ABAC recently retained JWS Research to monitor compliance of a random selection of its signatories (including Australian Distillers Association members) with ABAC placement rule 2. This placement rule requires alcohol marketers to use all available age restriction controls to exclude minors from viewing its Marketing Communications.

JWS Research have identified that the Instagram accounts and Facebook accounts of many of our members did not have available age restriction controls applied to prevent minors from accessing the account. Each member was contacted directly by the ABAC after it was advised in one of my newsletters, and they were asked to advise in relation to these accounts whether:

• the accounts are within your reasonable control (or that of someone acting on your behalf)?
• If not, explain your relationship with the account owner?

If they did have control, they were provided with instructions on how to activate age restrictions. Instructions for age restriction controls across Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, Twitter and Snapchat can be found here.