Facebook deal fuels underage drinking fears

drinks giant marketing tie-in advertising pages raises concerns about the impact of adolescent health

an agreement of several million dollars between Facebook and beverage company Diageo fuel the epidemic of underage drinking by exposing an increasing number of young marketing of alcohol, health experts warn .

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mainly young people who use Facebook has been very profitable for Diageo, which makes the drink of choice for most teens can get -. Smirnoff Vodka

announcing the agreement, Diageo said Smirnoff had become "the number one brand of alcoholic beverages on Facebook around the world." Its brands in the United States had enjoyed a 20% increase in sales "as a result of the activity of Facebook." The agreement, Diageo said, "unity unprecedented levels of integration and joint business planning, and experimentation between the two companies."

Diageo said more than 950 of its suppliers had been trained in "boot camps Facebook" to build their social skills of the media and the record company was "a significant return on investment" to through various brands.

But health experts and advocates of alcohol that the impact will be felt in drinking water in adolescents. Dr Nick Sheron, a liver specialist at Southampton Hospital, is one who believes that the appeal of Facebook is the youth of its users, with half under 24 and many under the age of 18.

Facebook says that the pages created by alcohol advertisers are "age-dependent," and therefore accessible only to those over 18. Sheron, but argues that many young people do not reveal not their actual age on Facebook.

"The process of age verification for social networking sites is clearly ineffective - even if it is assumed that users are 13 or older, have suggested that a quarter of children 8-12 years in the United Kingdom have a Facebook account or similar, "he said.

"Second, most of these accounts are hiding from their parents, so Diageo has a limited distribution channel for private communication with young people, to be used to promote the use of alcohol as a positive lifestyle. "

• It is also concerned about the viral marketing through social media, including short ads with an amusing story designed to appeal to a younger audience to communicate with friends via sites like Facebook without going through age controls in the business pages. Clubs beverage brands are apparently created by consumers, and the images of teenagers after they and their friends get drunk.
• Linda Bauld
• , professor of social management at the University of Stirling, said: "I think the main problem is that there are no legislative restrictions on the marketing of alcohol the time, but we know that the industry has carefully and systematically sells the product to young people. Many children use sites Facebook. in any contract between a multinational company that produces alcohol and a networking site , which are essentially marketing of alcohol to children. We know from our research is one of the most effective ways to reach children. "

Gerard Hastings, director of the Institute for Social and Marketing Research Center Snuff control at the University of Stirling, who testified before the health committee select the sale of alcohol to children, said "I think what makes me nervous is the most insidious nature of social networks used for marketing purposes. Facebook is supposed to be of true friendship and real relationship, not trade.

"In a sense, nothing new here - the marks were established primarily to give the company an inhuman face of imitation human, relationship marketing, business development in key decades, trying to win long-term commitment to customers. Malcolm Gladwell, among others, described the use of brand ambassadors of the flesh and blood to win loyalty. The difference here is the extent and the power of Facebook as part of the research (Google algorithms are really scary) and a marketing tool. "

Facebook said it was very difficult to control age group who access a website, but insisted on doing everything possible. "On Facebook, we have a clear policy - if you want to use the site, you must be at least 13 years," said a spokesman for the

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