Children are being ‘attacked’ by adverts for weight loss drugs online, the commissioner warns

Children are often exposed to advertisements for weight loss injections, diet products and cosmetic procedures online, according to a new report by Dame Rachel de Souza, which has called for stricter regulation of social media.

The report, based on a survey of 2,000 13- to 17-year-olds through focus groups, found that young people are “bombarded” by content promoting body modification, despite restrictions on certain types of advertising.

Respondents reported seeing advertisements for weight loss drugs and food products, as well as skin lightening treatments, some of which are illegal to sell in the UK. Others described beauty and cosmetic content, including the promotion of lip fillers and beauty procedures, as “inevitable” on all major social media platforms.

Dame Rachel said the content was “severely damaging” to young people’s self-esteem and urged ministers to consider banning advertising aimed at children on social media.

“We cannot continue to accept an online world that profits from children’s insecurities and keep telling ourselves that they have to change,” she said. “Urgent action is needed to create an online environment that is truly safe by design.”

The findings come amid the rollout of the Internet Safety Act, which aims to make the internet safer for users, especially children, by placing duties on platforms to quickly remove harmful content.

Dame Rachel’s report suggests amending the Act to introduce a clearer “duty of care” for platforms to prevent children from being exposed to body-related advertising in the first place. He also recommended changes to Ofcom’s Children’s Code of Practice to expressly protect young users from “sexual harassment” content.

Ofcom said such things were already covered under the existing code. “The content of body language can be incredibly harmful to children, which is why our laws require sites and apps to protect children from exposure and act quickly when they become aware of it,” said a spokesperson. The regulator added that it would not tolerate technology firms that “prioritize the engagement and safety of children online”.

The commissioner also called for strict enforcement of laws governing the sale of restricted products online and suggested that the government consider restricting children’s access to social media altogether.

Dr Peter Macaulay, senior lecturer in psychology at the University of Derby, said restricting advertising to children was a necessary step but not sufficient in itself. “We also need stronger platform accountability, improved enforcement of age-appropriate design standards and better education to help kids navigate deeper online pressures,” he said.

A government spokesman said ministers had always been clear that the Internet Safety Act was “not the end of the conversation” and confirmed that a national consultation had been launched on further measures, including the possibility of banning the use of social media by under-16s.

The debate highlights growing concerns among policymakers about the commercial drivers behind content aimed at young people, as platforms face increasing pressure to demonstrate that their business models do not undermine children’s mental health.