Naked Science Forum
Life Sciences => Physiology & Medicine => Topic started by: Sally Le Page on 24/06/2021 14:41:33
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Ashe wrote to us and asked:
"In one study you discussed, participants were conditioned with graphic sexual images while under the impression they were looking at a menu or something along those lines. After finishing an episode on neuroethics and the dark side of neuroscience, I was wondering if there are any laws (internationally or otherwise) against conditioning someone with advertisements e.g. flashing images at a rate that the conscious brain cannot perceive to make the brain open to say, purchasing an item or even voting for a certain candidate."
Do you know?
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In the UK it’s use in advertising has been banned since 1957.
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The internet has lots of "liminal" adverts (ie those which cross the threshold of awareness).
But if you always ignore the ads, does that mean you are creating your own subliminal advertising?
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Years ago I made a conscious decision not to buy any product whose TV advert mocks or belittles men, or pretends that anyone enjoys watching soccer. That leaves surprisingly few products, most of which seem to be for hair dye - but that ship sailed 20 years ago.
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In the UK it’s use in advertising has been banned since 1957.
Yes but you're thinking of the obvious examples like strobing images on the screen at high frequencies.
A broader definition of subliminal can be made and it's almost impossible to stop all such advertising. Advertisers are quite intelligent and the industry is well funded and researched. Meanwhile, the Advertising Standards Agency in the UK is less well funded and they cannot realistically identify all subliminal advertising.
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Yes but you're thinking of the obvious examples like strobing images on the screen at high frequencies.
I wasn’t thinking of any particular examples, just quoting the law. The ASA states:
5.4.5 Subliminal advertising
No advertisement may use images of very brief duration, or any other technique which is likely to influence viewers, without their being fully aware of what has been done
Which allows them to cover any method.
The ability of the authorities to prevent illegal activity doesn't stop it being illegal.