Singapore—Popular DJ and former actress Jade Rasif was shocked when an ad for a sugar baby site popped up while she was watching a video on YouTube with her young niece.
Ms Rasif who is now the mother of a toddler, said that her parental lock had been on at that time.
She told the story of the incident on a post on a private Facebook mommy group, SG Mommies, to warn parents of inappropriate content. Furthermore, she asked that since advertisements on television are regulated, should there not be advertising guidelines as well?
The former actress wrote in her post that she had been watching a documentary about children who survive grave illnesses with her niece, who was also ill at that time, when “YouTube showed us an advertisement for this prostitution website,” posting a photo of an ad for Sugarbook, an online dating site for “Sugar Daddies & Sugar Babies” to meet, according to mustsharenews.
The caption on the video read: “Becca’s allowance is $5,000 monthly dating rich men.”
Ms Rasif wrote that the children who were with her asked her what a sugar baby is “and were amazed at how much they could earn.”
She then appealed to mothers to “skip past quickly” if they see the ad on YouTube, pointing out that while she had “nothing against sugar babies,” she didn’t “need the lifestyle glamourised” to her son and his cousins.
On Wednesday (Oct 21), the former DJ posted a petition on her Facebook page asking Youtube to abide by Singapore’s Advertising Code of Ethics.
In 2018, several Members of Parliament voiced their concerns that the Sugarbook dating site may open up vulnerable young people to possible sexual and/or emotional exploitation from their partners. MPs asked what actions would be taken to mitigate potential harm to the site’s users, and some MPs have actually called the site “dangerous” and “harmful.”
Desmond Lee, the Minister for Social and Family Development, also voiced the ministry’s concerns with TSB, noting that it “undermine(s) families and societies.” He indicated that the Ministry will not ban the site altogether yet but added that police officers may take enforcement action against those who exchange sexual services for payment.
In response to the criticism from the MPs the people behind the site said that their platform is all about empowering women with choice. The Sugarbook emphasized that its users become more powerful, since they have the deciding vote as to whether or not they will continue communication with the partners they meet on the site.
The site said that it’s a platform that works similarly to LinkedIn and Facebook, appealing to a niche demographic and providing space “where like-minded consenting adults can meet, connect and develop mutually beneficial relationships.” —/TISG
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