Social networks
The French government is tackling the excesses of influencers
Good conduct, no promotion of cosmetic surgery, transparency on the use of filters: measures have been presented to regulate the activity of influencers on social networks.
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The Federation of Influencers and Content Creators, initiated by Magali Berdah (photo), wishes to “support influencers in mastering the regulations applicable to their activity”. But Paris intends to go further.
AFP
“While it is a formidable vector of creativity and economic wealth, anchored in the daily lives of millions of our compatriots”, the influencer sector “suffers from non-existent or too vague rules.” These words of the French Minister of the Economy, Bruno Le Maire, could not be clearer.
After three months of consultation, the government has announced that it wants to subject influencers to the “same rules” as traditional media and give them legal status, as well as their agents. He also wants to go “as far as banning” for cosmetic surgery, strengthening the protection of underage influencers, and making it mandatory to display the use of a filter or retouching on content, ” in order to avoid destructive psychological effects” on the audience.
Accumulating millions of subscribers, some of whom have become stars, influencers distribute content on social networks that can greatly influence the consumption patterns of their subscribers. In recent months, pressure has mounted in France to regulate this activity, often decried for its opacity: non-explicit paid partnerships, unfair competition, tax exile or accusations of scams.
Many influencers break the rules
With the aim of better supervising the 150,000 influencers in the country, the Ministry of the Economy has launched, since December, consultations with the sector, as well as an online consultation, open to stakeholders as well as simple citizens. In total, nearly 19,000 people took part in this consultation, commenting or reacting to twelve measures put forward by the ministry.
The bill will be examined in public session, in the National Assembly, from Tuesday or Wednesday, depending on the progress of the debates on other texts, and has a very good chance of being adopted.
In January, the Fraud Enforcement released a damning investigation into the industry’s business practices. Of more than 60 agencies and influencers targeted since 2021, 60% failed to comply with and consumer rights regulations. On the menu, deception on the products sold, promotion of risky sports bets, even injections “by beauticians and non-health professionals”, according to the DGCCRF.
Scam and conflict
A collective called AVI (Help for victims of influencers) had at the same time announced the launch of legal action by dozens of people, in particular for “fraud” and “breach of trust”. They believe they have been scammed by investing in financial products touted by famous influencers, including a couple exiled in Dubai, Marc and Nadé Blata.
Finally, last year, a highly publicized conflict plunged the sector into turmoil: it pitted rapper Booba against Magali Berdah, boss of a major influencer agency, Shauna Events. The first criticizes the second for promoting scams (goods not received, non-compliant products, etc.). In return, she accuses him of cyberstalking. The justice opened two investigations in this case.
Despite the excesses, “influence marketing” has exploded in recent years, representing, in 2021, a global market estimated at nearly twelve billion euros. Industry representatives advocate self-regulation above all else. The brand new Union of Influencers and Content Creators announced in January the drafting of a “charter of good practices”. The Federation of Influencers and Content Creators, initiated by Magali Berdah, wishes to “support influencers in mastering the regulations applicable to their activity”.
(AFP)