Social media influencers on Facebook-owned (NASDAQ:FB) Instagram and other platforms are to be named and shamed for breaking advertising rules under a new policy set up by the UK’s ad watchdog.
On Thursday, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) said it has set up a dedicated page on its website to highlight individual influencers that have “repeatedly failed to disclose when their Instagram posts are ads”, saying that in a report released in March it had discovered “inconsistent disclosure” from influencers regarding which posts on their accounts were advertisements.
“In response to ongoing rule breaking following this monitoring sweep, we are today launching a non-compliance webpage that will name influencers who have broken our rules”, the ASA said.
The first names to appear on the list include British model and bodybuilder Jodie Marsh, Geordie Shore cast member Chloe Ferry and Lucy Mecklenburgh from The Only Way Is Essex.
“[These influencers] were all contacted by our compliance team and asked to provide an assurance that they would include clear and upfront ad labels in their advertising posts. They either failed to provide that assurance in the first instance or subsequently reneged on it”, the ASA said.
Named influencers will appear on the regulator’s webpage for three months and be subject to enhanced monitoring, with the ASA adding that if influencers continue to break the rules it will pursue sanctions including taking out ads against them, petitioning to have their content removed from social media platforms, and referring them to the authorities for fines.
“We prefer to work with influencers and brands to help them stick to the rules, but the first influencers to be named on this list have been given every opportunity to treat people fairly about their ads. It’s not difficult: be upfront and clear when posts and Stories are ads. If this doesn’t bring about the changes we expect, we won’t hesitate to consider further sanctions”, ASA chief executive Guy Parker said in a statement.