#MomsNotLovinIt Twitter Chat–Ask McDonalds to Stop Predatory Marketing to Children

McDonalds represents everything that is wrong with our food supply.

For decades, McDonalds has profited richly at a staggering cost to our children’s health. Their strategy has been to undermine parents and guardians, whom the corporation calls “gatekeepers.” Schools have long been exploited to market McDonalds junk food to kids, including my own son’s school. School districts can get up to $1,000 for allowing Ronald to “pitch health and wellness to kids. In one egregious example, schools were paid to print the McDonald’s logo on report cards. And all over the country, McDonald’s has deliberately cited restaurants near schools and sought to market their products inside schools. To curry favor with parents, McDonalds has done everything from sponsoring this year’s Washington State PTA convention and promoting McTeacher’s Nights that do more for the corporation bottom line and brand trust then they do for schools.

Here’s an example of McDonalds marketing to my son WITHOUT my permission at his own public school

But here are my three main issues with them:  (1) They sell food that makes us sick as a nation, particularly for children, (2) They are deceptive in their marketing practices to children, and (3) Some experts believe their deceptive marketing practices are a violation of the law.

I don’t need to sell you on why McDonalds is unhealthy for you or why they are making us sick as a nation. But we DO need to discuss why marketing fast food to children is wrong, especially in the case of McDonalds. McDonalds knows that marketing junk food to children under 12 is inherently deceptive and that’s why they do it.  They may be brilliant with their marketing strategies, but deception is deception.

There’s a good reason why tobacco companies are prohibited from marketing to children.

Deceptive marketing is NOT a First Amendment right. Federal laws prohibit unfair or deceptive advertising and particularly false or misleading advertising is additionally banned by state consumer protection statutes. This is not a case of their right to advertise or their right to free speech. This is a case of them making millions by harming and deceiving us. And then we thank them for it.

Let’s stop thanking them for it and instead encourage them to do the right thing–STOP MARKETING TO CHILDREN.

I don’t have a problem with them existing. I have a problem with them marketing to my children without my permission.

Details for Twitter Chat:

When: Monday, July 15th from 8-9pm EST (5-6pm PST)

Hashtag: #MomsNotLovingit

How to RSVP: Hit the linky below

Theme: McDonald’s Predatory Marketing Practices to Children

Panelists:

Leah Segedie: @Bookieboo–Host

Corporate Accountability International: @StopCorpAbuse–Main Panelist

Casey Hinds: @CaseyHinds–Panelist

Yale Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity: @YaleRuddCenter–Panelist

Food Mythbusters: @FoodMythbusters–Panelist

Bettina Elias Siegel: @thelunchtray–Panelist

Nancy Huehnergarth: @nyshepa–Panelist

Kia Robertson: @EatingaRainbow–Panelist

Jessica Gottlieb: @JessicaGottlieb–Panelist

Jean Layton: @GFDoctor–Panelist

Kimberly Grabinski: @Whatsthatsmell–Panelist

Chrystal Johnson: @HappyMothering–Panelist

Morgan Shanahan: @The818–Panelist

Green Sisterhood: @GreenSisterhood–Panelist

Green Talk: @GreenTalk–Panelist

Karen Lee: @EcoKarenLee–Panelist

Green Child Magazine: @GreenChildMag–Panelist

To RSVP and help us promote this cause, please share this post on at least two social media platforms of your choice like Facebook & Twitter. And here is a sample tweet in case you would like to use twitter:

I’m asking @McDonalds 2stop predatory marketing 2children at  #MomsNotLovinit Twitter Chat 7/15. Join me! http://bit.ly/1al3mW5

OR

Hands off our kids @McDonalds! Stop predatory marketing 2children. Join #MomsNotLovinit twitter chat 7/15 http://bit.ly/1al3mW5

Please hit the linky below with your twitter name to RSVP to this chat. Thank you!