Government Mandates for Social Media Influencers, Read to Know

Social media influencers are nowadays garnering a large audience on social media platforms by endorsing products. They also charge fees for those brands. However, giving fake reviews and untruthful customers into buying online products and services is also part of their task.

Thus, the central government is planning to soon release guidelines for social media influencers. It would require them to announce their association with the products they endorse. An official informed Press Trust of India (PTI), “The Department of Consumer Affairs is coming out with guidelines on social media influencers. It is creating dos and don’ts for them,” reported NDTV.

However, according to the proposed guidelines, if social media influencers promote a brand’s product after taking payments, then they will have to reveal their association with that brand. Further, these influencers will be obliged to put disclaimers in such endorsement posts.

The guidelines are foreseen to be released within the coming 15 days. The department has assumed the process of formulating a framework to restrict fake reviews posted on different e-commerce websites which will be released soon.

In May, the department with the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) conducted a virtual meeting with stakeholders, including e-commerce establishments, to discuss the extent of fake reviews on their platforms.

After research, it is concluded that customers are heavily dependent on reviews posted on platforms to see the knowledge and opinions of users who have already purchased the good or service. Hence, the department decided to develop these frameworks after examining the current tool carried out by e-commerce entities in India and the global best practices.