Crackdown on 'commercialisation' of childhood - Telegraph

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Child development experts have warned that children are under increasing pressure to mimic adult behaviour from relentless marketing campaigns and celebrity culture. Major retailers have been criticised for selling provocative underwear and high heeled shoes to girls under the age of 10. The strategy said: “We will crack down on irresponsible advertising and marketing, especially to children, and take steps to tackle the commercialisation and sexualisation of childhood.” The document also promised to create a new group of experts to tackle “low levels of body confidence” among children and teenagers. Ministers are concerned that many young boys and girls feel they have to live up to impossibly thin airbrushed images of celebrities in magazines and advertisements. Research from the Children's Society earlier this year found that almost one in five children aged 10 to 15 disliked they way they looked. Girls were twice as likely to worry about their bodies as boys and children became more concerned about body image as they grew older. The Coalition's commitment followed a pledge made by David Cameron in Opposition to tackle the “early commercialisation and sexualisation of our children”.

Three points:

1. You're practically rupturing yourselves cutting benefits and university funding but you have money for this load of crap? Get out. Shut up and get out. You're a disgrace to Conservatism, and Conservatism is something that's well-nigh impossible to disgrace.

2. Only one in five? Listen, pal, I've been to Scunthorpe and I can tell you right away that in that case three in five are deluding themselves.

3. "Pressure"? Were any of you people children at any point in your lives or did you spring fully formed from Harriet Harman's thigh? There is nothing kids enjoy more than pretending to be grown up. If this makes you uncomfortable then that's your problem. Wierdo.

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Crackdown on companies guilty of sexualisation of children - Telegraph

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Crackdown on companies guilty of sexualisation of children A new crackdown on television advertising, magazine images and clothing that leads to the sexualisation of children is to be unveiled within days by ministers. The Sunday Telegraph has learned a government-commissioned review, expected to be led by Reg Bailey, chief executive of the Mothers' Union, will lay the ground for new laws which could see individual companies prosecuted. Mr Bailey's review will gather evidence of ways children are having unfair commercial pressure put on them or being "prematurely sexualised" by retailers amid protests over high-heeled shoes and provocative underwear aimed at girls as young as 10. Ministers at the Department for Education intend to "legislate or regulate" against the worst offenders, many of whom have already sparked fierce criticism from parents. Related Articles Tory pledge to prevent 'sexualisation' of children 18 Feb 2010 Georgia Jagger's advert for Rimmel mascara is banned04 Dec 2010 Japanese vending machine tells you what you should drink04 Dec 2010 Esther Vergeer unveiled ? the world?s most dominant athlete04 Dec 2010 Mary Evans04 Dec 2010 Chris Brown pleads guilty to assaulting Rihanna04 Dec 2010 Coalition sources said the planned new laws could see businesses targeted individually, while it was likely a new industry-wide standard would be established. Parents, furthermore, could be given the power to challenge offending advertisements or products specifically over child-related issues. Sources drew a parallel with the way complaints are currently made to trading standards officials or the Advertising Standards Authority. The move is strongly backed by David Cameron, who hit out at the premature sexualisation of children in one of his first major interventions as Conservative leader, more than four years ago. Earlier this year he returned to the attack after it emerged children were being paid to promote sugary soft drinks and other products on social networks or in the playground. There had previously been an outcry over sexualised products for children, including High School Musical-themed underwear with the slogan 'Dive In', and Playboy stationery. Mr Cameron said at the time: "You do your best as parents but there is a lot of pester power going on. "You can't cut children off from the commercial world but we should be able to help parents more in terms of trying to make sure that our children get a childhood and that they are not subject to unnecessary and inappropriate commercialisation and sexualisation too young. "The Lolita beds and the padded bras and the rest of it, in the end most of those products were withdrawn because of parental pressure, so let's help the parents to put that pressure on. "Some businesses are dumping a waste that is toxic on our children. Products and marketing that can warp their minds and their bodies and harm their future. That can take away their innocence, which I know most parents would agree is so precious and worth defending. Children are being pushed into grown-up territory well before their time. "Toddlers become marketing targets before they can walk. Little kids are paid to plug products. Girls are encouraged to dress like women, wear lingerie and worry about what they look like." Mr Bailey, a father of two and committed Christian who is the first male chief executive of the Mothers' Union – the international Christian charity that seeks to support families – in the organisation's 130-year history, backs plans to recognise marriage in the tax system. He has said: "We believe that marriage should be supported within the tax system. While the income boost may seem small to many, to couples or families living on a low income the fiscal boost could be significant." The coalition's recent Equality Strategy promised to "crack down on irresponsible advertising and marketing, especially to children, and take steps to tackle the commercialisation and sexualisation of childhood." It also promised to set up a group of experts to tackle "low levels of body confidence" among children and teenagers. Ministers worry that many youngsters – boys as well as girls – feel they have to live up to airbrushed images of thin celebrities in magazines and advertisements.

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The Sunday Telegraph has learned a government-commissioned review, expected to be led by Reg Bailey, chief executive of the Mothers' Union, will lay the ground for new laws which could see individual companies prosecuted.

After all, if people are given free speech they'll only start using it, and that ould be terrible.

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Ministers at the Department for Education intend to "legislate or regulate" against the worst offenders, many of whom have already sparked fierce criticism from parents.

GYAC: if you don't like it, then don't fucking buy it. Have a bit of personal responsibility for once in your worthless little life.

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The move is strongly backed by David Cameron, who hit out at the premature sexualisation of children in one of his first major interventions as Conservative leader, more than four years ago.

