Report from Net Influencer
In Brief – The European Parliament has called for an EU-wide code of conduct governing influencers, agencies and online platforms to be part of the EU’s broader efforts to make social media safer for young people. A non-binding resolution called on the European Commission and Member States to establish the code alongside a legal definition of “Influencer Marketing” and a prohibition on unfair commercial practices, with the aim of strengthening disclosure requirements for sponsored content. The Parliament also wants the Commission’s upcoming revision of the Audiovisual Media Services Directive (AVMSD) to clarify whether influencers and professional content creators should face the same advertising-transparency obligations as media service providers. The resolution’s strong support signals that influencer regulation could become part of the online youth-safety framework along with age verification, greater algorithmic transparency, youth modes that disable targeted advertising, standards for AI companions, and a ban on nonconsensual AI-generated or altered sexual images.
Context – The global social media influencer industry was valued at over $32 billion in 2025, with estimates for the broader ‘creator economy’ exceeding $300 billion. The regulatory framework governing creators has been evolving from voluntary compliance to enforceable statutory penalties. Building on its 2023 Endorsement Guides, the US FTC enacted a formal Trade Regulation Rule in late 2024 imposing civil penalties over $51,000 per violation for deceptive reviews, fake influence metrics, and undisclosed endorsements. In the UK, the CMA released influencer guidance in 2022 and the DMCC gives the CMA direct authority to fine non-compliant brands and creators up to 10% of global turnover. Meanwhile, the EU rolled out its Influencer Legal Hub in 2023, although studies show inconsistent compliance. France has been the most aggressive national regulator with its 2023 Law on Commercial Influence, which mandates written contracts and established steep financial penalties for non-compliant creators.