At the World Conference on Tobacco Control in Dublin (23–25 June), experts said AI can help stop tobacco companies from targeting young people online. They warned that social media and new nicotine products draw youth into addiction, and that poorer countries face the heaviest burden.
Speakers said platforms such as Instagram, TikTok and YouTube let indirect marketing slip through policy gaps. In Indonesia, the Free Net from Tobacco coalition uses AI to find promotional videos on YouTube and report them, which has closed many accounts.
Vital Strategies runs the Canary monitoring service in Mexico, India and Indonesia to expose digital marketing and give data to policymakers. Other projects use AI to support quitting, and WHO warned that e-cigarettes and similar products need regulation.
Difficult words
- target — to aim advertising at a person or grouptargeting
- addiction — a strong need to keep using a substance
- platform — a website or app where people share contentplatforms
- indirect — not direct; happening through another person or thing
- coalition — a group of people or organizations working together
- regulation — a rule made by government to control products
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- Have you ever seen tobacco promotions on social media? What did you see?
- Do you think using AI to find and report online promotions is a good idea? Why?
- Should e-cigarettes be regulated in your country? Why or why not?
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