Quit says tobacco ads slipping through cracks on social media

Tobacco advertising in Australia remains illegal, but the ABC has uncovered numerous examples of such ads on Facebook. As of July, the Therapeutic Goods Administration had issued $1.5 million in fines to tobacco advertisers, though the public health organisation Quit warns that this is merely the tip of the iceberg. Quit is urging retailers and social media platforms to face consequences for permitting these advertisements on their services.

Public health groups assert that the federal government is only partially addressing the issue of illegal tobacco advertising on social media.

The ABC has documented instances of unlawful tobacco ads on Facebook, reported by a user but not removed initially. However, following inquiries, Meta, the company behind Facebook, confirmed the removal of the content and action against accounts violating their policies. Meta also encouraged users to report potentially rule-violating content for review and appropriate action.

Quit spokesperson Rachael Andersen highlighted the increasing frequency of social media ads for tobacco products and the challenges the Australian government faces in managing this issue. Under the Public Health Act, advertising or promoting smoking or tobacco use, including on social media, is prohibited. As of July 1, the TGA had 200 active investigations into online ads, blocked 436 websites, issued 505 warnings, and collected $1.51 million in fines.

Quit director Andersen emphasized the need for stronger actions against illegal advertising to shield the public from the tobacco industry's harmful impacts. She stressed that authorities should utilize their legal powers to act upon received complaints and compel social media giants to eliminate illegal tobacco or vaping ad content from their platforms.

Andersen stressed that social media platforms cannot remain passive observers and must take responsibility for addressing these issues when brought to their attention. She criticised accountability deficits, citing numerous cases where such advertising was raised directly with the businesses but not removed.

Andersen warned that these ads contribute to normalizing tobacco consumption, given the addictive nature of smoking and the difficult task of breaking addiction. Smoking tobacco is linked to 16 types of cancer, and the consequences of addiction are severe. She expressed concern over the reinforcement of addictive messaging appearing on social media platforms.

The Department of Health, Disability, and Ageing affirmed that all alleged breaches of non-compliance are taken seriously, citing the government's commitment to strengthen legislation, enforcement, education, and support to protect Australians from tobacco and e-cigarette harms.