UK says Instagram will crack down on ‘hidden advertising’
LONDON — Regulators here said Friday that Instagram will clamp down on “hidden advertising” by social media influencers.
The U.K.’s Competition and Markets Authority said Instagram’s owner Facebook has committed to tightening policies to restrict influencers who don’t disclose they’re being paid to promote businesses on its platform.
It’s part of an investigation into the influencer industry the watchdog launched two years ago.
Regulators were concerned Instagram wasn’t doing enough under consumer protection laws to stop hidden advertising, which is illegal in the U.K.
They want to make it harder to mislead people with posts that aren’t labeled as ads.
Under the new policy, Instagram will ask users to confirm if they’re getting a reward for promoting a product or service and if they are, make them disclose it clearly.
The company also will start using technology and algorithms to spot users who haven’t clearly revealed that their posts are advertisements, and then report those users to the businesses they’re promoting.
Instagramalso is opening up its “paid partnership” tool, so thatany user candisplay a label at the top of a post.
The changes apply to anyonegloballywhois targeting Instagram users in the U.K.