UK Wants To Establish Influencer Protection Measures While It Still Can

Influencers have become a mainstay in our world with their rapid takeover of social media, producing hours and hours of content each day on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, and the like.

While the rise of these content creators has been a boom for the social media age, the Digital, Culture, Media, and Sport Committee (DCMS) in the UK has identified that there are regulatory gaps in the market, with insufficient protection for both influencers hard at work as well as consumers.

As DCMS Committee Chair Julian Knight MP explains, the rise of influencer culture has brought about new opportunities for creatives worldwide, but “below the shiny surface of what you see on screen, you will discover an altogether murkier world where both the influencers and their followers are at risk of exploitation and harm online.” 

Children are one special group of viewers the government plans to address, as they navigate a dynamic social media landscape without full knowledge of digital literacy. The committee cites a 2021 survey from Ofcom stating that up to 50% of kids follow bloggers or YouTube influencers, and while this can expose them to a diverse range of voices and interests, there’s potential for harmful messages or disinformation to weasel their way through. 

The report proposes the Advertising Standards Agency in the UK should “strengthen disclosure standards for adverts online targeting at children,” to make the space safer, much like how Unilever recently pledged to stop targeted advertising at children below the age of 16. 

Furthermore, child influencers are a subsegment of the influencer culture that could possibly be exploited, especially as many of these accounts are managed by their parents. The Committee has fielded concerns that some kids may be used by parents or elder caregivers to capitalize on the growing industry, and that posting videos on their daily lives and habits could pose security risks.

As such, it proposes that regulators take a look at UK child labor and performance laws to include new protections on working hours and conditions, the child’s share of earnings, and ensuring a right to erasure in the future. 

Another important issue plaguing the field is mental health. Despite 32% of British children surveyed indicating they would consider becoming an influencer, viewers often don’t see behind the curtain the challenges these minor celebrities face.

From hacking threats to impersonation, unpredictability, and online abuse, many influencers behind the screens suffer when they are targeted by bullies but have no way of escape. One way to combat this would be to use the country’s Online Safety Bill to allow reports specific to influencers, so the industry can be more regulated as it expands. 

“The explosion in influencer activity has left the authorities playing catch-up and exposed the impotence of advertising rules and employment protections designed for a time before social media was the all-encompassing behemoth it has become today,” says Knight. 

“This report has held a mirror up to the problems which beset the industry, where for too long it has been a case of lights, camera, inaction. It is now up to the Government to reshape the rules to keep pace with the changing digital landscape and ensure proper protections for all,” he adds. 

Head here to read the entire report. 

[via Influencer Intelligence and DCMS Committee, cover image via Yuri Arcurs | Dreamstime.com]