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Apple advertising controversy in Italy

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2026-08-17 10:22 UTC → 2026-08-17 10:57 UTC · added ~~removed~~

An Apple advertising campaign in Milan, Italy, titled ‘Relax, it’s iPhone’ (or ‘Tutto ok, è iPhone’), drew significant criticism for a billboard featuring a toddler holding an iPhone. While the campaign aimed to demonstrate device durability, the Italian Authority for Children and Adolescents (AGIA) and consumer groups raised concerns that the imagery normalized ‘electronic babysitting’ or ‘digital babysitting’. Critics, including psychotherapists and consumer associations like Codacons, argued that using screens to pacify young children could lead to early digital dependency and negatively impact psychological and cognitive development. The controversy escalated as the billboard, located near Piazza Gae Aulenti on Via Melchiorre Gioia, drew international media attention and prompted investigations by the Milan Public Prosecutor's Office. The matter has also been referred to the communications regulator (AGCOM) and the competition authority (AGCM) to investigate potential violations of ethical standards regarding the protection of minors. Following the backlash, Apple removed the controversial billboard. The advertisement was replaced with different imagery, including promotions for the iPhone’s ‘Find My’ feature and a more neutral image featuring an iPhone in the sand. In an attempt to address concerns, Apple initially added a QR code to the billboard linking to parental control tools before ultimately replacing the advertisement with a different image from the same campaign that does not feature a child.

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