Influncers will be investigated in the coming weeks after more than 150 tip-offs from consumers, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission said in a statement on Friday.
The announcement follows similar investigations in the US, including a probe by the Securities and Exchange Commission which fined celebrity Kim Kardashian $1.26-million in October for promoting a crypto token without disclosingMany of the accounts under investigation in Australia offer beauty, lifestyle, parenting and fashion advice, potentially without disclosing sponsorships or affiliations with particular companies and brands, the ACCC said.
“The ACCC will not hesitate to take action where we see consumers are at risk of being misled or deceived by a testimonial, and there is potential for significant harm,” ACCC chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb said in a statement. Australia’s Assistant Treasurer Stephen Jones said the consumer watchdog’s review was a “great move,” adding influencers had a responsibility to be “up front with followers about commercial arrangements”.
Good ..remember how influencers marketed a travel company that fleeced people of their hard earned money last year
No group-think detected