Margo G. Wootan, in her Guidelines for Responsible Food
Marketing to Children, suggests that we protect children from unhealthy food advertisements
by limiting what the advertisers can show. She mentions how marketing
advertisements for low nutrition food undermine parents’ authority when they
are trying to encourage their children to eat healthier foods. On the other
hand, Robert Liodice reminds us that, as Americans, we are all entitled to
freedom of speech. He warns that chipping away at such an important right can
be dangerous. He believes that restricting unhealthy food advertisements to
children would trample upon our first amendment rights and diminish the whole
idea of free enterprise. I am inclined to side with Liodice in this matter.
Although I do understand where Wootan is coming from, I believe Liodice makes a
better argument. Advertisements, no matter how suggestive, do not force children
to eat unhealthy foods. Advertisements merely put the idea in their heads and
it is entirely up to their parents to say yes or no to it. If anything, I think
we should be encouraging parents to buy healthier foods despite how their
children may protest.
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