PETA Ad Banned Over Swine Flu Fears, “Ambiguous” Message

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by Michael dEstries October 14, 2009
Categories: Animals, Causes.

meatkills

A new ad from PETA UK highlighting the role that livestock production plays in the incubation, development and spread of fatal infectious diseases has been pulled by the Advertising Standards Authority. According to the watchdog group, complaints were received that the ad might be misinterpreted to mean that eating meat will cause people to receive the H1N1 virus. PETA’s highlighting of the word “Swine Flu” repeatedly also apparently did them no favors.

The ASA added that the poster referred to a number of diseases, two of which are known to have originated from eating meat and two that did not.

“Although we understood the intention was to refer to livestock and meat production rather than just eating meat, we considered that the message was, at best, ambiguous,” said the ASA.

“PETA is sending a clear message that meat-eating fuels the demand for filthy factory farms, which, in turn, enable pathogens such as the swine flu virus to multiply, spread and cause infection”, says PETA’s Poorva Joshipura. “The easiest way for consumers to help prevent the development of animalborne disease epidemics and infectious illnesses is to go vegan.”


Categories: Animals, Causes.

About Michael dEstries

Michael has been blogging since 2005 on issues such as sustainability, renewable energy, philanthropy, and healthy living. He regularly contributes to a slew of publications, as well as consulting with companies looking to make an impact using the web and social media. He lives in Ithaca, NY with his family on an apple farm.

View all posts by Michael dEstries →
  • http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=9FD18926170ED901&search_query=earthlings Whoever…

    Of course it was banned.

    Do you think the powers to be (= Illuminati) would let anyone ruin their business?

    How naive…

    This is the truth about H1N1 flu – a scam:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrTOXkyaFv4

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PelTWCUmTsU

  • James

    Finally someone from PETA uses the word ‘vegan’ and not ‘vegetarian’ as they usually do.

  • Abra_Eden

    of course they’d ban it. It’s peta. The forbidden word. f-ing conservative stuck-ups.

  • haley

    “PETA is sending a clear message that meat-eating fuels the demand for filthy factory farms, which, in turn, enable pathogens such as the swine flu virus to multiply, spread and cause infection.”
    -Poorva Joshipura
    I don’t know if anyone besides me notices this, but PETA tries to make themselves sound so smart without any supporting evidence. I mean seriously! I’ve been eating meat all of my life and I don’t have an infectious disease or animalborne disease! And I’m positive that not all factory farms are as filthy as PETA makes them seem. The government has rules and regulations that these factories must follow, and they DON’T allow nasty infected food to go through to consumer hands(or at least they try not to) because they inspect the meat before it goes out. Now I’m not saying that meat is entirely good for you, I’m just sick of PETA’s ignorancy.

    • kristin

      less than 1% of cattle in the united states is tested annually for diseases. safe? i think not.

      and oh, if you don’t think all factory farms are that bad, why don’t you go to one? better yet – work in one. then see if you want to eat meat.

    • http://iwillsavetheearth.blogspot.com lucky

      No infectious disease ?? Did you miss the Larry King Live Show recently ? Two young victims of hamburger were featured, one paralyzed, the other girl dead, from catching infectious E. coli from the meat eating grand father.

  • http://www.veganjapan.net herwin

    talking about misleading adds, the most misleading adds are adds from the meat and dairy industry. when was the last time that instead of a happy cow grazing on some green pasture you saw a REAL dairy cow, standing in its filth inside a modern dairy factory farm.
    great add fro Peta , they should run more of these clear adds as a balance to the soft famous veggie adds.

    Haley, maybe you are getting sick of your own subconscious because you are well aware of the inhumane treatment of animals at these animal factories. Its tough denying the truth as a meateater, eh. dont blame Peta, your ignorance is far greater.

    • Gomer Kierkegaard

      @herwin

      Calling people ignorant because they disagree with you will only serve to weaken your argument.

      PETA (like the NRA) consistently exaggerates, distorts, excludes inconvenient facts, and hijacks other peoples causes (check out their ‘Got Autism’ billboard–completely offensive and untrue) which is why reasonable people everywhere, liberal and conservative, tend to dismiss their claims. A shame, really. They could do so much good if they would stick with the facts (truth tends to be subjective, facts are indisputable).

      I’m liberal. I think PETA are a bunch of looneys. They weren’t always that way.

      And I am not ignorant. Not even a little.

      • http://www.veganjapan.net herwin

        @ Gomer,
        i see your point and partially agree with you. It would be better not to exaggerate and keep to the facts which are powerfull enough by themself.
        But on the other hand as a group you have the duty to highlight your cause and make sure it gets picked up by the media. Peta exaggerates, okay, but their core message isnt exaggerated at all and stands firm like a rock.
        Far worse and more dispicable, and even dangerous is the downplaying (the opposite of exaggeration) of the facts by ignorant meat eating individuals who struggle with their conscious, by claiming that everything is save because there are regulations and checks by the governement. (a big DUH here..)
        thats not only downplaying it, thats also slightly twisting the facts because it has been many times reported and documented by looney groups like Peta that checks are routinely ignored and yes, bad meat indeed finds its way to the supermarket.
        its out there for anyone who can use Google.
        i am also not ignorant about both Peta as well as the animal factories, thats why i fully support Peta.

  • VeggieTart

    Yes, it’s true that PETA distorts and exaggerates, but so does every company that advertises. Why is it okay for the meat and dairy industry to lie about their products, but PETA can’t use ambiguous language to tie meat production to the spread of superviruses and antibiotic-resistant bacteria?

  • MeatLover

    Meat does kill. It kills the animal but then again, Men have lived for thousands of years hunting for and eating other living things. That’s the way nature intended for things to be. Men aren’t an exception.

    PETA is like the US trying to spread democracy in other countries. What you believe in SHOULD NOT be forced unto me. Leave us meat eaters be!

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