Yes, to be entirely fair we should have paid more attention to this, instead of letting ourselves get caught up in the "well no one can possibly be as bad as Labour" fervour.

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"The Lolita beds and the padded bras and the rest of it, in the end most of those products were withdrawn because of parental pressure, so let's help the parents to put that pressure on.

After all, why should they have to take responsiblity for their own actions? That's what the government's here for. What was that? Tory? Oh no, you must be confusing me with someone else.

Still, I guess that once they've finished selling off all the schools and universities people's reasoning skills aren't going to be that great, so maybe thinking on people's behalf in this way is merely preparing for the inevitable decline.

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Mr Bailey, a father of two and committed Christian

Well there's someone who'll have a neutral, scientific point of view. I can't wait for the Abu Hamza review on Whether Stoning Adulterers Is a Good Thing.

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irresponsible advertising and marketing

When I leave a party at 2am and decide that the quickest ay back to my hotel is to wander hopefully but maplessly through some of the poorest slums in Africa, that's irresponible. When I try to sell a 12 year-old a padded bra that's a sensible and well-calculated business plan.

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and take steps to tackle the commercialisation and sexualisation of childhood

Give 'em less pocket money. Next.

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Ministers worry that many youngsters – boys as well as girls – feel they have to live up to airbrushed images of thin celebrities in magazines and advertisements.

We're running out of fossil fuels and key minerals used in the hi-tech sectors. Our debt has risen to massive levels and we may well be heading into the second half of a double dip recession worse than any we have seen since the 30s. Climate is changing, with extreme weather becoming more frequent. The old America-centric world order is shifting, leading to greater international instability and the rise of fierce competition between blocs and emerging superpowers. The European Union is going through serial crises and we can't decide whether we want to be in the centre or on the periphery. China is making threatening noises in the economic, military and IT domains. Nuclear proliferation is a serious threat. And you morons are worried that teenage girls wish their tits were bigger?

Christ, you're right Contra. We need to shoot these idiots right away before they do any more damage.

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Mumsnet spokesman: "Yeah but, no but, yeah but..."

Laws against sexualisation of children impractical, say campaigners - Telegraph

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MPs would struggle to draw up rules on the acceptable length of skirts or height of heels that could be worn by young girls, it is claimed. However campaigners believe ministers should attempt to ban all advertising aimed at the young, such as toys and sweets, on the grounds that it encourages “pester power”. It emerged at the weekend that the Government is to commission a review of inappropriate products and images targeting girls as young as 10, including padded bras, T-shirts with provocative slogans and pencil cases decorated with the Playboy bunny. The chief executive of the Mothers’ Union, Reg Bailey, will produce a report on the ways in which children are put under pressure by retailers and advertisers to grow up too fast. This could lead to industry standards being established or individual businesses being prosecuted, while parents could be given new powers to challenge inappropriate adverts or products. Justine Roberts, co-founder of the influential web forum Mumsnet, welcomed the Government’s focus on the problem as she said it was of great concern to parents and had been a subject of a campaign by her website. But she warned it would be impractical to draw up legislation banning sexualised products for children. “We are sleepwalking into a world where our kids are dressing up as pole-dancers. “I’m skeptical that you can legislate for it but I’m glad that the debate is being taken up. “If they get into the area of trying to legislate on the size of heels or the shortness of skirts or the padded-ness of bras, they’re going to get into terribly difficult areas. “The best way is to challenge retailers to think about it a bit more, and parents too because obviously someone’s buying this stuff. “A far better way is to raise the debate and let the consumers do the ‘nudge’, which is saying we challenge you to behave properly in this regard.” But she added: “I think in commercialisation and advertising, that is the place where Government can make a difference if they’re brave. I don’t see why children need to be advertised to when it’s not their money, what you’re doing is encouraging them to pester their poor parents.” Pippa Smith, co-chairman of Safermedia, said: “Unfortunately children are quite a high priority on the marketers’ list. I think there’s got to be willpower with the Government. “It’s very hard with legislation, I agree, and there’s a large amount of money involved.” Katherine Rake, the chief executive of the Family and Parenting Institute, welcomed attempts to protect boys and girls from adult images. She said: “It is a very real concern for parents that young children are experiencing too much too young. Mothers and fathers regularly tell us that they don’t want to see childhood disappearing. “Confronting this issue is vital if we are to move closer to a family-friendly society. We look forward to seeing progress made.”

This is basically the problem that I have with the whole thing: "The chief executive of the Mothers’ Union, Reg Bailey, will produce a report on the ways in which children are put under pressure by retailers and advertisers to grow up too fast."

Can you imagine the effect if a drug company announced that "this product is in its early stages of development, but Dr. X will soon be paid to publish a study into how fucking awesome a panacea it truly is. Then you all have to buy it." At least they have the decency to pretend that some objectivity has gone into the process. Here they've decided what result they want and hired an obviously biased investigator to arrive at it. Way to encourage kids to develop an enquiring mind. And speaking of enquiring minds...

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Katherine Rake, the chief executive of the Family and Parenting Institute, welcomed attempts to protect boys and girls from adult images.

Someone else who was never a kid themselves. While you're at it find a way of making water flow up hill. Kids want to look at this stuff mainly because they know it's naughty and forbidden (in my day it was mostly naughty paperbacks, Eurotrash and the beginnings of the internet, I suspect the "porn stash found in the woods" story that did the rounds of every school to be an urban myth), God knows I did, and I turned out... Well, okay, maybe that's a bad example, but I was reading it in a spirit of "Oh, so that explains it" rather than "Nooooooooooooooooooooo! It's turned me gay!"

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