以与品牌页面上的内容互动。研究发现：15家酒类公司的网站中只有3家提供年龄验证。有两个网站需要输入出生日期，还有一个网站需要点击是/否选项框来确认是否年满18岁。只有一个网站阻止了多次使用未成年人登录的尝试。在Facebook上的66个官方酒类品牌页面中，只有24个激活了年龄验证。14岁和16岁的未成年用户可以在Facebook上与帖子互动，并关注42个酒类品牌页面。在Instagram上的72个酒类品牌页面中，只有22个有年龄验证。14岁和16岁的用户可以在Instagram上与帖子互动，并关注50个酒类品牌页面。结论：在尼日利亚，未成年人可以在Facebook和Instagram上的酒类公司网站和品牌页面上访问酒精内容并与之互动。尼日利亚需要一个监管框架，限制未成年人接触数字平台上的酒类营销。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

International Journal of Drug Policy SUBSTANCE ABUSE-

CiteScore

7.80

自引率

11.40%

发文量

307

审稿时长

62 days

期刊介绍： The International Journal of Drug Policy provides a forum for the dissemination of current research, reviews, debate, and critical analysis on drug use and drug policy in a global context. It seeks to publish material on the social, political, legal, and health contexts of psychoactive substance use, both licit and illicit. The journal is particularly concerned to explore the effects of drug policy and practice on drug-using behaviour and its health and social consequences. It is the policy of the journal to represent a wide range of material on drug-related matters from around the world.