Apple removes controversial Milan billboard featuring child with iPhone

Apple has removed a controversial billboard in Milan following backlash regarding its marketing imagery. The advertisement, located on Via Melchiorre Gioia, featured a very young child holding a food-stained iPhone accompanied by the slogan “Tutto ok, è iPhone” (Everything is ok, it’s iPhone).

Critics, including consumer rights groups and child welfare organizations, argued the campaign normalized “electronic babysitting” and encouraged early smartphone exposure for toddlers. The controversy drew attention from the Italian Authority for Children and Adolescents (AGIA) and prompted discussions among psychologists regarding the impact of digital devices on young children.

In response to the criticism, which gained international attention, Apple replaced the contested image with a more neutral advertisement featuring an iPhone in the sand.