Portrayal of tobacco in Mongolian language YouTube videos: Policy gaps

Objectives This study examined how effectively current policy measures control depictions of tobacco in Mongolian language YouTube videos. Methods A search of YouTube videos using the Mongolian term for 'tobacco', and employing 'relevance' and 'view count' criteria, resulted in a total sample of 120 videos, from which 38 unique videos were coded and analysed. Results Most videos were antismoking public service announcements; however, analyses of viewing patterns showed that pro-smoking videos accounted for about two-thirds of all views. Pro-smoking videos were also perceived more positively and had a like:dislike ratio of 4.6 compared with 3.5 and 1.5, respectively, for the magic trick and antismoking videos. Although Mongolia prohibits tobacco advertising, 3 of the pro-smoking videos were made by a tobacco company; additionally, 1 pro-smoking video promoted electronic cigarettes. Conclusions Given the popularity of Mongolian YouTube videos that promote smoking, policy changes are urgently required to control this medium, and more effectively protect youth and young adults from insidious tobacco marketing.