Rise of political influencers sparks questions about ad regulation

"The rise of political influencers - content creators on social media who sway public opinion by endorsing political causes or candidates - has raised questions about how best to regulate them, a German media regulator said in a study published Monday. EU rules for political advertising, aimed at countering information manipulation and foreign interference in elections, and at increasing transparency about sponsors, but political influencers fall outside that scope, have entered into force this month."

"The content that this type of influencers create - a mix of opinion and information - is not considered journalism either, the study by the Media Authority of North Rhine-Westphalia (Landesanstalt für Medien NRW or LfM) said, and that is where, according to them, the problem lies: how can we be sure some are not manipulating their followers? Meanwhile, their popularity keeps growing."

Political influencers on social media sway public opinion by endorsing political causes or candidates and produce content that mixes opinion and information. EU political advertising rules designed to counter information manipulation, foreign interference and to increase sponsor transparency have entered into force but exclude political influencers. Much influencer content is not classified as journalism, creating a regulatory gap and risks of manipulation. Followership is substantial, especially among younger users, increasing potential impact. Difficulty distinguishing facts from opinion and misinformation appears widespread, prompting calls for new regulatory approaches and improved public ability to recognize and report violations.

Read at euronews