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Young Australians who “like” or “follow” alcohol brands on social media are twice as likely to drink at risky levels than those who do not, according to new research.
The results have led to calls from public health experts for a re-evaluation of alcohol and social media regulations in Australia.
“Australian teens are clearly being reached and influenced by alcohol campaigns, despite current restrictions and regulations in place by advertising boards and social media platforms,” said Dr Megan Lim, the head of sexual health and young people research at the Burnet Institute.
A survey of 1000 young Australians aged 15-29 found 22 per cent “followed” at least one type of alcohol marketing campaign on social media, including Facebook and Twitter. Teens aged 15-17 were equally as likely to like or follow alcohol pages as adults.
“People who followed the page were almost twice as likely to be in the group of high-risk drinkers,” Dr Lim said.
Read more: ‘Liking’ alcohol linked to risky drinking
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