Children in England ‘bombarded’ with online ads for harmful products

Tue, 10 Feb 2026

Teenagers routinely see content promoting weight-loss drugs, steroids and skin-whitening creams, research finds

Children are being “bombarded” with harmful products online, including weight-loss drugs, steroids and skin-whitening chemicals, a study has found.

Research conducted for the children’s commissioner for England found that teenagers were routinely exposed to harmful products on social media, video games and apps.