Unhealthy Digital Marketing Among Aboriginal People in Australia: Findings From the # DigitalMob Pilot Study

ISSUE ADDRESSED: This study aimed to quantify Aboriginal adults' exposure to digital marketing of unhealthy food and beverages, alcohol, gambling, tobacco and e-cigarettes; analyse demographic differences in marketing exposure; and describe the nature of digital marketing reaching Aboriginal audiences, including brands, platforms and marketing tactics. METHODS: Thirty-one Aboriginal adults were asked to record their screens, capturing approximately one-third of their usual daily screen time (maximum 60 min). Recordings were analysed using SCANNER, an automated system trained to detect unhealthy commodity marketing. Demographic data and usual online behaviours were collected via an online survey. Descriptive statistics, a post hoc Mann-Whitney U test and a Fisher-Freeman-Halton extension of Fisher's Exact test were used to analyse differences in marketing detections. RESULTS: Most participants (n = 29/31, 94%) were exposed to unhealthy digital marketing. Of the 587 marketing instances detected, unhealthy food brands were most common (47%), followed by gambling (28%), alcohol (15%), sweetened beverages (9%) and tobacco (1%). No e-cigarette marketing was detected. Estimated daily exposure to unhealthy digital marketing was 40.4 (IQR: 11-92) instances per day. Male participants, aged 30 years and under, recorded significantly more marketing detections overall and for unhealthy food, alcohol and gambling brands. CONCLUSION: Findings highlight the pervasiveness of unhealthy food and beverage, gambling and alcohol marketing in the everyday digital lives of Aboriginal participants. SO WHAT?: Comprehensive regulation of unhealthy digital marketing is urgently required to advance Aboriginal health.