As fast food restaurants steer more of their marketing resources online, they are facing regulations similar to the ones they must observe in traditional media. The central issue is whether fast food companies market their products directly to children. In the UK, where this is explicitly banned, fast food companies are being accused of observing the letter, but not the intent of the law. Fast food sites have games and interactive areas aimed at kids. Some are accusing the companies of the same targeting of kids, just less directly. Companies counter that children must receive adult permission to enter these sites, and that menu items are not the focus of the interactive areas. In a less than objective article the BBC news addressed the subject. See http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/6905072.stm
Fortunately, the internet is still a great provider of free speech, and this very subject is being debated at; http://wiki.idebate.org/index.php/Debate:Junk_food_advertising_ban#Should_junk_food_advertising_be_banned.2C_especially_during_children.27s_television_programs.3F
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