Making Money on Instagram Advertising Cigarettes - Behind the News
4,252 views · Published 21 September 2018 · 3:25 · Indexed 4 November 2026
Channel: Behind the News · 2018 · Education
Whether it's the newest beauty trend, the next big food thing, or the latest in street fashion, social media seems to have it all. But while it's easy to think all those posts just exist for funsies, a lot of it is actually big business. Back in the 70s, Australia took a big step in the fight against smoking by banning companies from advertising it. But now, it's back and authorities can't really do anything about it. A big study has found that cigarette brands have started advertising within social media posts of the rich and popular. Studies show people can be influenced into buying something just by seeing someone who seems fashionable, fit, alternative, cool, knowledgeable, talented or just plain famous wear it, use it, or say how completely amazingly awesome it is. And that's why businesses like to use celebrities and social media stars to feature their stuff. But it's not always obvious when something is an ad. It might just be a product deliberately placed in a pretty photo, like this, this, or this. But what happens when that product is dangerous to your health and illegal to advertise in any other way? Well, that's an issue that's got many anti-smoking organisations seriously worried right now. They carried out a study in the US and discovered that big tobacco companies are asking some of the most insta-worthy influencers to subtly promote cigarettes in their posts. They found evidence of campaigns to target people, especially young people, in at least 40 different countries including Australia. The tobacco companies paid the influencers money, gave them gifts, or invitations to exclusive parties. And the posts? Well, the study showed they got at least 25 billion views and clicks all around the world. That's some serious influence. But advertising cigarettes is illegal in Australia and has been since the 1970s. Companies can be fined up to $126,000 and an individual person, up to $25,000. The only thing that's allowed here are ads against smoking. But social media is a bit of a loophole to those advertising laws, because the stuff we're seeing isn't all originating in Australia. It's from all over the place, and that can make it tough to track. Because of that, experts say when you're over 13 and scrolling through your feed, just keep in mind that these guys are called influencers for a reason. They have a lot of it and many are willing to sell it. _ For the past 50 years, Behind the News has been helping to break down current issues and events for young people all around the world. The program is a high-energy, fun way for people to learn about the stories we see in the news, while providing background information that isn’t usually given by other news bulletins. We have over 1000 stories on all sorts of topics - everything from politics & volcanoes, to online security & fortnite. If you're looking for help to understand something, you'll probably find it on BTN. Make sure to like & subscribe our videos if you want to stay in the know! Visit our website: http://www.abc.net.au/btn/ Follow us on Social Media: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/abcbtn Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behindthenews/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/behindthenews
