Australian Regulator Cracks Down On Misleading Influencer Endorsements

Australia’s consumer watchdog is taking a close look at more than 100 social media influencers after receiving tip offs that they might not be disclosing sponsored content.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) said it received more than 150 tip-offs after its call-out on Facebook last week, most of them about influencers in beauty, lifestyle, parenting and fashion who tipsters believed had failed to disclose their affiliation with the product or company they were promoting.

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“The number of tip-offs reflects the community’s concern about the ever-increasing number of manipulative marketing techniques on social media, designed to exploit or pressure consumers into purchasing goods or services,” ACCC’s chair, Gina Cass-Gottlieb, said.

The ACCC has started a sweep this week to spot misleading testimonials and endorsements by influencers. The ACCC is looking at a range of platforms – including Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube, Facebook and Twitch – with a particular focus on sectors such as fashion, beauty, travel, health and fitness where influencer marketing is widespread.