With the evolution of technology and especially after the Covid-19 pandemic, a new form of advertising has emerged: influencer marketing, i.e. the advertising of products and services between the influencer and the company for a fee.

It has become common knowledge that influencers are an important factor in shaping the purchasing choices of consumers both internationally and in Europe.

In May 2024, the Council of the European Union adopted recommendations and conclusions on supporting influencers as content creators in social media. In order to proceed with the analysis of the conclusions and recommendations of 14th May, it is important to understand the concept of influencer as attributed by the Council at its meeting of 13 and 14 May : "Influencers are content creators who post content on social media or video sharing platforms , through which they influence society, public opinion and the personal views of their audience , which is expressed through a relationship with their audience based on the authenticity of their character..." (for more information on the definition of influencer click here.

In order for this influence to be positive, the Council has taken an integrated approach to the European Commission and the Member States, including Greece, to ensure that influencers produce legitimate and socially responsible content on social media platforms, based on the principle of transparency and fairness.

After starting with an analysis of influencers as part of the global economic media chain, the Council stressed that they can create negative consequences for individuals, especially minors, and society due to misinformation.

The most important recommendations addressed to both Member States and the European Commission include:

1. Encouraging Member States to work with influencers and their emerging representative organizations (e.g. influencer agencies) to ensure that they have sufficient knowledge of their role in the media ecosystem and the legislation applicable to them.

2. The exploration by the Commission of ways to support influencers at Community level, including through a coherent policy approach focusing on media literacy and responsible online behavior, as well as through the use of existing EU funds and programs for appropriate media education

3. The development of policies and instruments by both the Commission and Member States to promote responsible behavior by influencers and support the development of self-regulatory bodies or mechanisms, including a possible code of conduct or similar initiatives for influencers

4. Ensuring that Member States and the Commission ensure that influencers are involved in the development of those aspects of media policy that may have an impact on them, including the increased use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

From the above recommendations, we conclude that the key principles for a legitimate influencer marketing and content disclosure (disclosure to the consumer audience of the existence of a paid collaborative relationship between the influencer and a company) are transparency and fairness, which should be aligned with the recommendations of the Council of the European Union.

For more information on the recommendations and conclusions of the Council of the European Union click here