Ministry of Trade imposes fines on influencers

The Advertising Board of the Ministry of Trade has imposed a total of 89 million 59 thousand 840 TL in administrative fines during the first 8 months of the year for social media influencers who generated income through 'covert advertising' and for posts made on digital platforms.

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Ministry of Trade imposes fines on influencers

The rapid growth of social media platforms has increased the tendency of brands to collaborate with social media influencers for product promotion.

Influencers often create an impact on their followers by promoting products in a natural way as part of their daily lives.

The Ministry of Trade conducted extensive investigations into social media influencers who engaged in 'covert advertising' during the first eight months of the year.

Within the scope of these investigations, promotions made in many areas, from food supplements to discount sales, were evaluated.

PENALTIES TO BE APPLIED HAVE BEEN ANNOUNCED

During the investigations, various violations were detected, such as posts containing health claims, directing users to health services, promotion of prohibited products, and expressions exceeding the definition of cosmetics.

The failure to clearly state that the promotion of products or services is an advertisement was evaluated within the scope of 'covert advertising.' In this context, administrative fines were imposed on the relevant influencers.

The Ministry of Trade Advertising Board announced that it has imposed a total of 89 million 59 thousand 840 TL in administrative fines this year regarding advertisements made through digital channels. While the fine applied to an influencer who made non-compliant advertisements last year was 347 thousand 128 TL, this amount was increased to 550 thousand 59 TL for 2024 with the revaluation rate.

CONSUMER PROTECTION MEASURES

The Ministry of Trade has published various informative guides to protect consumers in digital media. Documents such as the "Guide on Commercial Advertisements and Unfair Commercial Practices Made by Social Media Influencers" and the "Guide on Consumer Reviews" aim to contribute to the regulation of these channels. These efforts aim to increase the transparency of advertisements as well as ensure that consumers have access to accurate information.

News Source: 12punto