Kristine
In a recent survey conducted by Influence.co, hundreds of people shared their opinions about influencer marketing. According to the report, the majority stated that it’s acceptable for influencers to promote their own brands and sponsored products, as long as they clearly state when they’re being paid to promote a brand. However, 62% of respondents said that it’s unethical for influencers to promote products they don’t personally use, and 72% believe that influencers should be fully transparent when reviewing products.
Aside from the requirement to acknowledge their sponsorships, influencers are held to very few regulations, making it challenging to identify legitimate posts. From makeup gurus knowingly promoting defective products to celebrities Photoshopping their selfies, ethical guidelines for influencer marketers are practically non-existent. If this marketing strategy is to continue, it’s crucial to develop clear moral codes and start holding influencers accountable.
Current Concerns
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in the US and the UK released some basic guidelines to address common concerns with “fraudulent influencers, fake followers, and problematic content,” but the real issues are more complex than these identifiable faults. For instance, some celebrities have mistakenly included the promotion instructions along with scripted captions created by their sponsors, making it obvious that they don’t really care about what they’re marketing.
Numerous Instagram influencers have received negative backlash after promoting a certain brand of “detox tea” and raving about its (unproven) health benefits to their followers. But despite the fact that 56% of regular social media users believe that influencers should be held responsible for all products they promote, many continue to partner with brands they don’t like, suggest products they don’t use and share pre-written captions instead of expressing their real opinions.
Defining Ethical Behavior
One of the primary challenges of regulating content generated by influencers is that every individual has their own personal set of moral guidelines. Some argue that setting too many limitations on social media is akin to censorship, even if the information shared is proven to be misleading or harmful. Striking a balance between protecting the right to free speech and preventing unethical marketing practices is challenging, but not impossible.
The Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) Code of Ethics, for example, sets high standards for journalists to help them earn public trust when there’s an ongoing fear of “fake news.” Moral journalism is defined by a long list of values within the SPJ Code of Ethics, which states that each reporter is expected to:
- Take full responsibility for the accuracy of their work.
- Provide adequate context to avoid misrepresenting or oversimplifying stories.
- Consider the long-term implications of online content, updating articles as needed if more information comes to light.
- Avoid conflicts of interest and maintain transparency.
- Prominently label any sponsored content to avoid blurring the line between journalism and marketing.
While it’s definitely unrealistic to hold an Instagram influencer to the same standards as a professional journalist, the SPJ Code of Ethics can at least provide a basic guideline for the future of social media marketing. In the meantime, think twice before you buy that celebrity-endorsed product.
