Do you follow a bunch of big name celebrities on Instagram? There's a good chance you've been exposed to improperly labeled ads.
Mediakix recently evaluated the accounts of the top 50 most followed celebrities on Instagram over a 30-day period and found that the vast majority of ads they posted were in violation of the Federal Trade Commission's rules.
According to the FTC's guidelines, all sponsored posts on Instagram must include clear and conspicuous disclosure like #ad or #sponsored near the top of captions, so people viewing the post on a smartphone will see that it's an ad without having to press the "more" button (see below). Social media stars sometimes use hashtags like #sp or #partner to call out Instagram ads; other times, they'll just say "Thanks [Brand]" somewhere in the caption. Under the FTC's rules, these disclosures aren't sufficient.
Obsessed with @SugarBearHair for over a year! This is more than just an #Ad because I truly love these delicious, soft, chewy vitamins. I've loved keeping my natural hair short because of the fun versatility it gives me, so I take SugarBear vitamins for stronger healthier hair. These vitamins are amazing! #sugarbearhair #ad
A post shared by Khloé (@khloekardashian) on
Mediakix didn't name names but found that 30 of the top 50 Instagrammers posted sponsored content, which isn't a problem if it's done right. The problem is, just 7 percent of those posts were in compliance with the FTC's guidelines. The other 93 percent of posts did not include the appropriate verbiage.
Related
Oops: 7 Hilarious Celeb-Sponsored Social Media FailsOops: 7 Hilarious Celeb-Sponsored Social Media Fails
"We found that celebrities who post sponsored content may, on average, post 3 FTC compliant posts a year vs. 58 posts that are non-compliant," the marketing agency wrote.
Mediakix went on to say that these violations "may have profound and far-reaching effects on consumers." The low compliance rate means that "users are regularly coming across posts that could be interpreted as misleading where the material connection between a brand and a celebrity is ambiguous," they added.
The FTC last month sent out more than 90 letters reminding Instagram stars and marketers that they need to "clearly and conspicuously disclose their relationships to brands when promoting or endorsing products through social media." That marked the first time the agency had reached out to social media influencers directly about their responsibility to be transparent when posting ads on Instagram.
For many celebrities, it can be especially gratifying to interact with fans. They like it when people wave and smile at them because fans are often the reason...
A new spam scourge has descended upon unsuspecting Apple Calendar users, and boy is it annoying. Today we’re going to explain how to safely remove it, so hopefully you’re not bothered by it again.
Relax Most Celebs Don't Properly Label Their Instagram Ads stories
Since its launch 7 years ago, Instagram has become one of the leading social media platforms for image-based content, with over 600 million active monthly users.
These new features will let you more easily 'see what's happening around you and find stories related to your interests,' Instagram wrote in a blog post.
A new study reveals that YouTube is the 'most positive' social media site for young people, while Instagram and Snapchat are 'the most detrimental' to their mental health.
Social media stars sometimes use hashtags like #sp and #partner or say "Thanks [Brand]" to call out Instagram ads. The FTC said these disclosures aren't sufficient.
The blurry screen will be placed over content that has not violated Instagram's policies, but was reported by someone and confirmed to be 'sensitive' by a member of Instagram's review team.
Google is making good on a promise to more closely monitor advertisements that appear alongside YouTube videos and give brands more control over where their ads appear.
Virtual reality in finally taking off. But should you jump in just yet? We've tested the top VR headsets and platforms to help figure out which, if any, is right for you.
Tired of searching through hundreds of emojis for the perfect way to express yourself? Draw one with your finger and Google's keyboard app will match it.
Your iPhone may be well protected against malware, but it can't protect your data as it travels the internet. Using a VPN keeps your information safe and private, even when you're connected through an insecure Wi-Fi hotspot.
While Project Scorpio was teased at last year's E3, it was only yesterday that we finally got a good look at Microsoft's latest console, now named the Xbox One...
Drag-and-drop visual interfaces and form builders have made it easy for anyone to create an app. We test how well five low-code development platforms hold up when building apps for the needs of IT departments and everyday business users alike.
