Hashtag Ad: Competition watchdog asks brands to be more transparent over influencer adverts
The competition watchdog has published fresh guidance for Instagram influencers and big tech firms to help users identify a paid for endorsement.
Regulators want to see social media publishers commit to being more open and transparent about when posts are paid for adverts.
Under the new guidance, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has asked brands to crack down on influencers who promote services on their behalf and do not correctly identify a commercial relationship.
The guidance adds to existing resources by regulators to help publishers, businesses and influencers “stick to the rules,” Guy Parker, chief executive of the Advertising Standards Agency (ASA), said.
He added: “Platforms have an important role to play in making sure advertising content is clearly recognisable. We will continue to work closely with the CMA in this key area.”