Dublin, Ireland (Enmaeya News) — Tobacco and alcohol companies are using the metaverse — a virtual, 3D online world — to market their products to young people, bypassing traditional advertising rules, public health experts warn.
At last month’s World Conference on Tobacco Control, a report from the global health group Vital Strategies revealed how these companies are adopting new digital tools, such as NFTs (non-fungible tokens) and online game sponsorships, to promote smoking and vaping.
“Tobacco companies are no longer waiting for regulations to catch them up. They are way ahead of us,” said Dr. Melina Magsumbol of Vital Strategies India. “They’re using NFTs. They’re using immersive events to get our kids to come and see what they’re offering.”
The report is part of the “Canary” monitoring project, which tracks tobacco marketing on social media in countries including India, Indonesia, and Mexico. The project plans to expand to Brazil and China and cover alcohol marketing as well.
While Canary does not yet scan the metaverse directly, it detects references to metaverse marketing through social media posts. Researchers warn that the majority of metaverse users are under 13, putting children at high risk of exposure.
“Digital platforms are being used to bypass traditional advertising restrictions and target young audiences,” Magsumbol said.
Dr. Mary-Ann Etiebet, CEO of Vital Strategies, said social media’s powerful engagement tools combined with tobacco companies’ expertise in addiction creates a dangerous mix.
“Those two things together in a space that is unknown and opaque—that scares me,” she said.
Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg has promoted the metaverse as a space where people can do “almost anything you can imagine,” including shopping and attending virtual concerts. But experts say it is also becoming a new marketing battlefield.
“Online we behave differently. Social norms change. The tobacco industry knows that very well,” Magsumbol said. “It’s so easy to subtly sell the idea that you can be anything, anyone you want.”
In Indonesia, tobacco giant Djarum has linked its marketing to virtual music communities on Instagram and shared images of avatars smoking and drinking coffee in the metaverse.
Experts say this normalizes smoking and vaping among young users and risks influencing real-life behavior.
At the same conference, Irish researchers reported that 53% of teenagers see e-cigarette posts daily on social media. The World Health Organization noted that youth smoking is rising in Ukraine, partly due to increased online time during the pandemic and war.
Agamroop Kaur, a youth ambassador for the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids in India, said teaching young people how to identify hidden tobacco ads is key.
“Building those skills early is really important,” she said.
The WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control calls for bans on tobacco advertising and promotion, including online. But regulators face challenges enforcing rules on internet platforms.
“Regulating the internet is not a problem unique to tobacco,” said Andrew Black from the treaty secretariat. “It’s a real challenge for governments in a world where borders are broken down.”
Dr. Nandita Murukutla of Vital Strategies warned that ignoring these new marketing tactics risks widespread harm.
“What starts small and you ignore can explode, and dialing it back is virtually impossible,” she said.
