A recent 2018 report disclosed that almost three-quarters of
U.S. millennials and their Gen Z successors follow social media
influencers, and the majority say they trust influencers more than
their favorite celebrities when it comes to advice about products
or brands.
Authenticity and genuinely caring about consumer interests are
the most important traits when deciding whether to follow an
influencer on social media. With the growth of influencers’
ability to reach and persuade significant portions of the
population, their role has come under increasing scrutiny by the
Federal Trade Commission.
On Nov. 5, the FTC issued a guide titled “Disclosures 101
for Social Media Influencers” and a video titled “Do
you endorse things on social media?” While the ostensible
purpose of this guide and video is to educate influencers about the
FTC rules governing the endorsement of products or services and to
provide “tips on when and how to make good
disclosures,” the other
