The Impact of the Commercial World on Children's Wellbeing: Report of an Independent Assessment

In this report from the United Kingdom (UK) Department for Children, Schools and Families and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, is an independent review of the impact of the commercial world on children's wellbeing. The assessment was launched with an online call for evidence, which was circulated to stakeholder groups. This resulted in a range of submissions from businesses, trade associations, non-governmental organisations, consumer groups, teacher unions, campaigners, and others.

The document suggests that the debate about the impact of the commercial world on children is a polarised one, between those on the one hand who see children as victims, and others who see all children as confident and media-savvy consumers. "The evidence, both of risk and harm caused by the commercial world and of its benefits, is rarely conclusive. Overall, it suggests that children are neither the helpless victims imagined by some campaigners nor the autonomous ‘savvy’ consumers celebrated by some marketing people." Limits of evidence limit conclusions: “There is little doubt that marketing can be effective, in the sense that it influences people to buy things; but convincing evidence about its effects on broader attitudes and aspects of behaviour is more difficult to obtain.” Positive impact may result from more choice and more opportunity offered by the confluence of the commercial world and media. A broader engagement in corporate social responsibility is occurring in the UK children’s market, though ethical concerns still are debated around fairness of marketing to children and privacy related to information gathering. Possible negative impacts centre on wellbeing and mental health of children exposed to the commercial world, materialism that may result, increased influence of children on adult spending and of peer pressure on children’s desires, methods like viral marketing that are currently outside of regularity codes, the influence of marketing on physical health and rising child obesity, the sexualisation of children, body image and gender identity concerns, and the possible increase of access to inappropriate content.

The document states that, while there are risks and a need for appropriate safeguards, the commercial world and the media offer children great opportunities for learning, social development, and enjoyment. It says children and parents need help in acquiring the skills to take advantage of these opportunities whilst staying safe. "New media and marketing techniques raise some ethical concerns about potential deception and threats to privacy: the public is not currently well-informed about this area, and existing regulation is insufficient in some respects".

In the realm of television programming: "Growing commercial pressures are undermining the production of UK-originated children’s television programmes." Marketing geared toward children, stimulated by privatisation and commercialisation, has entered schools and public spaces. Children face growing levels of individualised and unsupervised access to media, including new media and mobile media, on which companies are using “integrated marketing communications”, in which promotional activities range across different media platforms. This may blur the distinction between promotion and informational content. Approaches may be personalised and more participatory, raising concerns about potential deception and invasion of privacy. "In these and other areas, commercialisation may accentuate inequalities and place further pressure on those who are already disadvantaged."

The document states the commercialisation is not going to decrease and that children and parents need to understand it and deal with it. Consumer and media literacy, both at home and in schools, is the strategy favoured here, although, according to the report, it needs further evaluation.

The document suggests that policy may be introduced to affect the following areas concerned with communication:

• Regulation - particularly on food advertising - is now in place.
  
• New media - aspects of new media and some new and emerging marketing techniques are not currently regulated.
  
• Positive intervention - there is a case for positive intervention designed to ensure that children are provided with material that is culturally or educationally valuable, and to guarantee that this is adequately funded, particularly in television and the internet.
  
• Consumer literacy - educational initiatives need to promote this, most notably in the area of financial literacy.
  
• Media literacy - this overlaps with consumer literacy in addressing the commercial dimensions of media such as television, the press, and the internet.
  
• Media education - media literacy can be acquired both in schools and in the home. Both parents and schools have roles to play.

Click here to download this 191-page document in PDF format.