A content analysis of the tweets of e-cigarette proponents in Australia.

ISSUE ADDRESSED: Social media sites have become platforms for public discourse on e-cigarettes, providing proponents with an opportunity to disseminate favourable information about the devices. Research examining the information being presented by Australian proponents of e-cigarettes is limited. Accordingly, this study explored the Twitter feeds of Australian proponents of e-cigarettes to determine the nature of the e-cigarette-related content being disseminated. METHODS: All publicly available e-cigarette-related tweets and retweets (n = 1397) disseminated over a 15-week period by five Australian e-cigarette proponents were captured and analysed. RESULTS: The main topics covered in the 1397 tweets analysed related to (a) criticism of the arguments made by public health agencies/advocates who oppose e-cigarettes (29%), (b) Australian e-cigarette policy (19%), (c) the health risks of e-cigarettes (16%) and (d) the efficacy of e-cigarettes as smoking cessation aids (13%). Proponents argued that the precautionary principle adopted by public health agencies/advocates lacks an appropriate evidence base and that legalising e-cigarettes would reduce smoking rates and smoking-related harm. Proponents minimised the risks associated with e-cigarette use and only presented evidence indicating that use facilitates smoking cessation. CONCLUSIONS: The assessed tweets have the potential to reduce the public's trust in the information being presented by authoritative public health agencies/advocates. The dissemination of information downplaying the health risks associated with e-cigarettes may distort perceptions of the devices. SO WHAT?: To assist tobacco control efforts, results highlight the need for (a) ongoing surveillance of the tweets of e-cigarette proponents and (b) provision of evidence-based counterarguments on social media.

Are Australian regulatory codes adequate in scope to protect youth from alcohol advertising?

ISSUE ADDRESSED: Exposure to alcohol advertising has been found to be associated with more positive attitudes toward alcohol and heavier drinking among youth. Appropriate regulation of alcohol advertising is thus crucial for reducing use among members of this population group. To assist policy makers in their alcohol control efforts, this study explored the scope of Australian alcohol advertising codes and the extent to which they address issues relating to youth exposure. METHODS: Two researchers assessed 628 unique alcohol advertisements against youth-related provisions of the Alcohol Advertising Review Board (AARB) Code and Alcohol Beverages Advertising Code (ABAC). A third researcher resolved discrepancies. The ads sampled were those that had been the subject of formal complaints to the AARB. RESULTS: Most (94%) ads were assessed as violating at least one of the AARB Code provisions relating to youth, while 36% were found to violate at least one of the ABAC youth provisions. The most frequently violated AARB Code provision related to placement, with 88% of ads located in places or broadcast at times where young people were likely to be exposed. The most frequently violated ABAC provision related to appeal to minors (33%). CONCLUSIONS: Results indicate that self-regulation is an ineffective means of protecting youth from alcohol advertising, with the ABAC failing to capture many ads featuring content that appeals to youth. SO WHAT?: Greater efforts are required to protect youth from alcohol advertising. Findings from the present study reinforce calls for mandatory, evidence-based regulation that is administered independently of the alcohol industry. SUMMARY: An analysis of 628 unique alcohol advertisements found that the vast majority were in violation of the AARB Code's youth-related provisions whereas substantially fewer were in violation of the ABAC, supporting arguments that self-regulation is an ineffective means of protecting youth from alcohol advertising.

Get Them Laughing to Get Them Drinking: An Analysis of Alcohol Advertising Themes Across Multiple Media in Australia.

OBJECTIVE: Efforts to develop and implement effective advertising regulations require a comprehensive understanding of alcohol promotion techniques used across a rapidly growing range of media platforms. The aim of this study was to analyze themes commonly used in alcohol ads in order to identify commonalities and differences by media type and the implications for existing regulatory frameworks. METHOD: In total, 628 Australian alcohol advertisements were coded according to media used for dissemination and themes known to be attractive to children and young people or problematic in other ways (humor, sport, mateship/friendship, manliness, value for money, buying in bulk, partying, sexual attraction, and adrenaline activities). RESULTS: The largest proportion of analyzed ads belonged to the out-of-home category (41%), followed by the online category (27%), indicating the importance of ensuring that these media are appropriately covered by regulations. Overall, humor was the most common theme (present in 18% of ads), followed by value for money (14%), sports (14%), and bulk purchases (10%). Humor often co-occurred with other themes: 59% of ads with a sexual attraction theme, 40% of ads depicting mateship/friendship, 31% of ads depicting manliness, and 27% of ads with a partying theme also featured humor. Trends were evident in the types of themes most commonly used in ads disseminated via specific media, indicating that alcohol marketers are strategically selecting media platforms for particular themes. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study demonstrate that alcohol advertising controls need to cover all media, be clear in delineating inappropriate themes, and be adequately authorized to ensure compliance.