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Question Time invite - Manchester

**helen****helen** Deactivated Posts: 9,235 Supreme Poster
Might be of interest to some of you...

But if not - feel free to voice your opinions about this issue right here on TheSite :)

Too much, too young: Are advertisers sexualising childhood?
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) is hosting a public debate on how we should protect children from inappropriate advertising.

7 pm - 9 pm, Thursday 1 December, Burnage Media Arts College, Manchester
Many parents are worried about a ?sexualised culture? surrounding their children. The accessibility of pornography on the internet and sexual imagery in advertising, TV programmes, films and music videos are just a few examples of things that parents say contribute to their anxiety that children are under pressure to grow up too quickly.

The ASA is the UK's independent regulator of advertising across all media and works to ensure that all ads are legal, decent, honest and truthful. We place the protection of children at the heart of our work. We already have strict rules that prevent ads from containing anything likely to result in a child?s physical, mental or moral harm. But what about ads aimed at an adult audience, for example posters for perfume featuring sexual imagery? Are these contributing to an ?unthinking drift to ever greater sexualisation?? Do you think the ASA makes the right decisions or should we be drawing the line in a different place?

Make your voice heard and join the debate

Whatever your views, the ASA invites you to participate in a Question Time style public debate. We?ll provide you with a valuable opportunity to put forward your opinion, concerns and questions on this topical subject and hear the views from representatives from the advertising industry, family and parenting groups. There will also be a chance to act as ASA Council and look at recent ASA rulings where you can decide whether or not the complaint should be upheld.

Please register to attend this event by completing the registration form. When we receive your registration we will confirm your attendance by email.

Find out more at www.asa.org.uk
This event is free of charge.

Comments

  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I would, but any debate about the media's effect on us is usually full of baseless assertions and this (well that and I don't live anywhere near). Apparently, allowing children to even acknowledge that sex exists is a sin worse than child abuse, but convincing them to waste their money on all manner of cheap tat is fine. Any advertising aimed directly at children is by definition undermining the claim that parents should be making choices about what's best for their kids. But instead, people always focus on the red herring that is sexual imagery and the largely imagined effects of that on people.

    As for the perfume things, I can only assume that they're referring to the ridiculous decision to ban an advert for showing someone who is legally able to have sex as sexually attractive on they grounds that she looks younger (debatable) than she is?
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