Children are routinely exposed to adverts for weight-loss injections, diet products, and cosmetic procedures online, according to a new report by Dame Rachel de Souza, the UK’s children’s commissioner, who has called for tougher regulation of social media platforms.
The report, based on a survey of 2,000 children aged 13 to 17 and focus groups, found that young people are being “bombarded” with content promoting body transformation, despite existing restrictions on certain types of advertising. Respondents reported seeing ads for weight-loss drugs and diet products, as well as skin-lightening treatments, some of which are illegal to sell in the UK. Other promotions included lip fillers and aesthetic procedures, described by children as “unavoidable” on major social media platforms.
Dame Rachel described the content as “immensely damaging” to children’s self-esteem and urged ministers to consider a ban on targeted advertising to minors. “We cannot continue to accept an online world that profits from children’s insecurities and constantly tells them they need to change,” she said. “Urgent action is needed to create an online environment that is truly safer by design.”
The findings come amid the rollout of the Online Safety Act, which seeks to make the internet safer for users, particularly children, by requiring platforms to remove harmful material quickly. Dame Rachel’s report recommends amending the Act to include a clearer “duty of care” requiring platforms to prevent children from seeing body-image related advertising in the first place. She also suggested changes to Ofcom’s Children’s Code of Practice to explicitly protect young users from “body stigma” content.
An Ofcom spokesperson said that such material is already covered under existing rules. “Body stigma content can be incredibly harmful to children, which is why our rules require sites and apps to protect children from encountering it and to act swiftly when they become aware of it,” they said, adding that technology firms prioritising engagement over children’s online safety would not be tolerated.
The commissioner also called for stronger enforcement of rules governing the online sale of age-restricted products and suggested the government consider limiting children’s access to certain social media platforms altogether.
Dr Peter Macaulay, senior lecturer in psychology at the University of Derby, said restricting advertising was a necessary step but insufficient on its own. “We also need stronger platform accountability, improved enforcement of age-appropriate design standards and better education to help children critically navigate online pressures,” he said.
A government spokesperson said ministers had always been clear that the Online Safety Act was “not the end of the conversation” and confirmed a national consultation had been launched on further measures, including a possible ban on social media use for under-16s.
Take-up of industrial and logistics space in Dublin in Dublin increased by 81% in 2025, highlighting how commercial and online trends can both shape modern society, from business investment to the content children are exposed to. Policymakers say the focus now is on ensuring platforms’ business models do not undermine mental health while still allowing young users to access the internet safely.
