Social networking sites targeted in alcohol campaign

cultural approach to alcohol, the social costs and ways to mitigate the problems it causes.

However some of the most striking findings so far have been in relation to social networking sites and the use of them by young people.

The Commission investigated the power of alcohol advertising in a range of mediums after working with the Institute for Social Marketing at the University of Stirling.

When members looked at sites such as Facebook and Bebo they found that the alcohol industry itself was generally following guidelines which govern marketing of alcohol on the web. However they were shocked to discover hundreds of far less responsible pages within the sites generated by users, many of them underage.

Typing in the brand names of products often drunk by under-age drinkers such as Buckfast, WKD (cider), or Lambrini (sparkling wine) brings up dozens of pages created not by the companies who make them but by drinkers. Some have titles such as “the Buckfast challenge” and suggest people attempt drinking two bottles of the strong tonic wine in a row, another is titled “Lambrini gets me more drunk than WKD!!”.

Non-brand specific sites include other alarming phenomena, like Facebook groups “vodka eyeshots” and “being mortal drunk”, which anyone can join. YCA member Siobhan Graham, 17, from Peebles, said: “It was a real shock to see pages like that. Some were set up by 14 and 15-year-olds.”

Fellow commissioner, 20-year-old Connie Bennett, of Edinburgh, said the vast majority of such pages were not produced by drinks companies. “It is user-generated,” she explained. “People are doing it for them.”

Members of the commission visited Bebo headquarters in London and have also interviewed corporate social responsibility representatives at Facebook. “Bebo were talking about freedom of speech and wasn’t really willing to restrict what users were saying,” Miss Bennett added.

Chief executive of The Scottish Licensed Trade Association, Paul Waterson condemned such pages,

saying: “Anything that promotes irresponsible drinking should be frowned upon by all. The last thing we need is websites that give people more ideas and more opportunities to drink alcohol irresponsibly.”

Both Bebo and Facebook argue that free speech should be protected, and are reluctant to remove or ban irresponsible user-generated material.

However they were willing to consider other options. Bebo has already adjusted searches to help steer those who search for information about eating disorders to positive support rather than so called ‘pro-ana’ sites which encourage dieting and promote extreme weight loss.

Optimising search engines in a similar way would ensure alcohol support charities were returned ahead of less helpful material, commissioners

were told.

Commissioner Nick Henderson, 20, from Dundee, said it was hard to prevent drinkers from expressing their views online. He said: “You can’t legislate to change the way people think. But I think it is sad the alcohol industry has persuaded people that that is what having a good night is about.”

David Poley, Portman Group chief executive, said: “Drinks producers abide by strict codes of practice to ensure their marketing does not promote drunkenness. But the industry can’t control the actions of consumers. Instead of advocating censorship, the industry is trying to develop healthier attitudes.”