Tech Giants Crack Down on Underage Alcohol Ads

In a move that could reshape the landscape of online alcohol advertising, leading alcoholic beverage companies have joined forces with major digital platforms like Google, Meta, Pinterest, Snap, TikTok, and X. This initiative, spearheaded by the International Alliance for Responsible Drinking (IARD), aims to support the United Nations' goals to combat harmful alcohol use by enhancing age verification systems and ensuring alcohol ads reach only adults interested in these brands.

IARD's membership is a who's who of the beverage world, including AB InBev, Asahi, Bacardi, Brown-Forman, Carlsberg, Diageo, Heineken, Kirin, Moët Hennessy, Molson Coors Beverage Company, Pernod Ricard, Suntory Global Spirits, and William Grant & Sons. Additionally, The Coca-Cola Company and Lotte Chilsung Beverage are associated members.

In a joint statement, IARD members and digital platforms announced their commitment to bolstering online safeguards to prevent minors from inadvertently viewing alcohol ads. They emphasized that robust age verification methods would be implemented across digital platforms by 2025.

As part of this agreement, digital companies have shared transparency reports detailing specific safeguards, especially policies and practices to ensure age verification. IARD members also reiterated their commitment to creating positive experiences for adults interacting with alcohol brands and promoting moderate, responsible consumption among adults who choose to drink.

The collaboration has already achieved significant milestones. "Hundreds of thousands of influencers worldwide now have the tools to age-restrict their posts," the collective noted. "Global marketing and advertising agencies have adopted the first global standards for influencer marketing, and millions of advertisers can now restrict online ads based on age across digital platforms."

IARD members are on track to achieve 95% compliance with the 'Digital Guiding Principles' by the end of this year. These principles include five key safeguards for brand channels: age affirmation mechanisms, transparency, user-generated content policies, advanced notice advisories, and responsible drinking messages.

Alexandre Ricard, CEO of Pernod Ricard and President of IARD, emphasized the critical role of social media in preventing minors from seeing alcohol ads. "We're pleased to have found great allies in digital platforms willing to implement effective age verification," Ricard stated. "This global initiative shows how the private sector can unite to elevate international responsibility standards, and we call on others to join us."

Julian Braithwaite, CEO and President of IARD, highlighted the significance of this alliance. "Today's new alliance between the world's leading beer, wine, and spirits companies and global digital platforms is a major milestone in the global effort to prevent alcohol advertising and sales to minors," Braithwaite said. "It shows what can be achieved when the private sector mobilizes effectively to meet the UN's goals in combating harmful alcohol use."

Representatives from the digital platforms also commented on their involvement. A Google spokesperson stated, "We take our responsibility to ensure appropriate age-targeted advertising very seriously and are gratified that this group has come together to promote responsible advertising practices across the industry."

From Meta, a spokesperson explained, "We want people to have safe and positive online experiences. We've spent a decade developing tools, features, and resources designed to protect users on our platform. Partnerships like IARD are crucial for the industry to unite around aligned standards for alcohol advertising."

Pinterest's representative assured, "At Pinterest, we focus on creating a positive experience for everyone, including young people. This includes the ads they see, and we've established robust restrictions for alcohol advertising, including prohibiting targeting minors."

Snap's spokesperson expressed, "Snap prohibits advertisers from targeting alcohol ads to people under the legal drinking age. We proactively embed safeguards in our processes for advertisers and provide legal-age Snapchat users the ability to opt-out of alcohol ads."

Representing TikTok, a spokesperson declared, "We are committed to ensuring our community sees age-appropriate ads. We take numerous measures to prevent ads and content related to alcohol from being viewed by minors under 18, and we welcome the partnership with IARD on this important issue."

Lastly, a spokesperson from X, formerly known as Twitter, added, "X collaborated with Internet Matters, an organization launched specifically to support parents and guardians navigating the digital environment, to develop a guide on parental controls."

In summary, this alliance between alcohol brands and digital giants marks a significant step towards responsible advertising. By prioritizing robust age verification and transparency, these companies aim to foster a safer digital environment, aligning with global efforts to mitigate harmful alcohol use.