Abstract

Advertising aims at persuading consumers to buy products and services. The more persuasive advertising is, the more effective, but also the closer it comes to the limits of moral acceptability. In this chapter, we discuss one such a limit, namely, when advertising moves from information to manipulation, through deception and seduction, and thereby becomes harmful to consumers. The potentially manipulative features of social media advertising are explored. Stereotypical advertising can be harmful when it belittles certain groups, and it can thereby become a cause of discrimination and social inequality. When advertising leads to over-consumption, it can be detrimental to consumer health, and it can be harmful to the environment. This may give cause to more regulation and restrictions on advertising in the future.