Claims of flouting the rules

Dominant vape brands, including Chinese company Elf Bar, have reportedly been using social media influencers on Tiktok and Instagram to advertise their products. Some influencers claim they are sent samples and sometimes payment in return for exposure on their popular channels, advertising the vapes to their often under-age audiences.

Many videos advertising e-cigarettes are not age restricted, and aren’t always marked as ads, which could be in violation of the Advertising Standards Authority’s guidelines. Tiktok and Instagram say they remove content flagged for violating its rules. In response, Elf Bar said it had a ‘no paid-for influencers’ policy and adhered to ASA regulations on vape advertising.